• Rating:
• Genre: Comedy
• Movie Type: Animal Picture
• Themes: Monkeys
• Director: Frederick de Cordova
• Main Cast: Diana Lynn, Walter Slezak, Lucille Barkley, Jesse White
• Release Year: 1951
• Country: US
• Run Time: 83 minutes

Plot

Forget what you've been led to believe: Bedtime for Bonzo is a most enjoyable film, and Ronald Reagan is not outacted by the chimpanzee. Reagan is cast as psychology professor whose reputation is sullied by the fact that his father was a convict. To prove that environment rather than heredity dictates a man's personality, Reagan uses Bonzo the chimp to test out his theories. The hairy little guy seems to be responding to the kindnesses lavished upon him--and then he is accused of robbery. Reagan nearly goes to jail in Bonzo's stead, but everything turns out all right in the end (we're not giving anything away; after all, everybody knows that there was a Bonzo Goes to College in 1952). While it's an uphill climb, Ronald Reagan and his able costars Diana Lynn and Walter Slezak manage to keep Bonzo from running away with the picture. And yes, director Fred DeCordova is the same guy who produced Johnny Carson's late-night show in the 1980s and 1990s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cast

• Diana Lynn - Jane Linden
• Walter Slezak - Prof. Hans Neumann
• Lucille Barkley - Valerie Tillinghast
• Jesse White - Babcock

Herbert Heyes - Dean Tillinghast; Herb Vigran - Lt. Daggett; Harry Tyler - Knucksy; Joel Friedkin - Mr. DeWitt; Howard Banks - Policeman; Perc Launders - Fireman; Brad Johnson - Student; Billy Mauch - Student; Ann Tyrrell - Operator; Leslye Banning - Coed; Tommy Bond - Student; Bonzo the Chimp; Edward Clark - Fosdick; Larry Crane - Student; Elizabeth Flournoy - Miss Swithen; Edward Gargan - Policeman Bill; Jack Gargan - Teacher; Philo McCullough - Teacher; Ronald Reagan - Prof. Peter Boyd; Midge Ware - Coed; Steve Wayne - Student; Bridget Carr - Girl in car; Larry Carr - Student; Irmgard Dawson - Operator; Larry Williams - Teacher

Credit

Frederick de Cordova - Director; Lou Breslow - Screenwriter; Val Burton - Screenwriter; Carl Guthrie - Cinematographer; Bernard Herzbrun - Production Designer; Ted Kent - Editor; Michael Kraike - Producer; Rosemary Odell - Costume Designer; Eric Orbom - Production Designer; Frank Skinner - Composer (Music Score); Ted Berkman - Short Story Author; Raphael Blau - Short Story Author; Leslie I. Carey - Sound/Sound Designer; Joe Lapis - Sound/Sound Designer

Similar Movies

The Barefoot Executive; Going Ape!; Born to Be Wild; Dunston Checks In; Ed; Mookie; MVP: Most Valuable Primate; Monkey Trouble

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