In the late 1800s, 2 east coast sales ladies decide to stop selling corsets and head West to sell barbed wire to Texas cowboys but they face opposition from big ranchers who fear that steel ... Read allIn the late 1800s, 2 east coast sales ladies decide to stop selling corsets and head West to sell barbed wire to Texas cowboys but they face opposition from big ranchers who fear that steel wire would hurt cattle.In the late 1800s, 2 east coast sales ladies decide to stop selling corsets and head West to sell barbed wire to Texas cowboys but they face opposition from big ranchers who fear that steel wire would hurt cattle.
- Cal - Texas Rancher
- (as Robert Simon)
- Pedestrian
- (uncredited)
- Cattleman
- (uncredited)
- Courtroom Spectator
- (uncredited)
- Mrs. Bronson
- (uncredited)
- Cattleman at Desk
- (uncredited)
- Telegraph Operator
- (uncredited)
- Courtroom Spectator
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaGinger Rogers and Carol Channing jokingly called this "Death of a Saleslady", claiming that it was a terrible picture.
- GoofsMoving shadow of the boom microphone on the wall of the jail (upper right of the frame) with the two tied-up jailers after Rogers and Channing are sprung by Arness.
- Quotes
Molly Wade: Pardon me, but, what is a Rough Rider?
[Lt. Rice get's an application]
Molly Wade: Don't be silly, I don't want to join. I can't even ride smooth. What's your name?
Lt. Jack Rice, Roughrider: Jack Rice.
Molly Wade: You're handsome. And brave too I'll bet. You like girls?
Lt. Jack Rice, Roughrider: Yes, ma'am.
Molly Wade: Well, I'm a girl.
Lt. Jack Rice, Roughrider: [Grinning] You sure are.
- Crazy creditsOpening credits prologue: 1897!
America was feeling its strength and had come of age as a nation.
The American Salesman was telling anyone who cared to listen that it was a man's world. The American woman agreed . . . . . and prepared to take it away from him.
This is the story of the first traveling saleslady in America and HOW she got that way!!
- ConnectionsFeatured in Hollywood the Golden Years: The RKO Story: Howard's Way (1987)
- SoundtracksThe First Traveling Saleslady
Sung by The Lancers (Coral Recording Artists)
Music by Irving Gertz
Lyrics by Hal Levy
Rogers' modeling assistant is none other than Carol Channing, in Hollywood after her smash success on Broadway in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. And she's not bad at all. Channing does a quickie song called A Corset Can Do a Lot for a Lady and she's hilarious, altering between her trademark Channing voice and some basso sounds that sound like Bea Arthur. Too bad the direction--as usual--cuts away from her to show the man behind the desk. Musicals always did this--cut away from the performer to show the audience.
James Arness is the rancher. Barry Nelson is the car owner. David Brian is the steel man. Clint Eastwood is the cavalry man. Robert F. Simon is a henchman.
What helps sink this is the overall cheap look and bad color. Rogers would star in 2 more films and then appear only sporadically. Channing would not appear in a film for another decade but would win an Oscar nomination for it--Thoroughly Modern Millie. And this is NOT Channing's film debut as is often stated. She had appeared in Paid in Full in 1950. But this was Eastwood's first screen kiss---with Carol Channing!
- drednm
- Nov 27, 2005
- How long is The First Traveling Saleslady?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $2,000,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 32 minutes