Death of a Champion
Synopsis
Oliver Quade is a pitchman who follows state fairs that feature dog shows---which limits his territory more than a little---at which he sells encyclopedias...and does it well as he possesses a photographic memory that amazes the rubes. The Champion, in the title, is a Great Dane who has won the title at the Rubeville State Fair, and it isn't long before the Champion turns up dead, which is because somebody---motive unknown at the moment---has killed the Champion. This is repeated at other shows along the way and Quade's bright young assistant, "Small Fry", fancies himself as an amateur detective, and starts nosing around into the mystery and drags Quade along with him.
Top Cast
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Release History & Theatrical Window
August 24, 1939
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Robert Florey
- Screenplay & Story
- Cortland Fitzsimmons, Stuart Palmer
- Original Title
- Death of a Champion
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 8m
- Production Studios
- Paramount Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Robert Florey
Cortland Fitzsimmons, Stuart Palmer, Frank Gruber
Department Leadership Roster
Robert Florey
Director
Cortland Fitzsimmons
Screenplay
Stuart Palmer
Screenplay
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Death of a Champion.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About Death of a Champion
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Death of a Champion about?
Oliver Quade is a pitchman who follows state fairs that feature dog shows---which limits his territory more than a little---at which he sells encyclopedias...and does it well as he possesses a photographic memory that amazes the rubes. The Champion, in the title, is a Great Dane who has won the title at the Rubeville State Fair, and it isn't long before the Champion turns up dead, which is because somebody---motive unknown at the moment---has killed the Champion. This is repeated at other shows along the way and Quade's bright young assistant, "Small Fry", fancies himself as an amateur detective, and starts nosing around into the mystery and drags Quade along with him.
Who directed Death of a Champion?
Death of a Champion was directed by Robert Florey.
Who stars in Death of a Champion?
The principal cast of Death of a Champion includes Lynne Overman, Virginia Dale, Joseph Allen, Donald O'Connor, Susan Paley.
When was Death of a Champion released and how long is it?
Death of a Champion was released in 1939 with a total runtime of 1h 8m.