The Disorderly Orderly is a 1964 American comedy film released by Paramount Pictures, and starring Jerry Lewis. The film was produced by Paul Jones with a screenplay by director Frank Tashlin, based on a story by Norm Liebermann and Ed Haas.
Contents
Plot
Jerome Littlefield is an orderly at a hospital. His dream is to be a doctor, but he has a problem that prevents it from becoming a reality: when he hears of a problem that a patient is having, psychosomatically he begins to suffer those symptoms as well.
Susan Andrews, an old high school friend, is brought to the hospital after a suicide attempt. Littlefield recognizes her as the girl he has had a crush on since then. Eventually Andrews falls for Littlefield and they kiss. Littlefield later realizes that his problem with suffering from other people's symptoms was a direct result of his obsession with Andrews. Now that he has overcome that, his problems go away and he finally becomes a doctor.
Cast
Jerry Lewis as Jerome Littlefield
Susan Oliver as Susan
Kathleen Freeman as Nurse Higgins
Glenda Farrell as Dr. Howard
Karen Sharpe as Julie
Alice Pearce as Mrs. Fuzzibee
Barbara Nichols as Patient
Jack E. Leonard as Patient
Everett Sloane as Mr. Tuffington
Production
The Disorderly Orderly was filmed at the Greystone Park and Mansion in Beverly Hills, California with costumes designed by Edith Head.
Soundtrack
The title song, sung over the opening credits, is performed by Sammy Davis Jr. The title song "The Disorderly Orderly" was written by songwriter Earl Shuman.
Reception
While Howard Thompson of the New York Times (December 24, 1964) liked a few comedic bits and praised some secondary performers, he generally panned The Disorderly Orderly, writing that the film "runs dry at the end of the first third — like a juiceless watermelon — and splits open, with about the same results."
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 60% rating based on 5 reviews, with an average rating of 5.95/10.
Home media
The film was released to Region 1 DVD on October 12, 2004 and March 15, 2021.