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Eddie Clayton (left), Colleen Moore and Neil Hamilton (center),
and Lincoln Stedman (right).
Photograph: courtesy British Film Institute.
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Why Be Good?
Also known as That’s a Bad Girl in the USA
(1929) United States of America
B&W : Eight reels / 7507 feet
Directed by William A. Seiter
Cast: Colleen Moore [Pert Kelly], Neil Hamilton [Winthrop Peabody Jr.], Bodil Rosing [Mom Kelly], John Sainpolis [Pop Kelly], Edward Martindel [Winthrop Peabody Sr.], Eddie Clayton [Tom, Junior’s friend], Lincoln Stedman [Jerry, Junior’s friend], Louis Natheaux [Jimmy Alexander], Collette Merton [Julie, Pert’s friend], Dixie Gay [Susie, Pert’s friend], Virginia Sale [Junior’s secretary], Phyllis Crane [a salesgirl], Hector V. Sarno [the host of the Stumble Inn], Grady Sutton [the seated man who tosses his date at Junior’s first party], Jean Harlow [the blonde on the rooftop bench at Junior’s second party], Earl McCarthy [a party guest], Jack O’Shea [a dance contestant], Mischa Auer [a man dancing at The Boiler], Andy Devine [a man at The Boiler], Randolph Scott [a man dancing at The Boiler], Phil Harris [the band drummer at The Boiler], [?] ? [the trombone player at The Boiler], [?] ? [Gladys, a girl at Junior’s first party], [?] ? [the Peabody butler], [?] ? [Pert’s partner at the Jazzland dance contest], [?] ? [H.B. Lewis, ‘Ralph’, the store personnel manager], [?] ? [the rooftop drunk]
First National Pictures, Incorporated, production; distibuted by First National Pictures, Incorporated. / Scenario by Carey Wilson, from a screen story by Carey Wilson. Song “I’m Thirsty for Kisses” by Lou Davis and J. Fred Coots. Cinematography by Sidney Hickox. Film editor, Terry Morse. Intertitles written by Paul Perez. Presented by John McCormick. / © 28 February 1929 by First National Pictures, Incorporated [LP168]. Released 12 March 1929. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. Western Electric Vitaphone sound-on-disc synchronized sound system. / [?] AFI-F2 n. F2.6332 lists the sound system as the Movietone sound-on-film synchronized sound system; another source reports that a complete set of Vitaphone sound discs have been recovered; the film may have been released in both sound formats. The film was also released in the USA in a silent version, (at 7067 feet), by First National Pictures, Incorporated, on 3 March 1929. / Silent film, with synchronized music and sound effects.
Comedy-Drama.
Synopsis: Synopsis available in AFI-F2 n. F2.6332.
Survival status: Print exists in a European film archive.
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Dances: Dancing - Department stores - Gifts - Managers - Nightclubs - Roadhouses - Sales clerks - Synchronized sound film - Tobacco: Cigars - USA: New York: The Bronx
Listing updated: 31 January 2025.
References: AFI-F2 n. F2.6332; Drew-Speaking pp. 180-181, 283 : Website-AFI; Website-IMDb.
Home video: Blu-ray Disc, DVD.
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[The Film Daily, 4 January 1929, page 12] Colleen Completes Film / Colleen Moore has completed “Why Be Good?” and will vacation the remainder of the month of January. Her next picture, “Early to Bed,” by Lynn and Lois Montross, is scheduled to go into production the first week in February.
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