

Joe Palooka is a naive young man whose father Pete was a champion boxer, but his lifestyle caused Joe's mother Mayme to leave him and to take young Joe to the country to raise him.
Acting
Jimmy Durante's nasal chaos and Lupe Vélez's firecracker energy.
Costume
Trixie's wardrobe working harder than the script.
Director
Benjamin Stoloff
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Based on a popular comic strip that ran until 1984—Joe Palooka was literally the 'aw shucks' archetype for 50 years.
Thelma Todd died mysteriously two years later; her 'accident' remains Hollywood's creepiest cold case.