The first of twenty-eight Blondie movies, all starring Penny Singleton as Blondie Bumstead, Arthur Lake as Dagwood Bumstead and Larry Simms as Alexander "Baby Dumpling" Bumstead released by Columbia Pictures from 1938 to 1950.
The movie underwent several changes in cast and crew. Aurania Rouverol (of the Andy Hardy series) was signed to adapt the comic strip, with Gloria Blondell to star and Samuel Marx to produce. Then Stuart Erwin and Una Merkel were to star in the film. Finally, Shirley Deane was cast as Blondie, but was replaced by Penny Singleton (who bleached her hair blonde for the role) after Deane became ill.
Based on the comic strip of the same title by cartoonist Chic Young (1901-1973) first published on September 8, 1930. Since 1973, it has been continued by his son Dean Young (b.1938) and as of 2018 has appeared in over 2,000 newspapers worldwide and has been translated into 35 different languages.
Included among the American Film Institute's 2000 list of the 500 movies nominated for the Top 100 Funniest American Movies.
Penny Singleton and Arthur Lake also repeated their roles on a long-running radio program of the same title from 1939 to 1950.