Mister Universe is a 1951 American comedy film directed by Joseph Lerner and starring Jack Carson, Janis Paige and Vince Edwards. It was produced independently and distributed by Eagle-Lion Films. A number of professional wrestlers of the era appear as themselves, and Joan Rivers can be briefly seen as a teenage girl in the audience.
Plot Honest "Mister Universe" winner Tommy Tompkins is recruited by a dishonest wrestling promoter and wins a series of matches. Tommy is horrified when he is told to throw a match and proves that he is unable to do it because of his natural honesty.
Cast Jack Carson as Jeff Clayton Janis Paige as Lorraine Vince Edwards as Tommy Tompkins Bert Lahr as Joe Pulaski Robert Alda as Fingers Maroni Maxie Rosenbloom as Big Ears Joyce Mathews as Maroni's Moll Harry Landers as Henchman Donald Novis as Singer Murray Rothenberg as Reporter Dennis James as Himself
Reception In a contemporary review for The New York Times, critic Howard Thompson called the film "a transparent, soft-pedaled little spoof" and wrote: "[T]he actors scamper around with offhand raucousness, and the restrictions of Searle Kramer's script and Mr. Lerner's own direction, while original, make the picture seem a lot breezier than it actually is. Whether intentional or not, however, it's the good-natured air of the cast that pulls the picture along."
Picturegoer wrote: "True, much of the fun springs from the mauling of stooges, but the humour is no less effective for being elementary, or rather primitive."
Comic-book adaption A comic-book adaptation of the film was published by Eastern Color in the December 1950 issue of the anthology comic book Movie Love.
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