Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsPrimetime EmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalFall TV GuideMost Anticipated This MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayTrending peopleCelebrity news
    IMDb LabsHelp centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Advice to the Forlorn

Original title: Advice to the Lovelorn
  • 1933
  • Approved
  • 1h 2m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
117
YOUR RATING
Advice to the Forlorn (1933)
ComedyDramaRomance

Los Angeles newspaper reporter Toby Prentiss is continually in trouble with his editor. He is demoted to running the paper's "Miss Lonelyhearts" advice column because he missed the scoop on ... Read allLos Angeles newspaper reporter Toby Prentiss is continually in trouble with his editor. He is demoted to running the paper's "Miss Lonelyhearts" advice column because he missed the scoop on a major earthquake whilst out on the town. Determined to be fired from the column he start... Read allLos Angeles newspaper reporter Toby Prentiss is continually in trouble with his editor. He is demoted to running the paper's "Miss Lonelyhearts" advice column because he missed the scoop on a major earthquake whilst out on the town. Determined to be fired from the column he starts to give crazy advice to the readers, but this only makes him even more popular.

  • Director
    • Alfred L. Werker
  • Writers
    • Leonard Praskins
    • Nathanael West
  • Stars
    • Lee Tracy
    • Sally Blane
    • Paul Harvey
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.3/10
    117
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Alfred L. Werker
    • Writers
      • Leonard Praskins
      • Nathanael West
    • Stars
      • Lee Tracy
      • Sally Blane
      • Paul Harvey
    • 9User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos3

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster

    Top Cast26

    Lee Tracy
    Lee Tracy
    • Toby Prentiss
    Sally Blane
    Sally Blane
    • Louise
    Paul Harvey
    Paul Harvey
    • Gaskell
    Sterling Holloway
    Sterling Holloway
    • Benny
    C. Henry Gordon
    C. Henry Gordon
    • Kranz
    Isabel Jewell
    Isabel Jewell
    • Rose
    Jean Adair
    Jean Adair
    • Mrs. Prentiss
    • (uncredited)
    Franklyn Ardell
    Franklyn Ardell
    • Reporter
    • (uncredited)
    Bonnie Bannon
    Bonnie Bannon
    • Girl
    • (uncredited)
    May Boley
    May Boley
    • Miss Lonelyhearts
    • (uncredited)
    Wade Boteler
    Wade Boteler
    • Federal Detective
    • (uncredited)
    Matt Briggs
    Matt Briggs
    • Richards
    • (uncredited)
    Clay Clement
    Clay Clement
    • Joseph C. Douglas - District Attorney
    • (uncredited)
    Jimmy Conlin
    Jimmy Conlin
    • California Booster
    • (uncredited)
    George Dobbs
    George Dobbs
    • Reporter
    • (uncredited)
    Adalyn Doyle
    • Miss Curtis
    • (uncredited)
    Ruth Fallows
    • Miss Howell
    • (uncredited)
    Tom Herbert
    • Reporter
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Alfred L. Werker
    • Writers
      • Leonard Praskins
      • Nathanael West
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews9

    6.3117
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    More like this

    I'll Tell the World
    6.0
    I'll Tell the World
    Blessed Event
    6.9
    Blessed Event
    Big Time
    7.0
    Big Time
    The Lemon Drop Kid
    6.4
    The Lemon Drop Kid
    She Got What She Wanted
    5.5
    She Got What She Wanted
    Lonelyhearts
    6.6
    Lonelyhearts
    You Belong to Me
    6.8
    You Belong to Me
    Bombshell
    7.0
    Bombshell

    Related interests

    Will Ferrell, Angela Grillo, and Lap-Gei Cheung in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
    Romance

    Storyline

    Did you know

    • Trivia
      This film has an uncanny foresight about the explosion of advice to the lovelorn newspaper columns that would happen in the mid-20th century. The two most famous of these were twin sisters, Pauline and Eppie Friedman, who would, two months apart, in 1950, start advice columns in papers that would become the largest syndicated such columns in the world. They would last into the 21st century. Pauline became Abigail Van Buren, writer of the column,, "Dear Abby." And Eppie became, "Dear Ann Landers." Their readerships would reach 110 million and 90 million, respectively.
    • Goofs
      The name of Nathanael West, the author of the novel on which the film is based, is misspelled in the credits.
    • Quotes
      • Benny: How many Z's in hesitate?
    • Connections
      Referenced in Lee Tracy: The Fastest Mouth in the West (2022)
    • Soundtracks
      I Can't Give You Anything But Love
      (uncredited)

      Music by Jimmy McHugh

      Lyrics by Dorothy Fields

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    • Release date
      • December 1, 1933 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Miss Lonelyhearts
    • Production company
      • 20th Century Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    • Runtime
      • 1h 2m(62 min)
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    You have no recently viewed pages
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2026 by IMDb.com, Inc.