There’s One Born Every Minute

There’s One Born Every Minute

Year: 1942

Runtime: 60 mins

Language: English

Director: Harold Young

Comedy

A lively comedy marking nine‑year‑old Elizabeth Taylor’s film debut: she plays the spoiled daughter of a pudding magnate who is entered into the mayoral race by local businessmen hoping to use him as a puppet. The magnate advertises his product as containing the miracle “Vitamin Z,” sparking a pudding boom and a well‑funded campaign. When the nonexistent vitamin is uncovered, the town’s power brokers scramble to expose the candidate as a fraud.

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Timeline & Setting – There’s One Born Every Minute (1942)

Explore the full timeline and setting of There’s One Born Every Minute (1942). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Witumpka Falls

Witumpka Falls is a close-knit hometown where a family-run pudding powder company anchors the local economy. The town's social life centers on campaigns, shops, and community events, where publicity quickly ripples through the streets. It functions as a microcosm of American small-town politics and business ambition.

🏡 Hometown 🗳️ Local Politics

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:19

Main Characters – There’s One Born Every Minute (1942)

Meet the key characters of There’s One Born Every Minute (1942), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Lemuel P. Twine (Hugh Herbert)

A well-meaning but easily swayed candidate who enters politics to bring reform to Witumpka Falls. He is initially guided by his wife Minerva and the Cadwalader backers, yet grows into a leader whose decisions expose corruption and elevate the town’s hopes.

🎭 Ambitious 💼 Businessman 🗳️ Politician

Jimmy Hanagan (Tom Brown)

An enterprising ex-advertising clerk who crafts the Vitamin Z marketing scheme to boost the pudding business. He is clever and passionate, but his jealousy and meddling push him into clashes with the Cadwaladers and Lem.

💡 Creative 🧭 Strategist 💘 Jealous

Helen Barbara Twine (Peggy Moran)

Lem's daughter who acts as a social catalyst, guiding relationships and helping expose the Cadwaladers' treachery. She balances romance, family loyalty, and political awareness, ultimately supporting genuine reform.

💃 Socialite 💖 Romantic 🧭 Mediator

Gloria Twine (Elizabeth Taylor)

A member of the Twine family whose social presence underscores the town's interpersonal dynamics within the campaign and personal relationships.

👗 Social Presence 🕊️ Gentle 🗣️ Spokesperson

Moe Carson (Edgar Kennedy)

The sitting mayor whose leadership is challenged by Lem's reform bid, with political maneuvering and public perception shaping the town's view of leadership.

🏛️ Authority 🗺️ Local Politics

Asa Quisenberry (Gus Schilling)

A quirky professor who lends pseudo-scientific credibility to Vitamin Z, blurring the line between truth and publicity and pushing the campaign into national spotlight.

🔬 Scientist 🧠 Intellectual

Minerva Twine (Catherine Doucet)

Lem's wife, the driving force behind his politics, whose practical guidance helps keep the campaign focused amid chaos and illusions.

🧭 Advisor 👩‍💼 Partner

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:19

Major Themes – There’s One Born Every Minute (1942)

Explore the central themes of There’s One Born Every Minute (1942), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🗳️ Politics

The plot satirizes a small-town election, where backroom deals and media spin influence who gets elected. Lem's reform campaign is shaped by powerful backers and rival scheming families, showing how public perception can be manufactured. The story culminates in a vote that tests leadership and community trust.

💡 Marketing & Deception

Jimmy and Quisenberry fabricate a 'Vitamin Z' campaign to boost the pudding business, highlighting how hype can drive national attention. The staged scientific claims critique sensational advertising and consumer gullibility. Deception drives the plot, revealing loyalties and integrity.

👨‍👩‍👧 Family & Community

Family ties propel both political and commercial drama, with Minerva pushing Lem toward public life and Helen navigating romance and loyalty. The Cadwalader scheming pits the town’s families against each other, testing trust and cooperation. In the end, community bonds and honest leadership reclaim the town’s harmony.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 14:19

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There’s One Born Every Minute Summary

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There’s One Born Every Minute Timeline

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