User Reviews

No. 16 in the 'Mr. Average Man' series for RKO Pictures. Not the best of the series, but certainly worthwhile. The print that is going around is of good quality. Co-written by George Stevens, some of the milder comedy from his later work is evident here. And Edgar Kennedy has never been better with the dog.

It's Edgar Kennedy's birthday. He's already tangled with landlord Fred Kelsey -- for once not wearing a cop's uniform -- over the dogs that follow him him to the NO PETS ALLOWED building. Now brother-in-law William Eugene has been sent to pick up Ed's gift of a news watch.... and comes home with two bears, one of which, he claims, has swallowed it.

It's surprising to see Hal Roach alumnus George Stevens directing this RKO short, but after being kicked out in a reorganization -- an earlier one had booted Kennedy -- he directed some shorts over at Universal. From there he had moved to RKO, where he directed more shorts -- including this one -- and then had moved into features. And that is how great careers are made: one day you're directing Fred Kelsey to wrestle with a bear, and then another day you're directing AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY under a different title.

Fred Kelsey wrestling with a bear sounds just like Christopher Lloyd being dissolved in Dip in WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT. I wonder if Lloyd ever saw this short.