What a Life
“THE ADVENTURES OF HENRY ALDRICH...RADIO'S FAVORITE HARD-LUCK KID!”
Synopsis
Jackie Cooper stars in this first film in the wholesome "Henry Aldrich" series of teen comedies.
Part of the Henry Aldrich Collection
Stream the entire interconnected saga and experience every installment in chronological storyline order.
Top Cast
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Jackie Cooper
Henry Aldrich
Betty Field
Barbara Pearson
John Howard
Mr. Nelson
Hedda Hopper
Mrs. Aldrich
Lionel Stander
Ferguson
Janice Logan
Miss Shea
Vaughan Glaser
J.C. Bradley
Dorothy Stickney
Miss Wheeler
James Corner
George Bigelow
Kathleen Lockhart
Miss Pike
Lucien Littlefield
Mr. Patterson
Andrew Tombes
Prof. Abernathy
Arthur Aylesworth
MacGowan
Nora Cecil
Miss Eggleston
Wilda Bennett
Miss Doolittle
Benny Bartlett
'Butch' Williams
Kay Stewart
Marjorie
Leonard Sues
Harold Lambrey
Release History & Theatrical Window
October 5, 1939
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Theodore Reed
- Screenplay & Story
- Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder
- Original Score
- John Leipold
- Original Title
- What a Life
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 15m
- Production Studios
- Paramount Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Theodore Reed
Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder, Clifford Goldsmith
John Leipold
Victor Milner
William Shea
Theodore Reed
Department Leadership Roster
Theodore Reed
Director
Charles Brackett
Screenplay
Billy Wilder
Screenplay
Victor Milner
Director of Photography
William Shea
Editor
John Leipold
Original Music Composer
Theodore Reed
Producer
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 What a Life.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About What a Life
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is What a Life about?
Jackie Cooper stars in this first film in the wholesome "Henry Aldrich" series of teen comedies.
Who directed What a Life?
What a Life was directed by Theodore Reed.
Who stars in What a Life?
The principal cast of What a Life includes Jackie Cooper, Betty Field, John Howard, Hedda Hopper, Lionel Stander.
When was What a Life released and how long is it?
What a Life was released in 1939 with a total runtime of 1h 15m.
Who composed the musical score for What a Life?
The original motion picture soundtrack for What a Life was composed by John Leipold.
What is the age rating and content advisory for What a Life?
What a Life holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).