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Buck Privates

Play trailer Poster for Buck Privates 1941 1h 24m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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Tomatometer 4 Reviews 76% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
When two sidewalk salesmen, Slicker Smith (Bud Abbott) and Herbie Brown (Lou Costello), duck into a theater to avoid being busted by the cops, they never expect it will lead to their enlisting in the army. It turns out the theater is now an Army Recruitment Center. But these former peddlers are not the only fish out of water. Wealthy Randolph Parker III (Lee Bowman) joins as well, though he seems more focused on hostess Judy Gray (Jane Frazee) than on his responsibilities.
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Buck Privates

Critics Reviews

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Pare Lorentz McCall's 12/27/2023
Shoddy stuff. Go to Full Review Michael E. Grost Classic Film and Television 11/28/2015
Zany, near surrealistic humor and good musical numbers make pleasant entertainment. Go to Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 08/23/2012
B+
This funny comedy, one of the most popular pictures of 1941, established Abbott and Costello as commercial comedic duo for a decade. Go to Full Review Kevin Carr 7M Pictures 04/18/2012
4/5
More an assembly of funny sketches, Buck Privates still plays very funny without much of a story behind it. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Steve D 08/28/2023 Passable entertainment only. See more 01/27/2019 The best comedy movie ever made! With the best movie song ever sung: Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy! See more 01/15/2019 After One night in the tropics, Universal decided to make the wise choise of making Abbott and Costello the leads, and it was a great choice. In many ways this film is superior to its predecessor. It has more jokes, a better plot and music from the Andrew Sisters. See more 04/14/2015 Abbott & Costello's first starring vehicle is full of lowbrow humor and a simpy love subplot, but it was a box-office smash in 1941; The Andrews Sisters sing the songs "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B" and "I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time," among others. See more 04/02/2015 a B pic that doesn't feel like a B movie See more @Timofdragons 09/14/2013 Another great Abbot and Costello, though I didn't care for the singing, the filler, or the story, but I still enjoyed the comedy sketches. See more Read all reviews
Buck Privates

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Cast & Crew

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Arthur Lubin

Director

Bud Abbott

Slicker Smith

Lou Costello

Herbie Brown

The Andrews Sisters

Themselves

Lee Bowman

Randolph Parker III

Alan Curtis

Bob Martin
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Buck Privates

Buck Privates (1941) Buck Privates (1941) Buck Privates (1941) Buck Privates (1941) Buck Privates (1941) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis When two sidewalk salesmen, Slicker Smith (Bud Abbott) and Herbie Brown (Lou Costello), duck into a theater to avoid being busted by the cops, they never expect it will lead to their enlisting in the army. It turns out the theater is now an Army Recruitment Center. But these former peddlers are not the only fish out of water. Wealthy Randolph Parker III (Lee Bowman) joins as well, though he seems more focused on hostess Judy Gray (Jane Frazee) than on his responsibilities.
Director
Arthur Lubin
Producer
Alex Gottlieb
Screenwriter
Arthur T. Horman
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Production Co
Universal/Universal Int
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jan 31, 1941, Original
Release Date (DVD)
Feb 10, 2004
Runtime
1h 24m
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