Lionel and the movie "Four's a Crowd"

I don't know, but CTT did a piece years ago on the making of the movie.  I'll see if I can locate it.  If it has anything relevant I'll post.

I don't know what became of the trains, but here's an article that mentions the movie, as well as others with trains in them:http://www.toytrainrevue.com/hollywd.htm

The CTT article was May 1993, but it doesn't answer your question.  However, here are some other details that may have interest.  The trains were supplied by M. Sweyd & Son.  Twenty locos and 100 cars were bought.  The final race was on a 300-foot main line of the largest, most elaborate layout of any of the films that featured Lionel trains.  Every day, other actors who weren't in the film came to run the trains!  Jimmy Cagney, Pat O'Brien and Rudy Vallee are mentioned. 

"Holiday Affair" (the 1949 version, not the remake) mentioned in the above post, is one of my favorites.  It's a sentimental, but humorous movie, and what a snapshot of life in that era.

I also saw the movie and it was the first time I caught the mantle scene. The tank car with the cigarette lighter was neat. Also did you notice the front pilot wheels on the steamer were removed probably was derailing to much.

They made great movies back then.

franktrain

I've never seen this movie before! I just might have to add it to my collection!

One more shot, showing some Lionel tinplate.

What, there were trains in that movie?

(I was too busy looking at Olivia Dehavilland)

Of course.  That's my point.  It wasn't valuable.  

When I was in LA, I met a major collector of Hollywood memorabilia who started out by pulling things out of studio trash.  His prized possession is the original (one of 3) Cowardly Lion costume from the Wizard of Oz found hanging out of a dumpster on the MGM lot.

Here is a 2 page article from the July/August 1938 issue of Lionel's Model Builder.

http://www.trainlife.com/magaz...-august-1938-page-16

Great thread, everyone.

I'm a TCM junkie so surprised I've never seen this one (and missed the recent showing).  Will definitely watch for it in the future.

Don't forget this scene from Madame X. Sorry about the flash glare in the center. The trains and accessories below the picture are the ones that were used in the movie. They were provided by George Sirus and reside with his daughter Judy

Steve

Here's a shot from "The World Gone Mad" showing the American Flyer competition.  Only a short scene, but the trains are nicely highlighted.

I like how the grown ups are playing with the trains and the little kid is just watching on the sideline.....

  Kevin

Not a movie, but I was recently mucking around on YouTube and ran across some old “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” shows. You can view full episodes. Anyway, one of them featured a story where they found the kids’ old trains in the closet and were going to ditch them. Ozzie rescues them and he and his “whacky neighbor,”  Thorny,  end up going down to the local  hobby shop and load up on more trains and accessories.

You guessed it. Next scene is the men down on the floor playing trains while Harriet and the kids stand by shaking their heads.

That's how it is in real life. Kid gets a train set for Christmas, but finds the transformer and locomotive warm to the touch from when Dad and Uncle and/or friends were running it all night.

Here is a better copy of the 1966 film Madame X.

ARNO

What happened to the trains is probably simple.  They buy top of the line trains and expense it off.  After the production the producer, director, et al take them home.

Alan

My grandfather bought my father his Lionel in 1931. Dad was a year old. I always wondered who Grandad bought it for!

I just ordered "4's a Crowd". I'm a movie buff, so I'm looking forward to seeing, and owning, it! Hard to believe Errol Flynn died at like age 50. The coroner said he had the body of a 70 year old.

"Well that's what comes of too much pills and liquor. But when I saw her laid out like a queen, she was the happiest corpse I've ever seen."  -- Cabaret but seems appropriate here.

Walter Connolly's performance made the movie for me. His portrayal of a railroad enthusiast is superb. He really looked and acted the part of a railroader. The scene in which he lights his cigar with the tank car dome is priceless.

Like Mr. Flynn, Mr. Connolly passed at an all too early age when he suffered a stroke in 1940. He was only 53 at the time.

I think I'm going to order the movie as well.

Bob