Servers

Only Saps Work

1930 77 min ★ 6.0 Comedy Crime

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.

Director: Cyril Gardner Director: Edwin H. Knopf

Cast

Leon Errol Leon Errol James Wilson
Richard Arlen Richard Arlen Larry Payne
Mary Brian Mary Brian Barbara Tanner
Stuart Erwin Stuart Erwin Oscar
Anderson Lawler Anderson Lawler Horace Baldwin
Charley Grapewin Charley Grapewin Simeon Tanner
Clarence Burton Clarence Burton Sergeant Burns (uncredited)
Nora Cecil Nora Cecil Mrs. Partridge (uncredited)
George Chandler George Chandler Elevator Operator (uncredited)
G. Pat Collins G. Pat Collins Rafferty (uncredited)
Clifford Dempsey Clifford Dempsey Detective Smith (uncredited)
Charles Giblyn Charles Giblyn Dr. Jasper (uncredited)