It Ain't Hay
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It Ain't Hay is a 1943 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. It Ain't Hay is based upon the Damon Runyon story, Princess O'Hara, which Universal first made into a film in 1935 with Chester Morris. Filming of this picture began on September 28, 1942, and lasted until November 11. Lou's brother Pat Costello was used as his stunt-double in the "headless horseman" sequence. It was during production, on November 6, that Lou's wife Anne gave birth to their son, Lou "Butch" Costello, Jr.
Cab driver Wilbur Hoolihan accidentally kills a hack horse owned by King O'Hara and his daughter, Princess O'Hara, by feeding it candy. In hopes of raising enough money to replace it, he and his friend Grover Mockridge visit a crooked gambling parlor. They win enough money, but before they can purchase a new horse, a con man swindles Wilbur out of the cash. Some touts inform Wilbur and Grover that an old horse is available for free at one of the upstate tracks. They visit the track but mistakenly take the wrong horse, a champion by the name of Tea Biscuit, and present the horse to O'Hara.
Tea Biscuit's owner, Col. Brainard, offers a reward for the return of the horse. By this time, O'Hara has taken a fare up to Saratoga. Wilbur and Grover, realizing their error, drive to Saratoga to find O'Hara. The three touts also realize that Wilbur and Grover took Tea Biscuit, and trail them hoping to recover the horse and collect the reward. Wilbur and Grover manage to find O'Hara and hide Tea Biscuit in their hotel room, but they are hounded by the house detective, Warner, who was tipped off by the touts. Fleeing Warner, Wilbur rides the horse but ends up at the track in time for a big race.
The three touts and Warner converge on the track and confront Grover, who makes a deal with them to turn over the horse Wilbur riding for $100. Grover then uses that money to bet on Tea Biscuit. Before the race, Wilbur is thrown off Tea Biscuit and lands on Rhubarb, and Rhubarb's jockey saddles up Tea Biscuit. With a real jockey aboard, Tea Biscuit wins the race while Wilbur and Rhubarb come in last. Warner and the touts take Wilbur's horse, which they believe is Tea Biscuit, to Col. Brainard for the reward, but it is the wrong horse. Grover holds the only winning ticket on Tea Biscuit, and uses the windfall to buy O'Hara a replacement horse.
There is a scene that breaks the fourth wall: Wilbur and Grover are in their apartment when someone knocks at the door. Grover says, "Go answer the door, it might be Warner." Wilbur answers, "It won't do no good, we're signed up with Universal." Abbott and Costello had a long-term contract with Universal Pictures at the time. Also, in the beginning of the movie, someone asks Shemp Howard's character why he's carrying an umbrella when it isn't raining. He answers, "Who knows? I'm a Damon Runyon character."
Cast
Bud Abbott as Grover Mockridge
Lou Costello as Wilbur Hoolihan
Grace McDonald as Kitty McGloin
Cecil Kellaway as King O'Hara
Eugene Pallette as Gregory Warner
Patsy O'Connor as Peggy / Princess O'Hara
Leighton Noble as Pvt. Joe Collins
Shemp Howard as Umbrella Sam
Samuel S. Hinds as Col. Brainard
Eddie Quillan as Harry the Horse
Richard Lane as Slicker
Andrew Tombes as Big-Hearted Charlie
Wade Boteler as Reilly
Selmer Jackson as Grant
Mike Mazurki as Bouncer (Uncredited)
Herb Vigran as Man in the Back Room (Uncredited)
Pierre Watkin as Major Harper (Uncredited)
