Only Saps Work

Only Saps Work (1930)

05/12/1930
Comedy, Crime
1h 17m

You Just Know It's Funny!

Overview

Rubber-legged comedian Leon Errol made his talkie starring bow in Paramount's Only Saps Work. Based on a play by Owen Davis Sr., the film casts Errol as James Wilson, a kleptomaniac who starts with picking pockets and ends up robbing a bank. Wilson's friend Lawrence Payne (Richard Arlen) inadvertently aids our hero during one of his heists, ending up in deep doo-doo with the law. Before Wilson is able to extricate Payne from his dilemma for the sake of heroine Barbara Tanner (Mary Brian), he pauses long enough to pose as a private eye -- and even gives bellboy Oscar (Stu Erwin) tips on how to spot a crook! If only all of Leon Errol's feature films had been as consistently hilarious as Only Saps Work.

  • Cyril GardnerDirector
  • Edwin H. KnopfDirector
  • Percy HeathScreenplay
  • Status

    Released

  • Original Language

    English

Keywords

  • robbery
  • detective
  • con man
  • stolen money
  • hypochondriac
  • crook
  • attraction
  • bank robbery
  • comedy routine
  • pre-code
  • landlady
  • meet cute
  • bellboy
  • rich snob
  • kleptomaniac
  • simpleton
  • former athlete
  • health and wellness resort
  • comedy
  • cheerful
  • pantry boy
  • social error

Top Billed Cast

Leon Errol

Leon Errol

James Wilson

Richard Arlen

Richard Arlen

Larry Payne

Mary Brian

Mary Brian

Barbara Tanner

Stuart Erwin

Stuart Erwin

Oscar

Anderson Lawler

Anderson Lawler

Horace Baldwin

Charley Grapewin

Charley Grapewin

Simeon Tanner

Clarence Burton

Clarence Burton

Sergeant Burns (uncredited)

Nora Cecil

Nora Cecil

Mrs. Partridge (uncredited)

George Chandler

George Chandler

Elevator Operator (uncredited)

G. Pat Collins

G. Pat Collins

Rafferty (uncredited)

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