The Inspector General
“The Kaye way to chaos and corruption.”
Synopsis
An illiterate stooge in a traveling medicine show wanders into a strange town and is picked up on a vagrancy charge. The town's corrupt officials mistake him for the inspector general whom they think is traveling in disguise. Fearing he will discover they've been pocketing tax money, they make several bungled attempts to kill him.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Movie Trailers - The Inspector General (1949)
Type: Trailer • Published 2009-02-13
Top Cast
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Danny Kaye
Georgi
Walter Slezak
Yakov
Barbara Bates
Leza
Elsa Lanchester
Maria
Gene Lockhart
The Mayor
Alan Hale
Kovatch
Walter Catlett
Colonel Castine
Rhys Williams
Inspector General
Benny Baker
Telecki (uncredited)
Leonard Bremen
Lieutenant (uncredited)
Robert Cherry
Peasant (uncredited)
Frank Conlan
OId Villager (uncredited)
Jimmy Conlin
Turnkey (uncredited)
Helena Dare
Townwoman (uncredited)
Bryn Davis
Councilman's Wife (uncredited)
George Davis
Ladislaus (uncredited)
Abe Dinovitch
Peasant (uncredited)
Art Dupuis
Sentry (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
New York City, New York
Festival / Special Debut
December 31, 1949
Wide Cinema Exhibition
May 5, 1995
Physical Home Media
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Henry Koster
- Screenplay & Story
- Harry Kurnitz, Philip Rapp
- Original Score
- Johnny Green
- Original Title
- The Inspector General
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 41m
- Production Studios
- Warner Bros. Pictures, First National Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Henry Koster
Harry Kurnitz, Philip Rapp, Nikolai Gogol
Johnny Green
Elwood Bredell
Rudi Fehr
Jerry Wald
Department Leadership Roster
Henry Koster
Director
Harry Kurnitz
Screenplay
Philip Rapp
Screenplay
Elwood Bredell
Director of Photography
Jerry Wald
Producer
Johnny Green
Original Music Composer
Rudi Fehr
Editor
Travilla
Costume Design
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
General — Suitable for all audiences.
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Inspector General.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Inspector General.
Musicals
Every film Wikidata tags as a musical film.
Public Domain
Movies in the public domain in the United States. References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_in_the_public_domain_in_the_United_States archive.org
list_Music
Movies categorized under Music
Golden Globes - Best Original Score Winners 1947-2025
Golden Globes winners archive (Best Original Score Winners 1947-2025)
MGM+ US - Romantic Comedy Movies
Curated list of Most Popular on MGM+ (US). Updated frequently. Last updated August 28, 2026.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Inspector General
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Inspector General about?
An illiterate stooge in a traveling medicine show wanders into a strange town and is picked up on a vagrancy charge. The town's corrupt officials mistake him for the inspector general whom they think is traveling in disguise. Fearing he will discover they've been pocketing tax money, they make several bungled attempts to kill him.
Who directed The Inspector General?
The Inspector General was directed by Henry Koster.
Who stars in The Inspector General?
The principal cast of The Inspector General includes Danny Kaye, Walter Slezak, Barbara Bates, Elsa Lanchester, Gene Lockhart.
When was The Inspector General released and how long is it?
The Inspector General was released in 1949 with a total runtime of 1h 41m.
Who composed the musical score for The Inspector General?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Inspector General was composed by Johnny Green.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Inspector General?
The Inspector General holds official age classifications: AU: G (General — Suitable for all audiences.); DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).