Doctor Bull

Doctor Bull
Doctor Bull
	Film poster
Directed by	John Ford
Written by	James Gould Cozzens; Paul Green; Philip Klein; Jane Storm
Produced by	Winfield R. Sheehan
Starring	Will Rogers; Vera Allen
Cinematography	George Schneiderman
Edited by	Louis R. Loeffler
Distributed by	Fox Film Corporation
Release date	September 22, 1933;
Running time	77 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Doctor Bull is a 1933 American pre-Code comedy film directed by John Ford,^[1]^[2] based on the James Gould Cozzens novel The Last Adam. Will Rogers portrays a small-town doctor who must deal with a typhoid outbreak in the community.

The film was well praised by The New York Times, which noted that the story is similar to that of Lionel Barrymore's film One Man's Journey when it premiered at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City.^[3] Andy Devine met his future wife during the making of this picture. The film was one of Fox's biggest hits of the year.^[4]

Plot

George Bull is a doctor in the small country town of New Winton. Dr. Bull spends most of his waking hours going from one house call to the next. What little free time he has is spent with his best friend Janet, a widow of five years, leading to much gossip amongst the townspeople.

Dr. Bull discovers a typhoid epidemic in New Winton and vaccinates the schoolchildren. This leads to the parents holding a town meeting to recall Dr. Bull. Fed up with the long hours and constant complaints, Dr. Bull tells them he doesn't care if he gets kicked out of town. However, the town meeting is adjourned without dismissing Dr. Bull.

After a serum he whipped up cures a cow of its paralysis, Dr. Bull tries it on a paralyzed man. The man walks again. Dr. Bull confesses his love toward Janet. They get married, and as they board the train to their honeymoon, they receive news that the medical community is astonished at Dr. Bull's new paralysis cure.

Cast

Will Rogers as Dr. George "Doc" Bull
Vera Allen as Mrs. Janet "Jane" Cardmaker, widow of Charles Edward Cardmaker and Bull's girlfriend
Marian Nixon as May Tupping, telephone operator
Howard Lally as Joe Tupping
Berton Churchill as Herbert Banning, Janet's brother
Louise Dresser as Mrs. Herbert Banning
Andy Devine as Larry Ward, soda jerk
Rochelle Hudson as Virginia (Muller) Banning
Tempe Pigott as Grandma Banning
Elizabeth Patterson as Aunt Patricia Banning
Nora Cecil as Aunt Emily Banning
Ralph Morgan as Dr. Verney, owner of Verney Laboratory
Effie Ellsler as Aunt Myra Bull
Helen Freeman as Helen Upjohn, New Winton postmistress
Francis Ford as Mr. Herring (uncredited)
Charles Middleton as Mr. Upjohn (uncredited)