Fine Art of Boxing, The (No Stooge in the Ring)
Two shady street vendors, Slicker Smith (Bud Abbott) and Herbie Brown (Lou Costello), inadvertantly enlist in the Army while on the run from policeman Sgt. Collins (Nat Pendleton). Slicker and Herbie are quickly horrified to learn that their boot camp Sergeant is... Sgt. Collins.
Answering the draft, the Company also welcomes rich playboy Randy Parker (Lee Bowman) and his put-upon chaffeur Bob Martin (Alan Curtis). Parker is certain his family's money and influence will spring him back to civilian life, but Parker Sr. decides the Army is the solution needed to turn his son from a playboy, into a responsible man. Parker and Martin also find themselves competing for the affections of USO hostess Judy Gray (Jane Frazee).
Lou Costello shines in a musical number performed with Shemp Howard, When Private Brown Becomes a Captain.
Bud Abbott and Lou Costello's first starring film, and in spite of the intrusive, romantic sub-plot of Bowman/Curtis/Frazee, the burlesque veterans easily make BUCK PRIVATES their own. Classic routines include: "Marry a Girl From the Hills," "Dice Game," "Lend Me $50," "Go Ahead and Play the Radio," and an extended reprise of their drill routine. The Andrews Sisters (Patty, Maxene & LaVerne) perform several numbers. Musical numbers often distract during feature comedies, but the Andrews' numbers (Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, Bounce Me Brother With a Solid Four, You're a Lucky Fellow Mr. Smith, I'll Be With You When It's Apple Blossom Time) are edited/inserted as pleasurable diversions throughout the film.

Bud Abbott
Slicker Smith

Lou Costello
Herbie Brown

Nat Pendleton
Sgt. Mike Collins

Lee Bowman
Randy Parker

Alan Curtis
Bob Martin

Jane Frazee
Judy Gray

Maxene Andrews
Herself

LaVerne Andrews
Herself

Patty Andrews
Herself

Shemp Howard
Mess hall cook

Kenne Duncan
Sgt. on sidewalk

William Gould
Recruiting Major

Selmer Jackson
Capt. Johnson

James Flavin
Recruiting Sergeant

Stanley Blystone
Recruiting Sergeant

Jack Mulhall
Doctor conducting physicals

George Magrill
1st policeman in patrol car

Joseph La Cava
Recruit confronting Herbie

Stanley Smith
Corporal in Information booth

Jimmie Lucas
Sergeant in lobby

Tom Coleman
Sgt. paging Dr. Coldwater

William Hall
Corporal in lobby

Harold Goodwin
Sergeant in terminal

Dora Clement
Miss Durling

Nell O'Day
Camp hostess

Janet Warren
Camp hostess

Kay Leslie
Camp hostess

Nina Orla
Camp hostess

Jeanne Kelly
Camp hostess

Dorothy Darrell
Camp hostess

Bud Mercer
Recruit

Carleton Young
Recruit

Charles King Jr.
Recruit

Charles Coleman
Edmunds, Parker's butler

Nella Walker
Mrs. Parker

Buddy Harris
Porter

Don Raye
Private

Hugh Prince
Private

Eddie Hall
Recruit watching crap game

Leonard Elliott
Pvt. Henry Sloan

Frank Penny
Master Sgt. Marks

Harry Strang
Master Sgt. Callahan

J. Anthony Hughes
Capt. Williams

Samuel S. Hinds
Major Gen. Emerson

Douglas Wood
Randy Parker Sr.

Frank Cook
Harmonica / guitar player

Frankie Dolan
Fighter

John L. Cason
Fighter

Lloyd Ford
Fighter

Tom Tyler
Boxing referee

Frankie Van
2nd in ring

Frank Grandetta
Pvt. Maguire, skinny boxer

Al Billings
Kayo, boxer

George Hoagland
Fight spectator

M. J. Frankovich
Announcer

Franklyn Farnum
War games officer

Gino Corrado
War games officer

World Champion Boogie Woogie Dancers
Themselves

Dean Collins
Dancer

Jewel McGowan
Dancer

Lyle Moraine
Lt. Poole

Robert Wayne
Lt. Albright

Will Morgan
Lieutenant

Tom Reed
Lieutenant

Jerome Harte
Corporal

Bob Reeves
Conductor

Jack Perrin
Conductor

Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Himself, archive footage

Henry Lewis Stimson
Himself, archive footage

Pat Costello
Lou's stunt double

John Butler
Supply Sgt., scene deleted

Unidentified BUCK PRIVATES 1
Tie customers

Unidentified BUCK PRIVATES 2
Boxing match timekeeper

Unidentified BUCK PRIVATES 3
War games

Unidentified BUCK PRIVATES 4
Drill recruits

Unidentified BUCK PRIVATES 5
Policeman

Unidentified BUCK PRIVATES 6
Dice players

Unidentified BUCK PRIVATES 7
Camp hostesses

Unidentified BUCK PRIVATES 8
Mess kitchen

Unidentified BUCK PRIVATES 9
Theatergoers

Unidentified BUCK PRIVATES 10
Enlistment center

Unidentified BUCK PRIVATES 11
Physical

Unidentified BUCK PRIVATES 12
Swearing-in ceremony

Unidentified BUCK PRIVATES 13
Parker's girlfriends

Unidentified BUCK PRIVATES 14
Train station

Unidentified BUCK PRIVATES 16
Supply clerk

Unidentified BUCK PRIVATES 17
Induction

Unidentified BUCK PRIVATES 18
Rec hall

Unidentified BUCK PRIVATES 19
Apple Blossom Time / Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

Unidentified BUCK PRIVATES 20
Boxing match

Unidentified BUCK PRIVATES 21
Maj. Emerson's staff

Arthur Lubin
Director

Alex Gottlieb
Associate Producer

Arthur T. Horman
Screenplay

John Grant
Special Material

Milton R. Krasner
Director of Photography

Jerome Ash
Director of Photography

Philip Cahn
Film Editor

Jack Otterson
Art Director

Ralph M. DeLacy
Associate Art Director

Russell A. Gausman
Set Decoration

Bernard B. Brown
Sound Supervisor

Paul Neal
Sound Technician

Charles Previn
Musical Director

Ted Cain
Music Supervisor

Vic Schoen
Music Arranger

Don Raye
Original Music

Frank Skinner
Original Music

Vic Schoen
Original Music

Neville Fleeson
Music and Lyrics

Albert Von Tilzer
Music and Lyrics

Sonny Burke
Music and Lyrics

Hugh Prince
Lyrics

Joseph E. Kenney
Assistant Director

Vernon Keays
Assistant Director

Gil Valle
Assistant Director

Nick Castle
Dance Director

Vera West
Gowns

Jack Voglin
Military Advisor

Jaik Rosenstein
Publicity
FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We make such material available in an effort to advance awareness and understanding of the issues involved. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information please visit: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission directly from the copyright owner.