Expert: Barbara L. Baker - 7/24/2005

Question
Barbara,
Thank you so much. I always thought the title was "The Good Humor Man," but could never find any info on the internet about it. Thanks so much, I hope I catch it on TV (you mentioned it was unavailable on video or DVD), I'd like to see if I still find it as funny as when I was a kid. And yes, I knew it was much older than 30 years old, 30 years ago was when I watched it, and being black and white, I knew it was an older movie even then.
Thanks again


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Followup To
Question -
Hi,
Over 30 years ago, when I was 5 or 6, I watched a movie that had me rolling on the floor hysterically. I have not seen it again since, but would really like to. I only remember a few small details about it, but I am hoping you have seen it and can help with the title. The main character drove an ice cream truck with the words "The Good Humor Man" written on the side of it. I believe he witnessed a crime or something like that and the criminals were trying to get rid of him. At one point someone (maybe him, maybe one of the criminals) ended with the slide from a trombone over his head and someone was pulling the slide back and forth. That's all I remember, please help if you can. Thanks in advance.
Answer -
Dear Steve:  I'm not familiar with this film, although the plot sounded like some type of Three Stooges/Laurel and Hardy type of film (in other words, slapstick low humor).  The information you gave me was sketchy, but after a search, I think the film you are looking for might be a black & white comedy film made in 1950 called "The Good Humor Man." It was made by Columbia Pictures, and Frank Tashlin (the man behind Jerry Lewis)was a co-writer on the film.

The brief information I discovered about this film describes it as a type of slapsticky film made in the mode of the older 1930s/1940s films, with lots of goofiness involving the ice-cream truck driver and his pals caught up in some type of crime.  Although the plot description seems close to what you are looking for, I'm not 100% sure this is the film, as there wasn't a lot of information available on it, and it was made over 50 years ago (not 30, although you may have seen it then, if you saw it on TV).  Unfortunately, it is not out on DVD/video, although it apparently does appear on TV from time to time.

I hope this is the title you were looking for. Although there were other films with plots involving ice cream truck drivers involved in crime (at least in part), none was made earlier than 1985 (and that was the dark-humored comedy, "After Hours"--very unlikely a 5 year old would see it, or find it funny!).  There also were some later films, but nothing else remotely close to the time period, and nothing else in black and white.

If this is not the title, let me know, and I'll try to continue to search.

Answer
Steve, I'm glad you believe this is the film you were looking for.  I figured it was an older film you saw when you were young, given it was in black and white.  The description does sound funny, and I'll probably keep an eye out for it on tv.

I suggest going onto the Internet Movie Data Base (imdb.com) and typing in the name I gave you, and see for yourself how it is described (the site also has other links to one other review).  This data base, by the way, also shows if a movie is released to video, with a link to Amazon.com.  Maybe you should contact Columbia and request it get released!