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Hail the Conquering Hero (1944)

August 9, 1944 (US) Comedy, War • 101m

Overview

Having been discharged from the Marines for a hayfever condition before ever seeing action, Woodrow Lafayette Pershing Truesmith delays the return to his hometown, feeling that he is a failure. While in a moment of melancholy, he meets up with a group of Marines who befriend him and encourage him to return home to his mother by fabricating a story that he was wounded in battle with honorable discharge.

Director

Preston Sturges

Top Billed

Eddie Bracken

Keywords

Top Billed Cast

Eddie Bracken
Eddie Bracken

Woodrow Truesmith

Raymond Walburn
Raymond Walburn

Mayor Everett J. Noble

William Demarest
William Demarest

Sgt. Heppelfinger

Franklin Pangborn
Franklin Pangborn

Reception Committee Chairman

Elizabeth Patterson
Elizabeth Patterson

Martha - Libby's Aunt

Georgia Caine
Georgia Caine

Mrs. Truesmith

Al Bridge
Al Bridge

Political Boss

Bill Edwards
Bill Edwards

Forrest Noble

Harry Hayden
Harry Hayden

Doc Bissell

Jimmy Conlin
Jimmy Conlin

Judge Dennis

Jimmie Dundee
Jimmie Dundee

Cpl. Candida

Chester Conklin
Chester Conklin

Western Union Man (uncredited)

Eddie Hall
Eddie Hall

Man Swigging Beer at the Bar (uncredited)

Tom McGuire
Tom McGuire

Town Councilman (uncredited)

Frank Moran
Frank Moran

Town Painter (uncredited)

Dewey Robinson
Dewey Robinson

Train Conductor (uncredited)

Robert Warwick
Robert Warwick

Marine Colonel (uncredited)

Miriam Nelson
Miriam Nelson

Tap Dancer (uncredited)

Esther Howard
Esther Howard

Mrs. Everett J. Noble (uncredited)

Bess Flowers
Bess Flowers

Woman at Train Station (uncredited)

Torben Meyer
Torben Meyer

Mr. Schultz (uncredited)

Arthur Hoyt
Arthur Hoyt

Rev. Upperman (uncredited)

George Anderson
George Anderson

Bartender (uncredited)

Nora Cecil
Nora Cecil

Train Ticket Clerk (uncredited)

Pauline Drake
Pauline Drake

Telephone Operator (uncredited)

Dot Farley
Dot Farley

Mamie's Mother (uncredited)

Jim Farley
Jim Farley

Undetermined Secondary Role (uncredited)

Franklyn Farnum
Franklyn Farnum

Town Councilman (uncredited)

Maxine Fife
Maxine Fife

Daughter of Colonel (uncredited)

Julie Gibson
Julie Gibson

Singer (uncredited)

Kenneth Gibson
Kenneth Gibson

Town Councilman (uncredited)

Stephen Gregory
Stephen Gregory

Pfc. Bill Swenson (uncredited)

Mildred Harris
Mildred Harris

Wife of Marine Colonel (uncredited)

Len Hendry
Len Hendry

Pfc. Juke Gillette (uncredited)

Earl Hunsaker
Earl Hunsaker

One of the Guardsmen (uncredited)

Henry Iblings
Henry Iblings

One of the Guardsmen (uncredited)

Tiny Jones
Tiny Jones

Townswoman (uncredited)

Dudley Kuzelle
Dudley Kuzelle

One of the Guardsmen (uncredited)

Philo McCullough
Philo McCullough

Town Councilman (uncredited)

George Melford
George Melford

Sheriff (uncredited)

Charles R. Moore
Charles R. Moore

The Porter (uncredited)

Marjean Neville
Marjean Neville

Mamie (uncredited)

Jack Norton
Jack Norton

Second Bandleader (uncredited)

Harry 'Snub' Pollard
Harry 'Snub' Pollard

Townsman (uncredited)

Paul Porcasi
Paul Porcasi

Cafe Owner (uncredited)

Victor Potel
Victor Potel

Progressive Bandleader (uncredited)

Merrill Rodin
Merrill Rodin

Alfie (uncredited)

John Sinclair
John Sinclair

American Legion Bandleader (uncredited)

Hal Taggart
Hal Taggart

Townsman (uncredited)

Crew
Werner R. Heymann
Werner R. Heymann

Original Music Composer

John F. Seitz
John F. Seitz

Director of Photography

Haldane Douglas
Haldane Douglas

Art Direction

Hans Dreier
Hans Dreier

Art Direction

Stephen Seymour
Stephen Seymour

Set Decoration

Edith Head
Edith Head

Costume Design

Wally Westmore
Wally Westmore

Makeup Artist

Warren Hoag
Warren Hoag

Electrician

Wallace Nogle
Wallace Nogle

Sound Recordist

Harlow Stengel
Harlow Stengel

Assistant Camera

Buddy G. DeSylva
Buddy G. DeSylva

Executive Producer

Dick Johnson
Dick Johnson

Makeup Artist

Web Overlander
Web Overlander

Makeup Artist

Harve Foster
Harve Foster

Assistant Director

Howard Joslin
Howard Joslin

Second Assistant Director

John Robert Murphy
John Robert Murphy

Second Assistant Director

Evelyn Glatt
Evelyn Glatt

Assistant Set Dresser

John MacNeil
John MacNeil

Assistant Set Dresser

Walter Oberst
Walter Oberst

Sound Recordist

Gene Merritt
Gene Merritt

Sound Mixer

August Van Koughnet
August Van Koughnet

Sound Recordist

Ray Guy
Ray Guy

Electrician

Gene Liggett
Gene Liggett

Assistant Camera

Otto Pierce
Otto Pierce

Second Assistant Camera

William Rand
William Rand

Second Assistant Camera

Theodor Sparkuhl
Theodor Sparkuhl

Camera Operator

Louis Brown
Louis Brown

Wardrobe Master

Sigmund Krumgold
Sigmund Krumgold

Music Director

Joseph J. Lilley
Joseph J. Lilley

Additional Music

Paul Marquardt
Paul Marquardt

Orchestrator

George Parrish
George Parrish

Orchestrator

Leo Shuken
Leo Shuken

Orchestrator

Victor Young
Victor Young

Additional Music

La Prele Jones
La Prele Jones

Script Supervisor

Teet Carle
Teet Carle

Publicist



Reviews

CinemaSerf

⭐ 7/10

February 9, 2026

The US Marine Corps reckons excessive sniffing could compromise operational readiness, so it has discharged chronic hayfever sufferer “Truesmith” (Eddie Bracken). He’s no coward, and feeling somewhat ashamed buys some serving soldiers a few drinks in a bar. They take pity on their down-at-heart friend and concoct a wheeze that will enable him to go home to his widowed mother (Georgia Caine) with his head held high. The train arrives into town and… read the rest.

Status

Released

Original Language

EN

Budget

Revenue

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