Pennies from Heaven
“FUN...when Crosby croons himself out of jail and lands on a merry-go-round with the meanest of brats!”
Synopsis
Larry Poole, in prison on a false charge, promises an inmate that when he gets out he will look up and help out a family. The family turns out to be a young girl, Patsy Smith, and her elderly grandfather who need lots of help. This delays Larry from following his dream and going to Venice and becoming a gondolier. Instead, he becomes a street singer and, while singing in the street, meets a pretty welfare worker, Susan Sprague. She takes a dim view of Patsy's welfare under the guardianship of Larry and her grandfather and starts proceedings to have Patsy placed in an orphanage.
Top Cast
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Bing Crosby
Larry Poole
Madge Evans
Susan Sprague
Edith Fellows
Patsy Smith
Louis Armstrong
Henry
Donald Meek
Gramp Smith
John Gallaudet
J. C. Hart
William Stack
Clarence B. Carmichael
Nana Bryant
Miss Howard
Tom Dugan
Crowbar Miller
Nydia Westman
Slavey - Hotel Maid
Mickey Daniels
Hay Wagon Driver (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
November 25, 1936
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Norman Z. McLeod
- Screenplay & Story
- Jo Swerling
- Original Score
- William Grant Still
- Original Title
- Pennies from Heaven
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 21m
- Production Studios
- Columbia Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Norman Z. McLeod
Jo Swerling, William Rankin, Katherine Leslie Moore, Johnny Burke
William Grant Still
Robert Pittack
John Rawlins
Emanuel Cohen
Department Leadership Roster
Norman Z. McLeod
Director
Jo Swerling
Screenplay
John Rawlins
Editor
Emanuel Cohen
Producer
William Grant Still
Original Music Composer
Robert Pittack
Director of Photography
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Pennies from Heaven.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Pennies from Heaven.
Musicals
Every film Wikidata tags as a musical film.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Pennies from Heaven
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Pennies from Heaven about?
Larry Poole, in prison on a false charge, promises an inmate that when he gets out he will look up and help out a family. The family turns out to be a young girl, Patsy Smith, and her elderly grandfather who need lots of help. This delays Larry from following his dream and going to Venice and becoming a gondolier. Instead, he becomes a street singer and, while singing in the street, meets a pretty welfare worker, Susan Sprague. She takes a dim view of Patsy's welfare under the guardianship of Larry and her grandfather and starts proceedings to have Patsy placed in an orphanage.
Who directed Pennies from Heaven?
Pennies from Heaven was directed by Norman Z. McLeod.
Who stars in Pennies from Heaven?
The principal cast of Pennies from Heaven includes Bing Crosby, Madge Evans, Edith Fellows, Louis Armstrong, Donald Meek.
When was Pennies from Heaven released and how long is it?
Pennies from Heaven was released in 1936 with a total runtime of 1h 21m.
Who composed the musical score for Pennies from Heaven?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Pennies from Heaven was composed by William Grant Still.
Is Pennies from Heaven based on a book or true story?
Pennies from Heaven is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Katherine Leslie Moore".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Pennies from Heaven?
Pennies from Heaven holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).