It's a Great Life 80 years old

When the profits of their various film series began slumping in the mid-1940s, Columbia Pictures tried to broaden the appeal of these films by disguing the fact that they were indeed series entries. Thus it was that Columbia's 13th "Blondie" picture was shipped out as It's a Great Life. The comic confusion begins when Dagwood Bumstead (Arthur Lake), intending to buy a house, buys a horse instead. Before the film's 75 minutes have run their course, Dagwood gets mixed up in a fox hunt. But Blondie (Penny Singleton) saves the day as usual, with the help of eccentric millionaire Timothy Brewster (Hugh Herbert). After It's a Great Life and #14 "Footlight Glamour", Columbia restored the name "Blondie" to the titles of all subesequent installments in this long-running comedy series.

Credits

Alan Dinehart as Collender Martin

Larry Simms as Alexander Bumstead

Penny Singleton as Blondie Bumstead

Daisy as Daisy

Hugh Herbert as Timothy Brewster

Jonathan Hale as J.C. Dithers

It's a Great Life Cast

Name	Character
Alan Dinehart He was 53, 54 years old when he died	as Collender Martin
Larry Simms He was 8, 74 years old when he died	as Alexander Bumstead
Penny Singleton She was 34, 95 years old when she died	as Blondie Bumstead
Daisy	as Daisy
Hugh Herbert He was 58, 67 years old when he died	as Timothy Brewster
Jonathan Hale He was 52, 74 years old when he died	as J.C. Dithers
Marjorie Ann Mutchie She was 3, now 84 years old	as Cookie Bumstead
Arthur Lake He was 38, 81 years old when he died	as Dagwood " Dag " Bumstead
Douglas Leavitt	as Bromley
Danny Mummert He was 9, now 90 years old	as Alvin Fuddle
Irving Bacon He was 49, 71 years old when he died	as Mailman

It's a Great Life Crew

Name	Department
Joseph Kish as Set Decoration. He was 43 (69) years old when He died	Art
John Leipold as Original Music Composer. He was 55 (82) years old when He died	Sound
Lionel Banks as Art Direction. He was 41 (48) years old when He died	Art
Frank R. Strayer as Director. He was 51 (72) years old when He died	Directing
Frank R. Strayer as Producer. He was 51 (72) years old when He died	Production
Chic Young as Characters. He was 42 (71) years old when He died	Writing
Ben Oakland as Original Music Composer. He was 33 (69) years old when He died	Sound
Jerome Pycha, Jr. as Art Direction.	Art
Karen DeWolf as Screenplay. She was 34 (80) years old when She died	Writing
Morris Stoloff as Original Music Composer. He was 44 (81) years old when He died	Sound
Gregory Stone as Original Music Composer. He was 42 (90) years old when He died	Sound
Connie Lee as Screenplay. She was 25 (now 106) years old	Writing
L. William O'Connell as Director of Photography. He was 52 (94) years old when He died	Camera
Walter Holscher as Art Direction. He was 42 (72) years old when He died	Art
Al Clark as Editor. He was 40 (68) years old when He died	Editing

It's a Great Life (80 years)

Release day: Thursday, May 27, 1943
Runtime: 72 minutes