BLONDIE IN THE DOUGH (Columbia, 1947), directed by Abby Berlin, the 21st installment to the popular series based on the comic strip characters created by Chic Young, is as predictable as it comes with some neat twists and turns. It also marked a welcome return of veteran character actor Hugh Herbert, who earlier appeared in a the 14th "Blondie" comedy titled IT'S A GREAT LIFE (1943). This time, he assumes a different character role with mannerisms basically the same as before, but with some added wrinkles to them.
In what is labeled to be one of the weaker entries, the story has George M. Radcliffe (Jerome Cowan), once again, firing Dagwood (Arthur Lake), for lousing up a big business deal while acting as caddy for J. T. Thorpe (Clarence Kolb) at the golf course, leaving his wife Blondie (Penny Singleton) no choice but to go into business for herself. Because she is met with compliments regarding her home baked cookies, she decides to go into the cookie business. While doing her grocery shopping, she makes the acquaintance with a kindly old gentleman named Llewellyn Simmons (Hugh Herbert), whose first love is cooking and baking. Unknown to her and everyone else, he happens to be the president of a biscuit company. Very much interested in her proposed cookie business, Simmons returns home with her, assisting Blondie with her baking. As for Dagwood, he acquires a new skill by studying to become a radio repairman. After he sets up the short-wave radio in the attic, Blondie decides on going over her advertisement slogan promoting "Blondie's cookies." As she recites aloud to her family, Llewellyn rests his arm on the switch with Blondie's reading actually being broadcast the very moment a paid ad is scheduled to go on, an ad promotion for the product from none-other than Mr. Thorpe. Thorpe hires special investigators to locate this Blondie person, and eventually they do, taking her, along with her children, Alexander (Larry Simms) and Cookie (Marjorie Kent), to appear for questioning. Things get a little hectic when Dagwood finds his house empty, Llewellyn coming to Blondie's aide taking Daisy and the pups with him, and Radcliffe keeping Thorpe from learning Blondie to be the wife of his ex-employee or else risk losing his account.
In spite the fact that the series was heading through a slow process of decline, loyal viewers will find this to be another enjoyable, laugh-filled theatrical episode, thanks to some funny slapstick involved. One scene in particular finds Dagwood meeting with disaster (again!) while attempting to install a short-wave radio antenna on the roof with his son, Alexander, assisting his "Pop," by holding the rope from the bedroom to prevent him from losing balance and slipping off. At that moment, his Mom calls upstairs for Alexander to do an errand for her. He tells her, "If I go now, something will happen." After she replies to him that "something will happen" if he doesn't come right now. Alexander lets go of the rope, followed by loud sounds and screams of Dagwood slipping and crashing to the front lawn. As he gets up, he finds something had broken his fall. It's Mr. Beasley (Eddie Acuff), the postman, laying flat underneath him. This is one of the few highlights of the evening, in fact, the one used as the clip prior to the opening credits to the edited TV sing-along version substituting for the original theatrical opening with the Columbia logo. Other gags found in BLONDIE IN THE DOUGH come off a bit forced and silly at times, especially Hugh Herbert's bewildered character sporting chefs hat stirring the dough and doing his double talk about making "better bitter butter;" as well as the manner in which Radcliffe fires Dagwood by nodding "yes, yes, yes "while Dagwood nods continuously and sadly "no, no no."
Series regulars include Danny Mummert as next door neighbor, Alvin Fuddow; Alyn Lockwood as Mary, the operator; along with William Forrest as Robert Dixon; Kernan Cripps (Mr. Baxter); Fred Sears (Mr. Quinn); Hal K. Dawson (Mr. Taylor); and John Hamilton (best known as Perry White in the "Superman" TV series of the 1950s) seen briefly as one of the board members. Norman Phillips substitutes for Jack Rice as Ollie Merton in this sole entry.
BLONDIE IN THE DOUGH along with 27 others in the series, formerly distributed on video cassette through King Features, had a successful run every Sunday morning on American Movie Classics (1996 to 2001). Next installment: BLONDIE'S ANNIVERSARY with everything predictable except for Blondie's cookies. (**)
