The Youngest Profession

The Youngest Profession is a 1943 film directed by Edward Buzzell, and starring Virginia Weidler, Edward Arnold, John Carroll, Scotty Beckett, and Agnes Moorehead. Based on a short story series and book written by Lillian Day, it contains cameos by Greer Garson, Lana Turner, William Powell, Walter Pidgeon, and Robert Taylor.^[2]

The Youngest Profession
Australian theatrical poster
Directed by	Edward Buzzell
Written by	Lillian Day (book) George Oppenheimer Charles Lederer Leonard Spigelgass Jan Isbell Fortune
Produced by	B.F. Zeidman
Starring	Virginia Weidler Edward Arnold John Carroll
Cinematography	Charles Lawton Jr.
Edited by	Ralph E. Winters
Music by	David Snell
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date	February 26, 1943 (1943-02-26)
Running time	82 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$446,000[1]
Box office	$1,546,000[1]

Plot

Lively teen Joan Lyons and her best friend, Patricia Drew, are dedicated autograph seekers who run around New York City attempting to meet celebrities. Deceived by trouble-making governess Miss Featherstone, Joan is distracted from her star-chasing by concerns over her parents' marriage. This leads Joan to hire a muscle man named Dr. Hercules to flirt with her mother, which only results in more misunderstandings.^[3]

Cast

• Virginia Weidler as Joan Lyons
• Edward Arnold as Burton V. Lyons
• John Carroll as Dr. Hercules
• Ann Ayers as Susan Thayer
• Marta Linden as Edith Lyons
• Dick Simmons as Douglas Sutton
• Agnes Moorehead as Miss Featherstone
• Jean Porter as Patricia Drew
• Raymond Roe as Schuyler
• Dorothy Morris as Secretary
• Scotty Beckett as Junior Lyons
• Marcia Mae Jones as Vera Bailey
• Sara Haden as Sister Lassie
• Beverly Tyler as Thyra Winter
• Marjorie Gateson as Mrs. Drew

Box office

According to MGM records, the film earned $1,187,000 in the US and Canada and $359,000 elsewhere resulting in a profit of $583,000.^[1][4]