Private Snuffy Smith
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Edward Cline
Bud Duncan
Edgar Kennedy
Sarah Padden
J. Farrell Macdonald
Doris Linden
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Hillbilly Snuffy Smith operates an illegal distillery near his home in the Smoky Mountains, and spends most of his time defending the still from revenuer Cooper. Snuffy decides to enlist in the Army when he learns from his cousin Don that the Army pays for food, clothing and shelter. However, he is rejected because he is too short. When Snuffy saves an Army general from being run over by a runaway motorcycle, the general sends his sergeant, Cooper, to thank Snuffy. Snuffy's industrious wife Lowizie, meanwhile, has concocted a liquid that makes everything it touches invisible. Snuffy uses the brew on his dog, Mr. Carson, and the invisible Mr. Carson accompanies him back to the camp with Cooper. The general demonstrates his appreciation by making Snuffy the camp servant, or "yardbird" under Cooper's command. After Cooper shows the general Don's improved range finder invention, the general decides the instrument will help him win the next maneuver test. Later, the general reluctantly dismisses Snuffy because he does not follow Army discipline. Shortly after, a spy infiltrates Cooper's office, steals the range finder, and hides it in Snuffy's duffel bag. Snuffy unwittingly accepts a ride from the spy's attractive comrade, but runs away when she assaults him. After they are relocated to the Smoky Mountains, the general sends for Snuffy to help him with maneuvers. Although Snuffy complies, his friends and family are disagreeable, and fire at the soldiers, whom they assume are revenuers. When Cooper agrees to drop the charges against the hillbillies if Snuffy destroys the still, Snuffy convinces his friends to fight for the general. During maneuvers, the general is hit by a flour bomb, which signifies that he has been "killed" in action, and Cooper and Snuffy are left to command the troops. Lowizie and her cousin, Cindy, meanwhile, take the spies hostage after another attempt to steal the range finder. Lowizie then marches her hostages to Snuffy, who uses the range finder to win the maneuvers. Cindy's previously secret engagement to Don is then sanctioned by her father Saul, who had been feuding with Don's family, but impressed by Don's invention, Saul calls a truce.
Director
Edward Cline
Cast
Bud Duncan
Edgar Kennedy
Sarah Padden
J. Farrell Macdonald
Doris Linden
Jimmie Dodd
Andraia Palmer
Pat Mcveigh
Frank Austin
Crew
Chris Beute
Robert Crandall
Jack Dietz
Jimmie Dodd
Ray Evans
William Fox
Lloyd French
John Grey
Edward Gross
Nelson L. Gross
Donoho Hall
Jack Henley
Richard Irvine
Chic Johnson
Dan Keefe
Dan Keefe
Marcel Le Picard
Jay Livingston
Ole Olsen
Rudy Schrager
Ern Westmore
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working titles of this film were Snuffy Smith, the Yard Bird and The Yard Bird. The comic strip "Barney Google and Snuffy Smith" began as two separate comic strips. The first "Barney Google" began on June 17, 1919 under the title "Take Barney Google, F'instance" in the Chicago Herlad and Examiner. Cartoonist Billy DeBeck added the character "Snuffy Smith" in November 1934 and the title of the strip was changed some time later. "Barney Google" became a very recognizeable character the 1920s and inspired the popular song "Barney Google, with the Goo-Goo-Googly Eyes." This was the first film to be based on DeBeck's strip, and was followed by a sequel titled Hillbilly Blitzkrieg. According to a Hollywood Reporter news item, Private Snuffy Smith marked producer Ed Gross's first production for Monogram.
