Ma and Pa Kettle
Pa (Franklin Kettle) (Percy Kilbride) was a gentle but slow-speaking, slow-thinking and lazy man. His only talents appeared to be avoiding work and winning contests. Ma (Phoebe Kettle) (Marjorie Main) was larger, raucous, more ambitious and smarter than Pa, but not by much, and could easily be fooled. She was content with her role as mother to a small army of children on the Kettle's ramshackle farm. (At the beginning of the series Pa Kettle won a modern home that the family moved into. As the series continued, various reasons came up to have the family relocate to the "old place", sometimes for extended periods of time.)
Much of the humor came from the preposterous situations the Kettles found themselves in, such as Pa being mistaken for a wealthy industrialist or being jailed after he accidentally set a series of events in motion that resulted in race horses at the fair eating feed laced with concrete.
The Kettles first appeared in supporting roles in The Egg and I, starring Fred MacMurray and Claudette Colbert. After that they starred in a series of their own movies. Main was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1948 for her role in The Egg and I.
Main and Kilbride also appeared together in the 1948 Universal film Feudin', Fussin' And A-Fightin'. The movie also starred Donald O'Connor and Joe Besser. Many have mistaken this movie to be a Kettle film. Main played Maribel Matthews and Kilbride played Billy Caswell.
Kilbride retired after making the "Waikiki" movie; the Pa Kettle character did not appear in The Kettles in the Ozarks. Arthur Hunnicutt played Pa's brother Sedgewick Kettle in that movie. In The Kettles on Old MacDonald's Farm, the last Kettle movie, Parker Fennelly played Pa Kettle.
The eight Kettle films starting Kilbride and Main have been released on DVD, as part of Universal's Franchise Collection series. Volume 1 contains The Egg and I, The Further Adventures of Ma and Pa Kettle, Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town and Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm, while Volume 2 contains Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair, Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation, Ma and Pa Kettle at Home, Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki.
The characters of Ma and Pa Kettle also appeared in television's first comedy serial, The Egg and I, which aired on CBS (September 3, 1951-August 1, 1952). Each episode was only 15 minutes long. Ma Kettle was played by Doris Rich and Pa Kettle was played by Frank Twedell. Betty Lynn (better known as Barney Fife's girlfriend Thelma Lou from The Andy Griffith Show) played Betty in some episodes, including "Pa Turns Over A New Leaf" (which aired on May 21, 1952).
The 1980 satire film Loose Shoes (which also starred Bill Murray) included a sketch called "A Visit With Ma and Pa" where Ma Kettle was played by Ysabel MacCloskey and Pa Kettle was played by Walker Edmiston.
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Reasons to love Ma And Pa Kettle
Much of the humor came from the preposterous situations the Kettles found themselves in, such as Pa being mistaken for a wealthy industrialist or being jailed after he accidentally set a series of events in motion that resulted in race horses at the fair eating feed laced with concrete.
Ma and Pa Kettle Movies
Ma and Pa Kettle- Movie (1949)
Pa's tobacco slogan wins him, Ma and their sizable brood a brand-new home.
Ma and Pa Kettle at Home- Movie (1954)
The Kettles try to make their dilapidated farm into an efficient, model operation as they compete for a scholarship.
Ma and Pa Kettle at the Fair- Movie (1952)
The Kettles try to raise money with Pa's horse, and Ma's jam and bread.
Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki- Movie (1955)
The rural Kettles and their eldest daughter run a cousin's pineapple factory in Hawaii.
Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm- Movie (1951)
The Kettles move back home, where soon Pa thinks he's struck uranium.
Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town- Movie (1950)
After Pa wins a jingle-writing contest, the rural Kettles and their brood go to New York and meet gangsters.
Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation- Movie (1953)
The rural Kettles wreak havoc on a trip to Paris with their daughter-in-law's rich parents.
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The Adventures of Ma & Pa Kettle, Vol. 1 (The Egg and I / Ma and Pa Kettle / Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town / Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm)
When it comes to homespun fun, the Kettles rule th more...2 points
The Adventures of Ma & Pa Kettle, Vol. 2 (At the Fair / On Vacation / At Home / At Waikiki)
America's favorite country couple are back togethe more...1 point
Ma & Pa Kettle 11"x17" Reproduction Movie Poster
This reproduction 11"x17" poster is from more...1 point
The Adventures of Ma & Pa Kettle, Vol. 1 (The Egg and I / Ma and Pa Kettle / Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town / Ma and Pa Kettle Back on the Farm)
When it comes to homespun fun, the Kettles rule th more...1 point
The Adventures of Ma & Pa Kettle, Vol. 2 (At the Fair / On Vacation / At Home / At Waikiki)
America's favorite country couple are back togethe more...0 points
Ma & Pa Kettle 11"x17" Reproduction Movie Poster
This reproduction 11"x17" poster is from more...0 points
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- bam margera bam margera Oct 11, 2009 @ 2:52 pm
- MA& PA KETTLE ARE THE FUNNIEST MOVIES IV SEEN SO FAR
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- BFuniv.com BFuniv.com May 2, 2008 @ 7:32 pm
- It's great to find videos of acts I laughed at as a child. Thank you.
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- LaraineRose LaraineRose Apr 22, 2008 @ 10:05 pm
- Ma & Pa Kettle was the first movie I ever saw. Thanks for taking me down memory lane.
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