Q&A with Raymond Valinoti, Jr., author of The Joe McDoakes Comedies - A Critical Filmography
Q: Who was Joe McDoakes?
A: Joe McDoakes was a character played by actor George O'Hanlon in a series of comedy short subjects. They were released by Warner Brothers from 1942 to 1956 and were popular with filmgoers. George O'Hanlon is best known as the voice of George Jetson on the Hanna Barbera cartoon show The Jetsons. His character of Joe McDoakes was an ordinary fellow who found himself in extraordinary situations. Each of the shorts had a title beginning with So You such as So You Think You're a Nervous Wreck, So You Want to Be a Cowboy and So You're Going to the Dentist. All of them were directed by Richard Bare.
Q: Are these films still available for viewing today?
A: Until fairly recently, it was difficult to seek these comedies out. Some of them were available on 16mm but they weren't regularly shown on television. When Warner Brothers, which still owns the rights to the shorts, started releasing classic films on DVD in the 2000s, they would include individual Joe McDoakes titles as added attractions for renters and buyers. For instance the DVD version of the Doris Day feature By the Light of the Silvery Moon included one short called So You Want a Television Set and another called So You Want to Learn to Dance and the DVD version of the James Cagney feature White Heat included a short called So You Think You're Not Guilty. In 2009, Warner Brothers issued the entire set of Joe McDoakes shorts on DVD and they are still accessible. Individual titles have also been broadcast on the cable channel Turner Classic Movies, which has the entire Warner Brothers film library and they also turn up on YouTube.
Q: You say the series lasted a long time. Why did it come to an end?
A: When people began buying television sets for their homes, they spent less time going out to the cinema. One of the Joe McDoakes shorts, So You Want a Television Set, poked fun at this development. Jack Warner, the studio head, was convinced that television was just a fad. But it wasn't of course and its continuing popularity eventually resulted in the ceasing of production of all film short subjects, including the Joe McDoakes series.
Q: Why have you written a book about these comedies?
A: Although they have been written about in articles and books, there has never until now been a book dedicated exclusively to the Joe McDoakes comedies. As I have previously mentioned, they were popular when they were first released in theatres. In fact, the Motion Picture Herald, a film periodical at the time they were shown, listed the Joe McDoakes comedies as among the top grossing short subjects for seven years. A few titles even were given Academy Award nominations for Best Short Subject. In my opinion, most of these shorts have held up well and still garner laughs today. Some of them are admittedly dated in their handling of certain subjects such as gender roles in So You Want to Wear the Pants. But the best Joe McDoakes shorts are not only hilarious but they rank among the best comedy shorts of all time. This book is dedicated to perpetuating the memory of these films. I hope those who have already seen them will appreciate this book and those who haven't yet seen any will seek them out.
Q: What do you consider to be the best Joe McDoakes comedy?
A: To me, the best Joe McDoakes comedy is So You Want to Be a Detective, released in 1948. It is a sharp and witty takeoff of film noir, particularly the features Lady in the Lake and The Big Sleep. But you don't have to be familiar with these particular features in order to enjoy the short. George O'Hanlon contributes to the short's laughs with his ridiculous, over-the-top attempts to look hard-boiled and tough as detective Philip Snarlowe (a play on the popular sleuth Philip Marlowe.) It's incredible to me that it was never nominated for an Academy Award.
Q: Are there any shorts that you consider to be duds?
A: In my opinion, the worst Joe McDoakes short is So You Want to Be a Babysitter, released in 1949. It has a promising concept- child hating Joe McDoakes is forced to look after a bratty little boy- that is ruined by unfunny execution. The worst offender in this film, in my opinion, is the child, played by Billy Gray. He comes off not as a normal, rambunctious youngster but as a sadistic monster. And he is never punished for all the abuse he heaps on Joe McDoakes. I don't blame the child actor himself, Billy Gray. After all, he went on to appear in the popular TV sitcom Father Knows Best. I blame the lousy material he's saddled with. Director Richard Bare in my view was a comedic genius but like all of us he was only human and So You Want to Be a Babysitter demonstrates his fallibility. So You Want to Be a Babysitter, however, is an aberration. Most of the Joe McDoakes shorts are funny and entertaining.
Q: Did director Richard Bare go on to helm feature films?
A: Yes he did. He directed seven features released by Warner Brothers from 1948 to 1960. He continued directing features until 1973. Richard Bare also directed a lot of shows on television like Maverick, 77 Sunset Strip The Twilight Zone. In fact, he directed every episode of the successful sitcom Green Acres from 1965 t0 1971.
Q: Did any future stars appear in these shorts?
A: At least one did. Barbara Billingsley, who is best known as June Cleaver on the TV sitcom Leave It to Beaver, appeared in an early short, So You Think You're Allergic. Occasionally celebrities made cameos. Some actors working at Warner Brothers, including the future U.S. President Ronald Reagan showed up in So You Want to Be in Pictures. Doris Day and Gordon MacRae guested in So You Want a Television Set. Some noted character actors also appeared in the shorts. Frank Nelson, who was a foil for Jack Benny, showed up in some. Arthur Q. Bryan, the voice of Bugs Bunny's human adversary Elmer Fudd, also showed up. And famed bodybuilder Clarence Ross acted in one short So You Want to Be a Muscle Man. Well, he tried to act anyway. He made a better bodybuilder than a thespian.
Q: Did the Joe McDoakes series have a regular supporting cast?
A: Joe McDoakes had a wife named Alice, although he wasn't married in every short. And the role of Alice was played by different actresses. The wife's first appearance was in the second short, So You Think You Need Glasses. She then appeared in the third short So You Think You're Allergic. Nobody knows who played her in these shorts. Jane Harker was the wife from 1946 to 1948. Phyllis Coates, best known as Lois Lane on the first season of the 1950s TV show Adventures of Superman, played Alice from 1948 to 1953. From 1954 to 1956, Jane Frazee was Alice. Phyllis Coates returned to appear in the last shorts in 1956. Clifton Young had a recurring role as Joe's obnoxious friend Homer Hotbox. When Clifton Young passed away Jackson Wheeler replaced him. Del Moore played Homer in one short, So You Want to Go to a Nightclub. Rodney Bell appeared in a bunch of shorts as a well-meaning but bungling neighbor Marvin Schultz. Emory Parnell had a recurring role as Joe's boss Mr. Batten.
Q: Did the character of Joe McDoakes have a regular job?
A: He didn't have the same job in every short. Some of the film titles suggest the various careers he tried such as So You Want to Be a Salesman, So You Want to Be in Politics and So You Want to Be a Policeman. The variety of situations suggested by these titles indicate why the Joe McDoakes shorts remained fresh and funny. They didn't stagnate because they utilized the comic antihero in a variety of situations. That's one reason the shorts have held up so well.