The Hucksters
Gable's New Star is Deborah Kerr (rhymes with star)
1947 | 115m | English
Popularity: 1 (history)
| Director: | Jack Conway |
|---|---|
| Writer: | George Wells, Frederic Wakeman, Luther Davis, Edward Chodorov |
| Staring: |
| A World War II veteran wants to return to advertising on his own terms, but finds it difficult to be successful and maintain his integrity. | |
| Release Date: | Jul 17, 1947 |
|---|---|
| Director: | Jack Conway |
| Writer: | George Wells, Frederic Wakeman, Luther Davis, Edward Chodorov |
| Genres: | Comedy, Drama, Romance |
| Keywords | widow, advertising, pratfall, integrity |
| Production Companies | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $0
Budget: $0 |
| Updates |
Updated: Aug 03, 2024 (Update) Entered: Apr 20, 2024 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Clark Gable | Victor Albee Norman |
| Deborah Kerr | Kay Dorrance |
| Sydney Greenstreet | Evan Llewellyn Evans |
| Adolphe Menjou | Mr. Kimberly |
| Ava Gardner | Jean Ogilvie |
| Keenan Wynn | Buddy Hare |
| Edward Arnold | David 'Dave' Lash |
| Aubrey Mather | Mr. Glass, Valet |
| Richard Gaines | Cooke |
| Frank Albertson | Max Herman |
| Douglas Fowley | Georgie Gaver |
| Clinton Sundberg | Michael Michaelson |
| Gloria Holden | Mrs. Kimberly |
| Connie Gilchrist | Betty - Switchboard Operator |
| Kathryn Card | Miss Regina Kennedy |
| Lillian Bronson | Miss Hammer - Secretary |
| Vera Marshe | Gloria, West Coast Secretary |
| Ralph Bunker | Allison |
| Virginia Dale | Kimberly Receptionist |
| Jimmy Conlin | Blake - Blue Penguin Inn Proprietor |
| John McIntire | Radio Announcer (uncredited) |
| Robert Emmett O'Connor | Frank - Hotel Doorman (uncredited) |
| George O'Hanlon | Freddie Callahan (uncredited) |
| Theodore von Eltz | Radio Voice (uncredited) |
| Anne Nagel | Teletype Operator (uncredited) |
| Marie Windsor | Girl on Train (uncredited) |
| Richard Abbott | Elevator Starter (uncredited) |
| Charles Abraham | Arabian Rug Peddler (uncredited) |
| John Albright | Assistant Photographer (uncredited) |
| Sam Ash | Man at Inn (uncredited) |
| Vangie Beilby | Flower Woman (uncredited) |
| William Benedict | Bellboy at Blue Penguin Inn (uncredited) |
| Nan Bennett | Girl at Inn (uncredited) |
| Hoffis Better | Arabian Rug Peddler (uncredited) |
| Frank Bingman | Radio Voice (uncredited) |
| Henry Blair | Sonny (voice) (uncredited) |
| Harriett Brest | Flower Woman (uncredited) |
| Betty Callender | Stewardess (uncredited) |
| Harry Cheshire | Joe Lorrison (uncredited) |
| Edwin Cooper | Harry Spooner (uncredited) |
| John Daheim | Taxi Driver (uncredited) |
| Bert Davidson | Man at Inn (uncredited) |
| Eugene Baxtor Day | Hal Dorrance (uncredited) |
| Drew Demorest | Man at Inn (uncredited) |
| Phil Dunham | Man in Elevator (uncredited) |
| Madge Erwin | Flower Woman (uncredited) |
| Nellie Farrell | Flower Woman (uncredited) |
| Almeda Fowler | Woman in Elevator (uncredited) |
| Dink Freeman | Man at Inn (uncredited) |
| Rudy Germane | Club Patron (uncredited) |
| Mahlon Hamilton | Businessman (uncredited) |
| John Hiestand | Radio Announcer (uncredited) |
| Fred Howard | Elevator Operator (uncredited) |
| Joseph Kearns | Radio Voice (uncredited) |
| Eugene Lay | Hal Dorrance (uncredited) |
| Frank Leigh | Man in Kimberly's Office (uncredited) |
| Cathy Lewis | Wanda Jean (voice) (uncredited) |
| Sydney Logan | Girl at Inn (uncredited) |
| Wilbur Mack | Man at Inn (uncredited) |
| Eddie Marr | Pitch Man (uncredited) |
| Vera Martin | Girl at Inn (uncredited) |
| David McKim | Photographer's Assistant (uncredited) |
| Sammy McKim | Western Union Messenger (uncredited) |
| David Merritt | Arabian Rug Peddler (uncredited) |
| Jerry Miley | Second Taxi Driver (uncredited) |
| Byron Morgan | Radio Soundman (uncredited) |
| Charles Peck | Elevator Operator (uncredited) |
| Dianne Perrine | Ellen Dorrance (uncredited) |
| Lillian Randolph | Violet (voice) (uncredited) |
| Jean Ransome | Maid (uncredited) |
