Series: Irvin S. Cobb Director: Nick Grinde Producer: Hal Roach Screenplay: Irvin S. Cobb Photography: William H. Terhune Editor: Francis Corby Stars: Irvin S. Cobb, Paul Hurst, Carl Stockdale, Benny Baker, Harry Bernard Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Released: 20 October 1934 Length: 2 reels Production No.: E-3 Filming dates: Rating: 3/10

The Ballad Of Paducah Jail

We begin with two news stories, firstly featuring some ballsy skyscraper workers in New York, followed by an annual baby parade in Chicago. We then move onto a third story featuring the release of Irvin S. Cobb from jail. A reporter attempts to interview the internationally famous writer whilst a young lady asks for his autograph. Mr. Cobb tells an excited crowd who have gathered about how he ended up in jail. He wrote an article explaining how he would capture a dangerous criminal if only the authorities gave him the chance to do so. So they pin a badge on him, give him a rifle and tell him to go capture a guy who just escaped from prison. Under the cover of darkness Cobb ventures out into the night to find the escapee. When he takes a brief restbite, the criminal steals his rifle and points it at him, demanding an explanation. The fast-thinking Cobb tells the guy he is being hunted by a posse, hence why he has the gun. The two men grapple and trigger a downpour of something from above (looks like some kind of seed, it's hard to tell due to the poor video quality). The prisoner resumes control with the rifle and tells Cobb to swap his clothing with him, so that Cobb is now wearing the striped prison uniform. When Cobb asks whose house they are going to rob the convict replies "a guy named Irvin Cobb", to which Cobb replies, "oh!"

Dressed as bushes (bear with me here...) Cobb and his new convict friend arrive at the house. They are able to go inside on account that Cobb naturally has the keys to the front door with him. The guard dog makes itself known and greets his master, but Cobb shoo's it away so that his cover isn't blown. The convict stubs out his cigar on the carpet and then destroys a music box when it irritates him. After lighting cigars, the two men head over to the safe to open it. When Cobb cracks open his own safe and retrieves the money from inside, the con recognizes Cobb as a worthy accomplice and congratulates him. Cobb goes to fetch his new parter a drink and sees the most stupid looking framed photograph of himself on the cabinet and tries to block it from view before finally using it to serve the drink. Cobb then chucks the photo out of the window. Shortly after, the dog brings it back in (through the same window) which makes the convict suspicious. But after a tense stare at it, the con discards the photo when it has a large crack in the glass and threatens to kill the dog but Cobb talks him out of it. The two men grapple with the gun and a shot is fired into the ceiling, which wakes up the maid upstairs. Her screams draw the attention of deputies who rush to the house as the two men escape into the night. Cobb becomes separated from the convict as he attempts to hide in the woods. He takes off a shoe and throws it but his faithful dog retrieves it and brings it back to him. The film then reverts back to the start with Cobb talking on the steps of the jail to the reporters about how the convict is now safely behind the bars. The camera then pans up to show the convict in a jail cell carving a wooden gun from a spoon out of his cell window as the wood shavings fall down over Cobb.

Trivia • Copyrighted October 2, 1934. • Working title: The Catch Of The Season. • Is it just me or does Ivin S. Cobb resemble a bulky sack of potatoes? My opinion • Just about watchable. How on earth Hal Roach thought it was a good idea to hand this guy his own series is just baffling to me.

	Irvin S. Cobb Himself
	Paul Hurst Escaped felon
	Carl Stockdale Sheriff
	Benny Baker Reporter outside jail
	Harry Bernard Jailer
	Leo Willis Deputy
	Robert McKenzie Deputy
	Jack Curtis Deputy
	Virginia Crawford Autograph seeker
	Ernie Alexander Photographer
	Ferdinand Munier [?]
	UNIDENTIFIED Emily, the maid

CREDITS (click image to enlarge)

POSTER (click any image to enlarge)

Acknowledgements: https://archive.org/details/variety115-1934-08/page/n115/mode/1up?q=cobb%27s (Variety, 21 Aug 1934) https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/683109587/ (Hollywood Citizen-News, 25 Aug 1934) A History Of The Hal Roach Studios by Richard Lewis Ward (book) Dave Stevenson (review copy) Richard Finegan (information) Jesse Brisson (information; identification of Ernie Alexander, Jack Curtis) Lord Heath (identification of Leo Willis) This page was last updated on: 20 June 2026