Artist Chic Young's Blondie comic strip was one of newspapers' most read cartoons in the early 1930s, with the Bumstead family, Dagwood, Blondie and their son Baby Dumpling getting into all sorts of predicaments. Hollywood capitalized on the popular comic strip by producing November 1938 "Blondie." The Columbia Pictures movie was so popular it went on to make 28 feature films on the shenanigans of the Bumsteads. Some film reviewers claim the 1938 original was the best of the lot (The studio ceased "Blondie" movies in 1943, but a huge public outcry encouraged Columbia to resume making more "Blondie" films the following year.).
Chic Young's comic strip struck a cord to its Depression-era readers. Publisher King Features' former president Joseph Connolly described its creator as "the greatest story teller of his kind since the immortal Charles Dickens." Columbia intended to make just one film when it bought the Blondie movie rights, but viewers immediately latched on to the personalities of Arthur Lake as Dagwood, Penny Singleton as Blondie, and Larry Simms as four-year-old Baby Dumpling, later named Alexander. All three remained with the series through its final film, 1950's 'Beware of Blondie.' The three actors added to the success of the Blondie movie series with their own beloved radio show.
Many of Columbia's contract actors were kept busy appearing in bit parts in the Blondie series, including Glenn Ford, Larry Parks, Shemp Howard, Lloyd Bridges and Rita Hayworth. Scriptwriter Richard Flournoy kept the signature Dagwood comic strip's trademarks, including Mr. Bumstead's penchant for eating his famous sandwich and running over the postman, scattering letters all over the place in his rush to get to work on time. In "Blondie," Dagwood finds himself in trouble when he co-signs a loan for a former secretary of Mr. Dithers' construction company where he's an office manager, only to see it default. Living paycheck to paycheck with his new furniture repossessed since he has to repay the loan, Dagwood readily accepts Mr. Dithers' offer of a raise and a bonus if he can get developer Mr. Hazlip to sign a contract with his company. One predicament leads to another, with Blondie reaching the end of her rope, threatening divorce proceedings.
Penny Singleton was a former cabaret singer who played small roles in a number of films beginning in 1930 before she earned the female lead in "Blondie." The actress turned to television after the series ended, and was the voice of Jane Jetson in 1962's 'The Jetsons.' Singleton later was active in unions, appearing before Congress to testify against the exploitation of female workers. She led a successful month-long strike by the Radio City Rockettes in 1967.
Arthur Lake as Dagwood had a long history as a performer, beginning with his parents' circus and vaudeville act in 1910. With his screen debut in 1917 at age 12, Lake appeared in a number of silent comedies for Universal Pictures, as well as in several lightweight romantic talkies, with one of his most notable roles as the bellhop in 1937's "Topper." His favorite part was Dagwood, and he extended his characterization of the good-intentioned husband in the 1957 TV series 'Blondie.' Lake was close friends with newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst and his mistress Marion Davies, and spent many a night at their beach house where he met and married the actress' niece, Patricia Van Cleeve in 1937. Rumors spread that Patricia, who had a strong resemblance to Hearst, was the daughter of Davies. Shortly before her death Pat admitted the stories were true.
Larry Simms, as Baby Dumpling, appeared in several movies at the same time as "Blondie, including as the oldest son of George Bailey in 1946's "It's a Wonderful Life."
Television enveloped Blondie with two series, NBC's 1957 'Blondie,' with Lake as Dagwood and Pamela Britton as his wife, and 1968 as 'The New Blondie,' with Patricia Harty and Will Hutchins as the dynamic couple with Jim Backus in the Mr. Dithers role.
Chic Young's comic strip struck a cord to its Depression-era readers. Publisher King Features' former president Joseph Connolly described its creator as "the greatest story teller of his kind since the immortal Charles Dickens." Columbia intended to make just one film when it bought the Blondie movie rights, but viewers immediately latched on to the personalities of Arthur Lake as Dagwood, Penny Singleton as Blondie, and Larry Simms as four-year-old Baby Dumpling, later named Alexander. All three remained with the series through its final film, 1950's 'Beware of Blondie.' The three actors added to the success of the Blondie movie series with their own beloved radio show.
Many of Columbia's contract actors were kept busy appearing in bit parts in the Blondie series, including Glenn Ford, Larry Parks, Shemp Howard, Lloyd Bridges and Rita Hayworth. Scriptwriter Richard Flournoy kept the signature Dagwood comic strip's trademarks, including Mr. Bumstead's penchant for eating his famous sandwich and running over the postman, scattering letters all over the place in his rush to get to work on time. In "Blondie," Dagwood finds himself in trouble when he co-signs a loan for a former secretary of Mr. Dithers' construction company where he's an office manager, only to see it default. Living paycheck to paycheck with his new furniture repossessed since he has to repay the loan, Dagwood readily accepts Mr. Dithers' offer of a raise and a bonus if he can get developer Mr. Hazlip to sign a contract with his company. One predicament leads to another, with Blondie reaching the end of her rope, threatening divorce proceedings.
Penny Singleton was a former cabaret singer who played small roles in a number of films beginning in 1930 before she earned the female lead in "Blondie." The actress turned to television after the series ended, and was the voice of Jane Jetson in 1962's 'The Jetsons.' Singleton later was active in unions, appearing before Congress to testify against the exploitation of female workers. She led a successful month-long strike by the Radio City Rockettes in 1967.
Arthur Lake as Dagwood had a long history as a performer, beginning with his parents' circus and vaudeville act in 1910. With his screen debut in 1917 at age 12, Lake appeared in a number of silent comedies for Universal Pictures, as well as in several lightweight romantic talkies, with one of his most notable roles as the bellhop in 1937's "Topper." His favorite part was Dagwood, and he extended his characterization of the good-intentioned husband in the 1957 TV series 'Blondie.' Lake was close friends with newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst and his mistress Marion Davies, and spent many a night at their beach house where he met and married the actress' niece, Patricia Van Cleeve in 1937. Rumors spread that Patricia, who had a strong resemblance to Hearst, was the daughter of Davies. Shortly before her death Pat admitted the stories were true.
Larry Simms, as Baby Dumpling, appeared in several movies at the same time as "Blondie, including as the oldest son of George Bailey in 1946's "It's a Wonderful Life."
Television enveloped Blondie with two series, NBC's 1957 'Blondie,' with Lake as Dagwood and Pamela Britton as his wife, and 1968 as 'The New Blondie,' with Patricia Harty and Will Hutchins as the dynamic couple with Jim Backus in the Mr. Dithers role.