Tugboat Annie
“Based on the Saturday Evening Post story”
Synopsis
Tugboat, the Narcissus, is owned and captained by Annie Brennan, and among her crew are her alcoholic but good-natured husband, Terry, and her conscientious son, Alec. Annie continually loses business because of Terry's drunken mistakes. Alec wants to quit school to work on the tug full time, but Annie will not sacrifice her son's education. A grown Alec has followed in his mother's footsteps and becomes a mariner, but a more upscale one as the captain of a luxury liner. Alec returns home with his fiancée, Pat - the boss' daughter - with a grand plan to save Annie from the life that drunkard Terry has provided her. But ultimately, it's Annie and Terry that need to be Alec's savior, and by their move show him the meaning of true commitment.
Top Cast
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Marie Dressler
Annie
Wallace Beery
Terry (Husband)
Robert Young
Alec (Son)
Maureen O'Sullivan
Patricia 'Pat' Severn
Willard Robertson
Red Severn
Tammany Young
Shif'less
Frankie Darro
Alec, as a Child
Jack Pennick
Pete
Paul Hurst
Sam
Willie Fung
Chow, the Cook (uncredited)
Jack Randall
Dance Extra (uncredited)
Oscar Apfel
Reynolds (uncredited)
Jessie Arnold
Miss Blake - Severn's Secretary (uncredited)
Vince Barnett
Cab Driver (uncredited)
Robert Barrat
First Mate of 'Glacier Queen' (uncredited)
Wallis Clark
Second Banker (uncredited)
Charles Giblyn
Banker John Wilcox (uncredited)
Marilyn Harris
Pat Severn, as a Child (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
August 4, 1933
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Mervyn LeRoy
- Screenplay & Story
- Norman Reilly Raine, Zelda Sears, Eve Greene
- Original Score
- Paul Marquardt
- Original Title
- Tugboat Annie
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 26m
- Production Studios
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Mervyn LeRoy
Norman Reilly Raine, Zelda Sears, Eve Greene
Paul Marquardt
Gregg Toland
Irving Thalberg
Department Leadership Roster
Mervyn LeRoy
Director
Zelda Sears
Writer
Eve Greene
Writer
Irving Thalberg
Producer
Paul Marquardt
Original Music Composer
Gregg Toland
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 Tugboat Annie.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Tugboat Annie.
Pre-Code Hollywood
Pre-Code Hollywood films, 1929 to 1934.
MovieLens[20K:30K]
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Frequently Asked Questions About Tugboat Annie
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Tugboat Annie about?
Tugboat, the Narcissus, is owned and captained by Annie Brennan, and among her crew are her alcoholic but good-natured husband, Terry, and her conscientious son, Alec. Annie continually loses business because of Terry's drunken mistakes. Alec wants to quit school to work on the tug full time, but Annie will not sacrifice her son's education. A grown Alec has followed in his mother's footsteps and becomes a mariner, but a more upscale one as the captain of a luxury liner. Alec returns home with his fiancée, Pat - the boss' daughter - with a grand plan to save Annie from the life that drunkard Terry has provided her. But ultimately, it's Annie and Terry that need to be Alec's savior, and by their move show him the meaning of true commitment.
Who directed Tugboat Annie?
Tugboat Annie was directed by Mervyn LeRoy.
Who stars in Tugboat Annie?
The principal cast of Tugboat Annie includes Marie Dressler, Wallace Beery, Robert Young, Maureen O'Sullivan, Willard Robertson.
When was Tugboat Annie released and how long is it?
Tugboat Annie was released in 1933 with a total runtime of 1h 26m.
Who composed the musical score for Tugboat Annie?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Tugboat Annie was composed by Paul Marquardt.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Tugboat Annie?
Tugboat Annie holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).