State fairs are an annual tradition throughout the nation, especially in the more rural states. Back in the 1930s, there was no other anticipated yearly ritual greater than attending and participating in the state fairs, where social gatherings allowed isolated farmers and their families living in remote areas to mix with one another. Fox Films took a look at this popular annual rite in February 1933 "State Fair," one of Will Rogers' most famous movies. Based on Phil Strong's best selling 1932 novel of the same name, "State Fair" has the patriarch of the Frake family, Abel (Rogers), excited about his prized pig, Blue Boy, who's a good bet of winning a first-place prize.
"State Fair," nominated for the Academy Awards Best Picture, was a sanitized version of Strong's book which also detailed the going-ons of Frake's late teenager kids, Margie (Janet Gaynor) and Wayne (Norman Foster), who are raring to mingle with the opposite sex. The studio initially hoped to retain some of Strong's passages describing the siblings' loss of innocence during the fair when it bought the movie rights to his book. But when Rogers was hired for the lead, the scriptwriters were told to dull the descriptive scenes of his character's children while the pair are frolicking in their newfound relationships. Innocent son Wayne meets and falls for a street-wise trapeze artist, Emily (Sally Ellers), who was no stranger to men. The comfortable robe Emily slips into once she persuades Wayne up to her pad sports the symbolic embroidered butterfly. Meanwhile, Margie meets newspaper reporter Pat Gilbert (Lew Ayres) on a roller coaster ride, and that relationship is off and running, even though she's wise to his wandering eyes.
Director Henry King was permitted by the Iowa State Fair and Exposition organizers in Des Moines to film B-Roll, including the harness racing scenes during its summer huskings. The studio bought three hogs to be in "State Fair," including the 1932 fair's grand champion, Dike of Rosedale. Named Blue Boy, his handlers were wary of the pig's temperamental behavior, some who refused to get near the beast while the camera hot lights were blazing. When Rogers was told of the giant pig's volatile temper, the actor said, "I've always been on friendly terms with hogs. Me and him'll get along all right." A few days later, King was ready to direct Rogers in his first scene for the movie. But the actor couldn't be found anywhere, even in his dressing room. A member of the film crew spotted him in the livestock pen where Blue Boy was kept. Rogers was seen fast asleep with his head resting against the pig's side. Later on when the filming wrap up, the studio offered Rogers the hog to buy, most likely for his meat. The actor didn't feel comfortable about the purchase, telling the sellers, "I wouldn't feel right eatin' a fellow actor."
"State Fair" has been remade twice, both as musicals. The 1945 version with Jeanne Crain and Dana Andrews contained the Academy Awards Best Song, "It Might As Well Be Spring." The second featured Ann-Margret and Pat Boone in 1962's "State Fair."
"State Fair," nominated for the Academy Awards Best Picture, was a sanitized version of Strong's book which also detailed the going-ons of Frake's late teenager kids, Margie (Janet Gaynor) and Wayne (Norman Foster), who are raring to mingle with the opposite sex. The studio initially hoped to retain some of Strong's passages describing the siblings' loss of innocence during the fair when it bought the movie rights to his book. But when Rogers was hired for the lead, the scriptwriters were told to dull the descriptive scenes of his character's children while the pair are frolicking in their newfound relationships. Innocent son Wayne meets and falls for a street-wise trapeze artist, Emily (Sally Ellers), who was no stranger to men. The comfortable robe Emily slips into once she persuades Wayne up to her pad sports the symbolic embroidered butterfly. Meanwhile, Margie meets newspaper reporter Pat Gilbert (Lew Ayres) on a roller coaster ride, and that relationship is off and running, even though she's wise to his wandering eyes.
Director Henry King was permitted by the Iowa State Fair and Exposition organizers in Des Moines to film B-Roll, including the harness racing scenes during its summer huskings. The studio bought three hogs to be in "State Fair," including the 1932 fair's grand champion, Dike of Rosedale. Named Blue Boy, his handlers were wary of the pig's temperamental behavior, some who refused to get near the beast while the camera hot lights were blazing. When Rogers was told of the giant pig's volatile temper, the actor said, "I've always been on friendly terms with hogs. Me and him'll get along all right." A few days later, King was ready to direct Rogers in his first scene for the movie. But the actor couldn't be found anywhere, even in his dressing room. A member of the film crew spotted him in the livestock pen where Blue Boy was kept. Rogers was seen fast asleep with his head resting against the pig's side. Later on when the filming wrap up, the studio offered Rogers the hog to buy, most likely for his meat. The actor didn't feel comfortable about the purchase, telling the sellers, "I wouldn't feel right eatin' a fellow actor."
"State Fair" has been remade twice, both as musicals. The 1945 version with Jeanne Crain and Dana Andrews contained the Academy Awards Best Song, "It Might As Well Be Spring." The second featured Ann-Margret and Pat Boone in 1962's "State Fair."