November 2, 1942 –
One of Preston Sturges laugh out loud comedy, The Palm Beach Story, starring Claudette Colbert, Joel McCrea, Mary Astor and Rudy Vallée, opened on this date. (Sturges, himself, had to shove a handkerchief in his mouth to avoid ruining a take by laughing.)
With parts written to their specific talents, most of the actors required little direction. The result was a relaxed set where the cast felt comfortable trying whatever the script demanded. When Joel McCrea had to fall down a flight of stairs at the end of an argument, Preston Sturges even took the fall for him first, just to show him it was safe.
