Charlie McCarthy, Detective

Charlie McCarthy, Detective
Directed by	Frank Tuttle
Written by	Darrell Ware Robertson White
Produced by	Jerry Sackheim Frank Tuttle
Starring	Edgar Bergen Robert Cummings Constance Moore
Cinematography	George Robinson
Edited by	Bernard W. Burton
Music by	Frank Skinner
Production company	Universal Pictures
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Release date	December 22, 1939 (1939-12-22)
Running time	75 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	over $363,000.[1]

Charlie McCarthy, Detective is a 1939 American comedy film starring Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy and Robert Cummings.^[2][3]

Scotty Hamilton is a reporter who works for a crooked editor. Bill Banning is another reporter who is about to expose the editor's ties to the mob. When the editor is killed, both reporter Banning and mobster Tony Garcia are suspected. However, Hamilton's friend Edgar Bergen solves the case (without much help from Charlie McCarthy).

The film was announced in June 1938. It was the second movie Bergen made for Universal following Letter of Introduction.^[4][5] Bob Cummings was assigned in October 1939.^[6]

Filming took place from November to December 1939.^[7]

The New York Times called it "a nondescript omlette".^[8] Variety wrote "whatever box office reaction" the film "is able to generate depends on the ability of Edgar Bergen and his wooden stooge to carry this inadequate script and inept direction. Picture wilj have to struggle as top half of the dualers. It won't assist the screen progress of Bergen and his pal."^[9]

• Charlie McCarthy, Detective at IMDb
• Charlie McCarthy, Detective is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive
• Charlie McCarthy, Detective at the British Film Institute^{[better source needed]}