Vacuum Cleaner Salesman Rings a Bell 13 Times - Movie??

Hi,

I remember seeing a movie on TV when I was young. The movie was probably black and white from the 1950's. It was about a door to door salesman. I think he sold vacuum cleaners.

The scene that sticks in my head is that he has his best day ever and sells 13 vacuum cleaners. When the salesmen come back to the office they ring a bell for each sale they made and the number of sales goes on a board. I remember the guy as a Jack Lemmon funny/poignant type character.

All the details are very shaky by themselves but the movie exists. What is it ???


Thanks,

Gary Pankhurst

It has been so long since I saw it I can't remember for sure if it has the bell to ring up a sale or not, but it sounds vaguely familiar, but can't get confirmation on the web, but I think it is Little Giant starring Abbot and Costello (1946) in a departure from their usual comedies with them not teamed and the emphasis on Costello in a more realistic comedy. He is a schmuck loser selling vacuum cleaners and sells a bunch of them in one day.

I recently saw again The Fuller Brush Man starring Red Skelton and it is definitely not that.

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It reminds me of a toilet paper on the trees
- Paula

It wasn't an episode of The Abbott and Costello Show was it? There is an episode in Season 1 about Lou selling Vacuum Cleaners.

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I asked on the imdb board if anyone there had seen Little Giant and remembered the bell ringing to note a sale and it was confirmed, but he only sold a mere nine vacuums in one day, not thirteen, but they were happy as it was a record.

Lou Costello sure ain't a Jack Lemmon type.