Annabel Takes a Tour (1938) starring Lucille Ball, Jackie Oakie
In Annabel Takes a Tour, Lucille Ball plays the title role of Annabel Allison. She’s a movie starlet who’s going on a publicity tour. One where her publicity agent Lannie Morgan, played by Jackie Oakie, keeps getting her into trouble. Along the way she finds herself falling in love with a romance novel author, unaware that he’s already married.
It’s actually a funny movie, with Lucy playing a ham actress. And Jackie playing a very … creative … publicity agent. He keeps getting her into trouble solely for the publicity value of it. His character is quite clever. One of the best bits is the recurring interactions between him and the grumpy conductor. Whom he keeps fooling into signaling the train that they’re traveling on to leave prematurely.
Funny movie quotes from Annabel Takes a Tour
Annabel Allison (Lucille Ball): Lannie Morgan would know what to do about it!
Howard Webb: Don’t you mention Lannie Morgan! He’s asthma to me.
Annabel Allison (Lucille Ball): Anathema!
Howard Webb: All right, asthma, anathema, poison, it all spells Lannie Morgan!
Secretary: What asylum paroled you?
Conductor: I hate the movies! Even Mickey Mouse!
Josephine: Annabel’s fallen in love!
Howard Webb: She can’t do that. It’s not in her contract.
Cast of characters
- Jack Oakie (The Great Dictator, Million Dollar Legs) … Lanny Morgan
- Lucille Ball (I Love Lucy, The Long Long Trailer) … Annabel Allison
- Ruth Donnelly (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, A Slight Case of Murder) … Josephine (Jo)
- Bradley Page (The Big Store) … Howard Webb, Chief of Wonder Pictures
- Ralph Forbes (Beau Geste) … Viscount Ronald River-Clyde
- Frances Mercer (Vivacious Lady) … Natalie Preston
- Donald MacBride (Room Service) … Thompson, RR Conductor
- Alice White … Marcella, Hotel Manicurist
- Chester Clute (Arsenic and Old Lace) … Pitcarin, Rodney-Marlborough Hotel Manager
- Jean Rouverol (It’s a Gift) … Laura Hampton
- Clare Verdera … Viscountess River-Clyde
- Edward Gargan … Longshoreman at dance
- Pepito Pérez … Poochy the Accordion Player (as Pepito)
Trivia
- RKO wanted to make more “Annabel” films, but decided not to when Jack Oakie demanded a salary of $50,000 per film.
- On the marquee of the theater at Annabel’s premier, it says “free dishes”. This was a promotion that many theaters (and gas stations, grocery stores, etc.) ran at the time. They would give away inexpensive dishes – dinner plates, bread plates, soup bowls, cups and saucers, etc. to entice theater-goers to return every week to eventually collect an entire place setting.
- By this time in her career, Lucille Ball was getting top-billed parts at RKO. In about 19 years, she, along with her husband Desi Arnaz would own the studio.
Updated February 14, 2022