The Bank Dick

The Bank Dick, motion picture about a layabout who inadvertently becomes a bank detective. Released in 1940, this critically acclaimed, award-winning comedy was written by and stars W. C. Fields as Egbert Souse. Lazy and often at the local bar, Souse (pronounced as French: Sou-say) accidentally foils a bank robbery and is rewarded with a job. He tries not to let the job at the bank interfere with his drinking, but when a nitwit son-in-law becomes involved in a fraudulent stock scheme, Souse must work to shield him from discovery by the bank examiner, J. Pinkerton Snoopington. Dispatching Snoopington with a drugged drink, Souse tries to replace the money and thwart a simultaneous robbery, in which he becomes a hostage.

Director

• Eddie Cline

Cast

• W. C. Fields (Egbert Souse)
• Cora Witherspoon (Agatha Souse)
• Una Merkel (Myrtle Souse)
• Evelyn Del Rio (Elsie Mae Adele Brunch Souse)
• Jessie Ralph (Mrs. Hermisillo Brunch)
• Franklin Pangborn (J. Pinkerton Snoopington)
• Shemp Howard (Joe Guelpe)
• Dick Purcell (Mackley Q. Greene)
• Grady Sutton (Og Oggilby)
• Russell Hicks (J. Frothingham Waterbury)
• Pierre Watkin (Mr. Skinner)
• Al Hill (Repulsive Rogan)
• George Moran (Loudmouth McNasty)
• Bill Wolfe (Otis)
• Jack Norton (A. Pismo Clam)
• Pat West (Assistant director)
• Reed Hadley (François)
• Heather Wilde (Miss Plupp)
• Harlan Briggs (Doctor Stall)
• William Alston (Mr. Cheek)
• Jan Duggan (Woman in bank)
• Kay Sutton (Young woman on bench)
• Fay Adler (Bank president's secretary)
• Bobby Larson (Boy in bank)
• Russel Cole (Bank clerk)
• Pat O'Malley (Cop)
• Billy Mitchell (Black bank customer)
• Eddie Dunn (James, the chauffeur)
• Emmett Vogan (Hotel desk clerk)
• Margaret Seddon (Old lady in car)
• Eddie Acuff (Reporter)
• Mary Field (Woman)

Awards

• Selected for Registration by the National Film Preservation Board (1992)

Trivia

• This was actor Fields’s last major film role due to failing health. On his deathbed, a friend found the actor, an agnostic, with a bible in his hands. Asked what he was doing with the bible, Fields replied: “Looking for loopholes.”

Quote

• Myrtle Souse (reacting to disaster): “I'll starve myself to death; it's the easiest way out. It's not so difficult to do. I tried it yesterday afternoon.”