The Biddles are the main characters of the 1967 musical film The Happiest Millionaire, based on the true story of the Philadelphia millionaire Anthony J. Drexel Biddle and his family.
Background
The Biddles are a close-knit and loving family who face various challenges and changes in their lives as they prepare for Cordy's wedding and the impending war. They are also involved in several musical numbers, such as "Fortuosity", "Are We Dancing?", "Let's Have a Drink on It", and "There Are Those". They are based on the real Biddle family, who were prominent figures in Philadelphia society and American history. Anthony J. Drexel Biddle, the patriarch of the family, was a wealthy businessman, philanthropist, and author.
He was also a colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War I and a personal friend of President Theodore Roosevelt. He wrote several books, including The Art of Boxing, Do or Die: A Supplementary Manual on Individual Combat, and The Perennial Philadelphian: The Anatomy of an American Aristocrat. He was married to Cordelia Rundell Bradley, a descendant of William Penn, the founder of Philadelphia and the state of Pennsylvania. They had three children together: two sons named Anthony Jr. "Tony" and Livingston "Liv" and a daughter named Cordelia "Cordy".
Members
The Biddles consist of:
- Anthony J. Drexel Biddle (Fred MacMurray): the eccentric patriarch of the family who runs a boxing and Bible school in his stable and keeps 12 pet alligators in his conservatory. He is passionate about getting America involved in World War I and eventually joins the Marines as a colonel.
- Cordelia Biddle (Greer Garson): the elegant and patient wife of Anthony who tolerates his quirks and supports his endeavors. She is a socialite and a philanthropist who cares for her family and friends.
- Cordelia "Cordy" Biddle (Lesley Ann Warren): the youngest and only daughter of the Biddles who is a tomboy with a boxing talent. She feels restless and unhappy with her sheltered life and longs to see the world. She falls in love with Angier Buchanan Duke, a young man from a wealthy tobacco family who shares her adventurous spirit.
- Anthony "Tony" Biddle Jr. (Paul Petersen) and Livingston "Liv" Biddle (Eddie Hodges): the two sons of the Biddles who are sent to boarding school at the beginning of the film and do not appear much afterward. They are loyal to their sister and often tease her on dates.
- John Lawless (Tommy Steele): an Irish immigrant who becomes the Biddles' butler and narrator of the film. He is fascinated by the Biddles' lifestyle and becomes a friend and confidant to Cordy. He also helps Anthony with his boxing and Bible classes and his alligators.
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