The Matinee Idol
“Here's a real comedy of the theater, which takes you behind the scenes of a thrilling melodrama and shows you how they acted in the old ten-twenty-thirties. You'll learn how to make love and say nice things to your sweetheart.”
Overview
The famous matinee idol and blackface comedian, Don Wilson, heads out of town to escape adulation. There, calling himself Harry Mann, he accidentally joins a traveling acting troupe, and falls in love with Ginger Bolivar, who runs the troupe and stars in their Civil War melodrama. Don's producer sees the play, and thinks it's a comic masterpiece, and just what Don's Broadway show needs. But when Ginger finds out she's been played for a fool, will she forgive Don? Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. in 1997.
Top-billed cast
Crew
- Director
- Frank Capra
- Writers
- Peter Milne, Elmer Harris, Robert Lord, Ernest Pagano
- Producers
- Harry Cohn, Frank Capra
- Production
- Columbia Pictures
Frequently asked questions
What is The Matinee Idol rated?
The Matinee Idol has an audience rating of 6.6 out of 10 from 19 votes.
Who directed The Matinee Idol?
The Matinee Idol was directed by Frank Capra.
When was The Matinee Idol released?
The Matinee Idol was released in 1928.
