The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap
The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap Theatrical Poster
Directed by	Charles Barton
Produced by	Robert Arthur
Written by	John Grant Frederic I. Rinaldo Robert Lees
Starring	Bud Abbott Lou Costello Marjorie Main Audrey Young
Music by	Walter Schumann
Editing by	Frank Gross
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date(s)	October 8, 1947
Running time	78 min.
Language	English
Budget	$750,000
Preceded by	Buck Privates Come Home (1947)
Followed by	The Noose Hangs High (1948)
IMDb profile

The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap is a 1947 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. Director Charles Barton (1902 - 1981) spent his first two decades as an actor in stock, vaudeville and movies. ... This is an article about Robert Arthur film producer and screenwriter. ... There have been a number of individuals named John Grant: John Grant, mayor of Victoria, British Columbia from 1887 to 1891 John Grant, a screenwriter John Grant, a writer of and about science fiction John Grant, a British author who writers under the pen name Jonathan Gash and is best... Robert Lees (aka J. E. Selby) (1913 – June 13, 2004) was a Hollywood screenwriter, famous for writing comedy, including several Abbott and Costello films. ... William Alexander “Bud” Abbott (October 2, 1897 – April 24, 1974) is a legendary American actor, producer and comedian born in Asbury Park, New Jersey. ... Louis Francis Cristillo aka Lou Costello (March 6, 1906 - March 3, 1959), was an American actor and comedian best known as half of the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, with Bud Abbott. ... Marjorie Main (24 February 1890 – 10 April 1975) was an American character actress who was best known for her role as Ma Kettle in a series of ten Ma and Pa Kettle movies. ... Universal Pictures is the main motion picture production/distribution arm of Universal Studios, a subsidiary of NBC Universal. ... October 8 is the 281st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (282nd in leap years). ... // Events May 22 - Great Expectations is premiered in New York. ... Buck Privates Come Home is a 1947 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. ... // Events May 22 - Great Expectations is premiered in New York. ... The Noose Hangs High is a 1948 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. ... See also: 1947 in film 1948 1949 in film 1940s in film years in film film // Events Top grossing films North America The Red Shoes, (55th in year of release, lifetime box office would place it in first) The Road to Rio Easter Parade Red River The Three Musketeers, Johnny... // Events May 22 - Great Expectations is premiered in New York. ... Abbott and Costello (William (Bud) Abbott, Louis Cristillo) were an American comedy duo whose work in radio, film and television made them one of the most popular and respected teams in comedy history. ...

Plot

Chester Wooley (Lou Costello and Duke Egan (Bud Abbott) are two travelling salesmen. They make a stopover in Wagon Gap, Montana, while on their way to California. While they are there a notorious criminal, Fred Hawkins, is killed and they are charged with his murder. They are quickly tried and convicted and sentenced to die by hanging. However the head of the citizen's committee, Jim Simpson (William Ching) recalls a law whereby the survivor of a gun duel must take responsibility for the deceased's debts and family. This saves them from death, but now Chester is responsible for the widow Hawkins (Marjorie Main) and her seven children. They head to her farm and Chester is worked from morning to night by Mrs. Hawkins. Her plan is to wear him down until he agrees to marry her. In addition, once it is too dark to work the farm, Chester must also work at the saloon to pay off Hawkin's debt to its owner, Jake Frame (Gordon Jones). Louis Francis Cristillo aka Lou Costello (March 6, 1906 - March 3, 1959), was an American actor and comedian best known as half of the comedy team of Abbott and Costello, with Bud Abbott. ... William Alexander “Bud” Abbott (October 2, 1897 – April 24, 1974) is a legendary American actor, producer and comedian born in Asbury Park, New Jersey. ... Marjorie Main (24 February 1890 – 10 April 1975) was an American character actress who was best known for her role as Ma Kettle in a series of ten Ma and Pa Kettle movies. ... Gordon Jones (b. ...

Chester quickly finds out that no one will harm him, for fear that they will have to take over for him and support Mrs. Hawkins and her family. Simpson, also aware of that fact, makes Chester the sheriff in the hopes that everyone's fear of him will help clean up the lawless town. For protection, Chester carries around a photograph of Mrs. Hawkins and her kids. For awhile it works, and Chester is heralded as a hero. Meanwhile Duke still has plans to go to California and tries to get Judge Benbow (George Cleveland) to marry Mrs. Hawkins and free him and Chester from this town. He starts a rumor that Mrs. Hawkins is about to become rich once the railroad buys her land to lay a track through it. The rumor takes on a life of its own and everyone is now out to get Chester in the hopes that they will marry Mrs. Hawkins and gain a piece of that fortune. Frame eventually confesses to Hawkins' murder, and Duke and Chester are cleared of the charges and allowed to leave, but not before they admit that they story was made up by them. Benbow still wants to marry Mrs. Hawkins, and she agrees. Then she tells him, and everyone else, that the railroad did offer her money and she is now rich.

Trivia

• It was filmed from April 29 through June 20, 1947.
• On May 3, during production of this film, Costello dedicated the Lou Costello Jr. Youth Center in memory of his son in Los Angeles. Less than a week later, on May 9 his father, Sebastian Cristillo, died of a heart attack. Costello blamed their agent, Eddie Sherman for upsetting his father the night before and fired him. The team went without an agent for two years.^[1]
• The first issue of the Abbott and Costello comic book, published in February 1948 by St. John Publishing, was an adaption of this film. Out of forty issues that were published between 1948 and 1956, this was the only one that was based on one of their films.

April 29 is the 119th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (120th in leap years). ... June 20 is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 194 days remaining. ... May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ... May 9 is the 129th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (130th in leap years). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Routines

• Included is a variation on the Oyster routine used previously in 1945's Here Come The Co-Eds, this time using a frog.

// Paramount Studios releases theatrical short cartoon titled The Friendly Ghost, featuring ghost named Casper With Rossellinis Roma Città aperta, Italian neorealist cinema begins. ... Here Come The Co-Eds is a 1945 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. ...

DVD Release

May 4, 2004

Reference

External links

• The Wistful Widow of Wagon Gap at the Internet Movie Database