The Disorderly Orderly
| The Disorderly Orderly | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical lobby card | |
| Directed by | Frank Tashlin |
| Screenplay by | Frank Tashlin |
| Story by | Norm Liebermann Ed Haas |
| Produced by | Paul Jones |
| Starring | Jerry Lewis Susan Oliver Glenda Farrell Kathleen Freeman Karen Sharpe |
| Narrated by | Paul Frees |
| Cinematography | W. Wallace Kelley |
| Edited by | John Woodcock Russel Wiles |
| Music by | Joseph J. Lilley |
| Color process | Technicolor |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 89 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $2,700,000 (US/ Canada rentals)[1] 1,434,122 admissions (France)[2] |
The Disorderly Orderly is a 1964 American comedy film released by Paramount Pictures, and starring Jerry Lewis. The film was produced by Paul Jones with a screenplay by director Frank Tashlin, based on a story by Norm Liebermann and Ed Haas.
Plot
[edit]Jerome Littlefield is an orderly at a hospital. His dream is to be a doctor, but he has a problem that prevents it from becoming a reality: when he hears of a problem that a patient is having, psychosomatically he begins to suffer those symptoms as well.
Susan Andrews, an old high school friend, is brought to the hospital after a suicide attempt. Littlefield recognizes her as the girl he has had a crush on since then. Eventually Andrews falls for Littlefield and they kiss. Littlefield later realizes that his problem with suffering from other people's symptoms was a direct result of his obsession with Andrews. Now that he has overcome that, his problems go away and he finally becomes a doctor.
Cast
[edit]- Jerry Lewis as Jerome Littlefield
- Susan Oliver as Susan
- Kathleen Freeman as Nurse Higgins
- Glenda Farrell as Dr. Howard
- Karen Sharpe as Julie
- Alice Pearce as Mrs. Fuzzibee
- Barbara Nichols as Patient
- Jack E. Leonard as Patient
- Everett Sloane as Mr. Tuffington
Production
[edit]The Disorderly Orderly was filmed at the Greystone Park and Mansion in Beverly Hills, California with costumes designed by Edith Head.
Soundtrack
[edit]The title song, sung over the opening credits, is performed by Sammy Davis Jr. The title song "The Disorderly Orderly" was written by songwriter Earl Shuman.
Reception
[edit]While Howard Thompson of the New York Times (December 24, 1964) liked a few comedic bits and praised some secondary performers, he generally panned The Disorderly Orderly writing, "[The film] runs dry at the end of the first third — like a juiceless watermelon — and splits open, with about the same results."[3]
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 60% rating based on 5 reviews, with an average rating of 5.95/10.[4]
Home media
[edit]The film was released to Region 1 DVD on October 12, 2004[5] and March 15, 2021.
References
[edit]- ^ This figure consists of anticipated rentals accruing distributors in North America. See "Big Rental Pictures of 1965", Variety, 5 January 1966 p 6
- ^ Box office information for film at Box Office Story
- ^ New York Times: New Jerry Lewis Film Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- ^ "The Disorderly Orderly". Rotten Tomatoes.
- ^ "DVD Talk".