Ball of Fire
““I LOVE HIM because he doesn't know how to kiss—THE JERK!””
Synopsis
A group of academics have spent years shut up in a house working on the definitive encyclopedia. When one of them discovers that his entry on slang is hopelessly outdated, he ventures into the wide world to learn about the evolving language. Here he meets Sugarpuss O’Shea, a nightclub singer, who’s on top of all the slang—and, it just so happens, needs a place to stay.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Ball of Fire (1941) Official Trailer - Barbara Stanwyck Movie
Type: Trailer • Published 2016-08-30
Top Cast
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Gary Cooper
Professor Bertram Potts
Barbara Stanwyck
Sugarpuss O’Shea
Oskar Homolka
Prof. Gurkakoff
Henry Travers
Prof. Jerome
S.Z. Sakall
Prof. Magenbruch
Tully Marshall
Prof. Robinson
Leonid Kinskey
Prof. Quintana
Richard Haydn
Prof. Oddly
Aubrey Mather
Prof. Peagram
Allen Jenkins
Garbage Man
Dana Andrews
Joe Lilac
Dan Duryea
Duke Pastrami
Ralph Peters
Asthma Anderson
Kathleen Howard
Miss Bragg
Charles Lane
Larsen
Charles Arnt
McNeary
Elisha Cook Jr.
Waiter
Mary Field
Miss Totten
Release History & Theatrical Window
December 2, 1941
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
Undisclosed
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$2.6M
Total global ticket sales
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Howard Hawks
- Screenplay & Story
- Billy Wilder, Charles Brackett, Howard Hawks
- Original Score
- Alfred Newman
- Original Title
- Ball of Fire
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 51m
- Worldwide Gross
- $2.6M
- Production Studios
- Samuel Goldwyn Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Howard Hawks
Billy Wilder, Charles Brackett, Howard Hawks, Thomas Monroe
Alfred Newman
Gregg Toland
Daniel Mandell
Samuel Goldwyn
Department Leadership Roster
Edith Head
Costume Design
Billy Wilder
Screenplay
Howard Hawks
Director
Charles Brackett
Screenplay
Daniel Mandell
Editor
Samuel Goldwyn
Producer
Gregg Toland
Director of Photography
Alfred Newman
Original Music Composer
Howard Hawks
Screenplay
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
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Ball of Fire.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Ball of Fire.
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Time Out's 100 best romantic comedies (edition updated 11 February 2026), cross-checked against AFI's romantic comedy top ten. Complete international editorial selection; duplicates removed. Sources: https://www.timeout.com/film/the-70-best-romcoms-of-all-time ; https://www.afi.com/afis-10-top%20-10/ Followed by 20 separately curated, library-informed supplemental picks. These additions are not attributed to Time Out or AFI.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Ball of Fire
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Ball of Fire about?
A group of academics have spent years shut up in a house working on the definitive encyclopedia. When one of them discovers that his entry on slang is hopelessly outdated, he ventures into the wide world to learn about the evolving language. Here he meets Sugarpuss O’Shea, a nightclub singer, who’s on top of all the slang—and, it just so happens, needs a place to stay.
Who directed Ball of Fire?
Ball of Fire was directed by Howard Hawks.
Who stars in Ball of Fire?
The principal cast of Ball of Fire includes Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Oskar Homolka, Henry Travers, S.Z. Sakall.
When was Ball of Fire released and how long is it?
Ball of Fire was released in 1941 with a total runtime of 1h 51m.
How much did Ball of Fire make at the box office?
Ball of Fire grossed $2.6M in worldwide ticket sales.
Who composed the musical score for Ball of Fire?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Ball of Fire was composed by Alfred Newman.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Ball of Fire?
Ball of Fire holds official age classifications: FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).