Only Saps Work

Edwin H. Knopf
1930-12-05

You Just Know It's Funny!
5.5
77 min

Rubber-legged comedian Leon Errol made his talkie starring bow in Paramount's Only Saps Work. Based on a play by Owen Davis Sr., the film casts Errol as James Wilson, a kleptomaniac who starts with picking pockets and ends up robbing a bank. Wilson's friend Lawrence Payne (Richard Arlen) inadvertently aids our hero during one of his heists, ending up in deep doo-doo with the law. Before Wilson is able to extricate Payne from his dilemma for the sake of heroine Barbara Tanner (Mary Brian), he pauses long enough to pose as a private eye -- and even gives bellboy Oscar (Stu Erwin) tips on how to spot a crook! If only all of Leon Errol's feature films had been as consistently hilarious as Only Saps Work.

Cast

Name Character Team
Leon Errol James Wilson Unowned
Richard Arlen Larry Payne Unowned
Mary Brian Barbara Tanner Unowned
Stuart Erwin Oscar Unowned
Anderson Lawler Horace Baldwin Unowned
Charley Grapewin Simeon Tanner Unowned
Clarence Burton Sergeant Burns (uncredited) Unowned
Nora Cecil Mrs. Partridge (uncredited) Unowned
George Chandler Elevator Operator (uncredited) Unowned
G. Pat Collins Rafferty (uncredited) Unowned
Clifford Dempsey Detective Smith (uncredited) Unowned
Charles Giblyn Dr. Jasper (uncredited) Unowned
Charlie Hall Waiter (uncredited) Unowned
George Irving Dr. White (uncredited) Unowned
Fred Kelsey Murphy (uncredited) Unowned
Jack Richardson Chef (uncredited) Unowned