Blondie Goes to College

Blondie Goes to College (1942) starring Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake, Janet Blair, Larry Parks

In Blondie Goes to College, Blondie and Dagwood go back to college. But Dagwood wants to hide the fact that they’re married. The school’s star athlete falls for Blondie. Dagwood has his own troubles with a pretty coed. And Blondie has a secret …

Comedy highlights

• Dagwood failing at every sport.
• Baby Dumpling “drilling” his “troops” at the military school.
• Blondie using her womanly wiles on Rusty, to get him to drop out the rowing team …. So Dagwood can take his place!
• Dagwood destroying the rowing team’s chance of victory. And overturning the entire boat in the process!
• J. C. Dithers realizes that the Bumsteads are unhappy at college. So, he conspires to have them come back. With the help of Baby Dumpling and Daisy …
• Nosy landlady calling the police on Dagwood, whom she suspects of kidnapping!
• Baby Dumpling and Daisy, following Dagwood’s previous orders, deny knowing him at the police station.

Cast

• Penny Singleton (Blondie’s Secret) … Blondie Bumstead, aka Blondie Smith. She accompanies Dagwood to college. Since he wants to be “incognito”, she pretends they’re not married, so she goes by her maiden name. Unfortunately, this leads to Rusty chasing her. And she knows, although Dagwood doesn’t, that she’s pregnant!
• Arthur Lake (Blondie’s Reward) … Dagwood Bumstead. He wants to go to college, and become the Big Man on Campus. Unfortunately, he’s a failure at every sport he tries out for. And Laura’s chasing him, making his wife jealous!
• Larry Simms (Blondie’s Holiday) … Alexander ‘Baby Dumpling’ Bumstead. He has a funny turn towards the end, when he visits his father at college. Tearfully!
• Daisy … Daisy
• Janet Blair (The Fuller Brush Man) … Laura Wadsworth. The pretty young coed that’s chasing Dagwood.
• Jonathan Hale … J.C. Dithers
• Adele Mara (Sands of Iwo Jima) … Babs Connelly
• Danny Mummert (Blondie Knows Best) … Alvin Fuddle
• Larry Parks (The Jolson Story) … Rusty Bryant. The star athlete, who’s chasing Blondie. He has a very high opinion of himself.
• Lloyd Bridges (Sahara) … Ben Dixon, one of Rusty’s gang of friends and sycophants.
• Andrew Tombes … J.J ‘Snookie’ Wadsworth. The rich man whom Dithers wants Dagwood to secure a deal with at the college. He’s also Laura’s father.
• Sid Melton (Green Acres, Lost Continent) … ‘Mouse’ Gifford. The rowing coach, frustrated by Dagwood in the big race.

Quotes

• Blondie: I know more stuff than I can understand.
• J.C. Dithers: [to Blondie] Dagwood will probably come back from college smart as a whip. [closes door] …but I doubt it.
• Dagwood: I caught a cramp today.
  Baby Dumpling: What did you use for bait?

Editorial review of Blondie Goes to College

In Blondie Goes to College, Dagwood decides to go to college. Blondie goes along with him, keeping their marriage a secret. They send Baby Dumpling off to military school where he becomes top sergeant. Blondie is hounded by the campus stud and Dagwood makes the rowing team. It is revealed that a new child is on the way.