Behind the Eight Ball poster
FilmComedyMusic

Behind the Eight Ball (1942)

1942-12-04 · 1h 0m · EN
60%
User score
1 votes
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FUN STARS ! TUNE-STARS! LOVE-STARS! Hep-steppers and Happy Honeys!

The story takes place at a summer theater in the Berkshire Mountains, where heroine Joan Barry (Carol Bruce) is staging a Broadway-bound musical comedy. Only one problem: two guest stars are shot and killed on two successive evenings, right in front of the audience. Hoping to solve the mystery, detective William Demarest demands that everyone -- actors and theatergoers alike -- return the following weekend to restage the show. But with no major performer willing to assume the fatal guest-star slot, Joan is forced to hire the Three Jolly Jesters (Al, Harry and Jimmy Ritz), Manhattan washroom attendants with showbiz aspirations.

Read the Behind the Eight Ball feature →
Edward F. ClineDirector

Top billed cast

Full cast & crew →
Al RitzAl RitzAl JesterJimmy RitzJimmy RitzJimmy JesterHarry RitzHarry RitzHarry JesterCarol BruceCarol BruceJoan BarryDick ForanDick ForanBill EdwardsGrace McDonaldGrace McDonaldBabsJohnny DownsJohnny DownsDannyWilliam DemarestWilliam DemarestMcKenzie

Keywords

MusicalShow business

Movie DNA

Genre affinityComedy · MusicTheme affinityMusical · Show BusinessDialogue densityComedyPacingShortDirector preference340196Actor preference310171 · 223458 · 350171

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Frequently asked questions about Behind the Eight Ball

What is Behind the Eight Ball about?

The story takes place at a summer theater in the Berkshire Mountains, where heroine Joan Barry (Carol Bruce) is staging a Broadway-bound musical comedy. Only one problem: two guest stars are shot and killed on two successive evenings, right in front of the audience. Hoping to solve the mystery, detective William Demarest demands that everyone -- actors and theatergoers alike -- return the following weekend to restage the show. But with no major performer willing to assume the fatal guest-star slot, Joan is forced to hire the Three Jolly Jesters (Al, Harry and Jimmy Ritz), Manhattan washroom attendants with showbiz aspirations.

How long is Behind the Eight Ball?

Behind the Eight Ball has a runtime of 60 minutes.