| Jack Rice | Tie Sales Clerk (uncredited) |
| Gordon Richards | Conrad (uncredited) |
| Joe Sawaya | Arabian Rug Peddler (uncredited) |
| Erin Selwyn | Girl at Inn (uncredited) |
| Violet Seton | Flower Woman (uncredited) |
| Fred Sherman | First Taxi Driver (uncredited) |
| Ransom M. Sherman | George Rockton (uncredited) |
| Robert Skelton | Man at Inn (uncredited) |
| Agnes Steele | Flower Woman (uncredited) |
| Florence Stephens | Secretary (uncredited) |
| Cedric Stevens | Man in Kimberly's Office (uncredited) |
| Tom Stevenson | Paul Evans (uncredited) |
| Mary Stuart | Model in Elevator (uncredited) |
| Joan Valerie | Receptionist (uncredited) |
| Barrett Whitelaw | Man in Elevator (uncredited) |
| Chief Yowlachie | Indian (uncredited) |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| Jack Conway | Director |
| George Wells | Adaptation |
| Harold Rosson | Director of Photography |
| Cedric Gibbons | Art Direction |
| Edwin B. Willis | Set Decoration |
| Urie McCleary | Art Direction |
| Jack Dawn | Makeup Designer |
| Sydney Guilaroff | Hair Designer |
| Sid Sidman | Assistant Director |
| John Waters | Second Unit Director |
| Jack D. Moore | Assistant Set Decoration |
| Douglas Shearer | Sound Director |
| A. Arnold Gillespie | Special Effects |
| Irene | Costume Supervisor |
| Eugene Joseff | Other |
| Frederic Wakeman | Novel |
| Luther Davis | Screenplay |
| Edward Chodorov | Adaptation |
| Lennie Hayton | Original Music Composer |
| Frank Sullivan | Editor |
| Warren Newcombe | Special Effects |
| Wally Heglin | Orchestrator |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Arthur Hornblow Jr. | Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 3 |
| 2024 | 5 | 9 | 19 | 3 |
| 2024 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 2 |
| 2024 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 3 |
| 2024 | 8 | 5 | 11 | 3 |
| 2024 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 2 |
| 2024 | 10 | 5 | 13 | 2 |
| 2024 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| 2024 | 12 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 2025 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Trending Position
Clark Gable ("Victor Norman") returns from WWII to rekindle his career in advertising. His cunning plan involves the glamorous war widow Deborah Kerr ("Kay"), nervous old ad agency boss "Mr. Kimberly" (Adoplhe Menjou), some considerable perspicacity and a whole load of soap. The latter element is pr ... ovided by the wonderfully odious "Evan Llewellyn Evans" (Sydney Greenstreet,) the shrewd, but ghastly, owner of the most popular brand of beauty soap for whom Gable engages Kerr to star in an advertisement. Much to everyone's surprise, the entrepreneur rather likes the end product and "Norman" looks like his new, highly paid, career is set fair. Meantime, he has completely fallen for "Kay", but his methods of courtship lack, shall we say, finesse or style! Will he get the big job and/or the girl? Does he even want the big job an/or the girl? Wakeman's novel sets up the shallowness of the advertising industry for a good kicking: it's manipulation of those it considers the "sheep" (i.e us) to buy whatever rehashed nonsense they choose to offer us, is presented in a frequently quite comical - certainly quite cynical - fashion, with Greenstreet superb as the thoroughly unpleasant boss surrounded by his band of acolytes calling out "check" when he seeks their nominal agreement for his decisions. Jack Conway let's the star own the film - the dialogue is quickly delivered; and there is the merest hint of chemistry between him and his new to Hollywood co-star, who could have been doing with a little more substance to her part. Edward Arnold chips in well too, and there is an early outing for keenan Wynn as "Buddy Hare"- the kind of comic that has me reaching for my shotgun! It's a bit on the long side, the story runs out of steam a bit - but its still well worth watching.