Character Relationship Map: Stand-In

Characters

• Atterbury Dodd (played by Leslie Howard) — protagonist

  A meticulous Wall Street financial analyst sent to Hollywood to head Colossal Pictures. Initially views studio operations purely through mathematical calculations, but gradually learns the human side...

• Lester Plum (played by Joan Blondell) — supporting

  A cheerful former child star currently working as a stand-in for studio star Thelma Cheri. She acts as Dodd's guide to the Hollywood film industry, eventually becoming his secretary. She develops roma...

• Koslofski (played by Alan Mowbray) — supporting

  An eccentric foreign director at Colossal Pictures. He colludes with Ivor Nassau, Thelma Cheri, and Tom Potts to deliberately sabotage the studio by inflating production costs and ensuring the flop of...

• Ivor Nassau (played by C. Henry Gordon) — supporting

  A businessman who offers to purchase Colossal Pictures. He secretly conspires with the studio's director, star, and press agent to deliberately sabotage the studio's operations and ensure bankruptcy s...

• Thelma Cheri (played by Marla Shelton) — supporting

  The leading star actress at Colossal Pictures. She participates in a conspiracy with the director and press agent to deliberately sabotage the studio's financial standing. She ultimately sides with th...

• Tom Potts (played by Jack Carson) — supporting

  The studio's press agent who colludes with Ivor Nassau, Thelma Cheri, and director Koslofski. He actively participates in the covert plot to inflate costs and ensure the studio's financial ruin to fac...

• Fowler Pettypacker (played by Tully Marshall) — minor

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Fowler Pettypacker → Ivor Nassau (Professional Business Counterparties)

  Pettypacker debates whether to accept Nassau's offer to buy Colossal Pictures and later informs Dodd that he has sold the studio to Nassau.

• Atterbury Dodd → Fowler Pettypacker (Professional Employer And Appointee)

  The bank sends Dodd to Hollywood as the new head of Colossal Pictures, while Pettypacker is involved in deciding the studio's sale.

• Lester Plum → Thelma Cheri (Professional Stand-In And Star)

  Lester is described as a former child star currently working as a stand-in for Thelma Cheri.

• Atterbury Dodd → Lester Plum (Romantic Interest)

  Lester falls in love with Dodd, and Dodd eventually asks her to marry him.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Koslofski → Thelma Cheri (Alliance Sabotage Partners)

  Koslofski and Cheri conspire with Nassau and Potts to make the studio's production fail.

• Ivor Nassau → Tom Potts (Alliance Conspirators)

  The studio's press agent, Potts, colludes with Nassau in the covert effort to inflate costs and cause financial ruin.

• Ivor Nassau → Thelma Cheri (Alliance Conspirators)

  Cheri is part of the conspiracy with Nassau to sabotage the studio's finances.

• Ivor Nassau → Koslofski (Alliance Conspirators)

  Koslofski is explicitly described as conspiring with Nassau to sabotage the studio and facilitate its acquisition.

• Atterbury Dodd → Tom Potts (Conflict Opposing Participants)

  Potts joins Nassau, Cheri, and Koslofski in deliberately inflating production costs to damage the studio.

• Atterbury Dodd → Thelma Cheri (Conflict Institutional Opponents)

  Cheri conspires to sabotage Colossal Pictures, and Dodd is unimpressed by the film whose production is being manipulated.

• Atterbury Dodd → Koslofski (Conflict Adversaries)

  Koslofski participates in the sabotage scheme, blames the producer when Dodd dislikes the film, and contributes to the crisis Dodd must overcome.

• Atterbury Dodd → Ivor Nassau (Conflict Business Opponents)

  Nassau seeks to acquire the studio through a conspiracy, and Dodd is fired after Pettypacker sells the studio to him.

Story Analysis

A financially minded manager learns the human value of filmmaking and turns a threatened studio toward collective resistance and personal connection.

Plot Progression

1. Numbers Against Hollywood
2. The Hidden Production Plot
3. Lester Changes the Equation
4. A Film Falls Apart
5. The Workers Stand Together