The read
It runs a compact 1h 8m.
Synopsis
Bad News Johnson, a con artist from Memphis, Tennessee, arrives in Dallas, Texas, accompanied by his dim sidekick July Jones with only twenty-five cents between them. The duo arrange to become boarders at the home of Louella "Mama Lou" Holiday, who is fooled into believing Johnson is an acting teacher from Hollywood. Mrs. Holiday agrees to give the men free room and board if they will provide poise lessons to her daughter, an aspiring beauty queen named Honey Dew.
Ratings
IMDb5.7/10
4 audience votes
Key crew
- Spencer WilliamsDirector
- True T. ThompsonWriter
Cast
- Spencer WilliamsBad News Johnson / Vanderbilt Whitney
- July Jones'Cornbread' Green
- Inez NewellLouella 'Mama Lou' Holiday
- Leonard DuncanSamuel 'Papa Sam' Holiday
- Dauphine MooreBarbara 'Honey Dew' Holiday
- Katherine MooreFlorida Holiday
- Tilford PattersonJefferson Lee
- Albert Smith'High Life' Harris
- Howard Galloway'Juke Joint' Johnny
- Melody DuncanMelody Holiday
- Red CalhounBandleader
Stills
Themes
beauty contestdallas, texasjitterbugpennilesslodgersblack communitythree daughtersdeep south