Jumping for Joy (1956)

Racetrack dogsbody Willie Joy (Frankie Howerd) loses his job at the greyhound stadium, acquires a sick greyhound and is thrown out of his lodgings.

He meets “Captain” Jack Montague (Stanley Holloway), an amiable trickster who persuades Willie to sell phoney tips at the stadium.

Willie then becomes involved with a gang of racketeers led by a spiv called Vincent (Tony Wright), who takes his orders from a mysterious boss.

At the same time, he begins to train Lindy Lou for the Golden Bowl greyhound classic.

To the amazement of all, Lindy Lou qualifies and becomes the favourite to win.

But Willie’s good fortune is shadowed by the fact that the lovely kennel maid, Susan (Susan Beaumont), thinks he is responsible for the doping of dogs at the track.

Unknown to Willie, it is Vincent and his boss who are responsible.

Things come to a head on the day before the big race when Willie learns about the doping business, gets a clue as to the identity of the boss and almost loses Lindy Lou. But with the aid of an eccentric couple Lord (AE Matthews) and Lady Cranfield (Joan Hickson), Willie and the “captain” get Lindy Lou to the race.

She wins, the crooks are caught, the boss is identified, and Willie is the hero of the day.

Howerd was still best known as the headliner on radio’s Variety Bandbox when he took his first real starring role in only his third film outing. His famous nuances and grimaces were not really suited to the big screen and this tepid comedy did not prove otherwise.

Director John Paddy Carstairs would later guide Norman Wisdom through many of his hit comedies, but he fails to make Howerd tick here, and what fun there is comes from such dependable supporting players as Holloway and Matthews.

Willie Joy
Frankie Howerd
‘Captain’ Jack Montague
Stanley Holloway
Lord Reginald Cranfield
A.E. Matthews
Lady Emily Cranfield
Joan Hickson
Vincent
Tony Wright
Blagg
Alfie Bass
Bert Benton
Lionel Jeffries
Susan Stora
Susan Beaumont
John Wyndham
Terence Longdon
Max
Colin Gordon
Mr Carruthers
Richard Wattis
Plug Ugly
Danny Green
Marlene
Barbara Archer
Blenkinsop
William Kendall
Haines
Ewen Solon
Mr Smithers
Reginald Beckwith
Pertwee
Michael Ward
Barry
Tom Gill
Clinton
Jack Lambert

Director
John Paddy Carstairs