Muriel

Our blogfather has a review on his Pop Culture Gadabout site this week for an infamous low-budget comedy, Bela Lugosi Meets A Brooklyn Gorilla, that is much beloved in these quarters for the co-starring presence of fat comic actress Muriel Landers. A plus-sized sweetie who regularly played The Fat Girl in 50’s/60’s movies and sitcoms, Landers was a talented singer and an attractive BBW to boot. Though too often the butt of unfunny anti-fat jokes (Brooklyn Gorilla abounds in ‘em), she’s still a treat to watch coz she’s one of those performers who openly brings her pleasure at being on film into every role. To my eyes, Landers’ only real rival in the era is Peggy Mondo (Ethel in the movie version of The Music Man). Both actresses, interestingly, played the Fat Girl role in a recurring "Landrews Sisters" sketch on the old Jack Benny Show and had parts in Jerry Lewis’ Who’s Minding the Store? besides.

While I’m assured the short itself is no great shakes, Our Muriel also stars in one of Jules White’s non-Stooges Columbia two-reelers, “Tricky Chicks,” wherein she eats a roast chicken on camera. Sounds like a much more edifying entertainment than Brooklyn Gorilla . . .