Poor Old Bill

Poor Old Bill is a 1931 British comedy film directed by Monty Banks and starring Leslie Fuller, Iris Ashley and Syd Courtenay.^[2] It marked the film debut of a very young Peter Lawford, playing the child of the main character, Bill (Leslie Fuller).^[3]

Poor Old Bill
Directed by	Monty Banks
Screenplay by	Val Valentine
Based on	an original story by Lola Harvey & Syd Courtenay
Produced by	Walter C. Mycroft
Starring	Leslie Fuller Iris Ashley Syd Courtenay
Cinematography	Claude Friese-Greene
Production company	British International Pictures
Distributed by	Wardour Films (UK)
Release date	22 June 1931 (1931-06-22) (UK)
Running time	51 minutes[1]
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Premise

A man sponges off an old comrade from the First World War who believes he has saved his life during the war, although this ultimately proves not to be true.

Cast

• Leslie Fuller as Bill
• Iris Ashley as Emily
• Syd Courtenay as Harry
• Peter Lawford as Horace
• Hal Gordon as Jack
• Robert Brooks Turner as Mick
• Dick Francis as Constable

Critical reception

TV Guide gave the film one out of four stars, calling it an "Interesting conception for a farce," but concluded that, "Unfortunately, the idea is carried on much too long, stretching what little material there is."^[3]