TheHiggins Family films wasRepublic Pictures' response toMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer's popularAndy Hardy series, as well as20th Century Fox'sJones Family series.[1] Nine films were released between 1938 and 1941.
In the first seven movies,James Gleason, his wifeLucile and their sonRussell played Joe, Lillian, and Sydney Higgins. In contrast,Harry Davenport played Grandpa (though his name changed from William Jordan inThe Higgins Family to Higgins inShould Husbands Work? to Ed Carson the rest of the time). In the last two, they were all replaced, byRoscoe Karns,Ruth Donnelly,George Ernest andSpencer Charters, respectively. Tommy Ryan played Tommy in the second through sixth movies. Betty was played byMary Beth Hughes in the fourth andLois Ranson in the last five.Lynne Roberts played Marian in the first, then Jean for the second and third.
Gus Meins directed all of the Gleason pictures, and produced some of the later ones.