| Dear Brat | |
| Director: | William A. Seiter |
| Starring: | Mona Freeman Billy De Wolfe |
| Music: | Van Cleave |
| Cinematography: | John F. Seitz |
| Editing: | Alma Macrorie |
| Studio: | Paramount Pictures |
| Distributor: | Paramount Pictures |
| Runtime: | 82 minutes |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
Dear Brat is a 1951 American comedy film directed by William A. Seiter and starring Mona Freeman and Billy De Wolfe.[1] It is the third in a series following Dear Ruth (1947) and Dear Wife (1949).[2]
Miriam Wilkins has founded an association for rehabilitation of former prisoners, and her father is unknowingly the group's honorary president. As convict Mr. Baxter is set free on parole, Miriam she sees an opportunity for action. She hires Baxter as a gardener, allowing him live in a room over the garage. However, Baxter's sentence had been imposed by Judge Wilkins, now a senator, causing the situation in the house to become chaotic.
In March 1950, Paramount announced a sequel to Dear Wife called Dear Mom. Arthur Sheekman and Jack Sher were assigned to write the script and Robert Welsch was to produce.[3] In August, Norman Z. McLeod was suspended by Paramount for refusing to direct the film.[4] That same month, the project was retitled Dear Brat. It was to be based on an original story by Deverey Freeman and produced by Mel Epstein.[5] In October, Lyle Bettger was cast, but Joan Caulfield and William Holden, who had starred in Dear Ruth and Dear Wife, did not return.[6] Filming began on October 20, with William Seiter as director, and was completed by the end of November.[7]