museum, but David is more interested in telling her that the day spent with her was the best day of his life. They declare their love for each other, and Susan, distracted by the moment, unconsciously swings the ladder from side to side. As they talk, and the ladder sways more and more with each swing, Susan and David finally notice that Susan is in danger. Frightened, she climbs onto the skeleton, causing it to creak, and then collapse. David grabs her hand just as she falls, lifts her onto the platform, and halfheartedly complains about the loss of his years of work on his Brontosaurus as she talks him into forgiving her. Resigning himself to a future of chaos, David embraces and kisses Susan. Cast Katharine Hepburn as Susan Vance Cary Grant as Dr. David Huxley (alias Mr. Bone) May Robson as Elizabeth Carlton Random, Susan's aunt Charles Ruggles as Major Horace Applegate, a big-game hunter Walter Catlett as Constable Slocum Barry Fitzgerald as Aloysius Gogarty, Mrs. Random's gardener Fritz Feld as Dr. Fritz Lehman, an affluent psychiatrist Virginia Walker as Alice Swallow, David's fiancée George Irving as Alexander Peabody, Mrs. Random's lawyer Leona Roberts as Hannah Gogarty, Aloysius's wife and Mrs. Random's servant Tala Birell as Mrs. Lehman, Dr. Lehman's wife John Kelly as Elmer, Constable Slocum's assistant Uncredited D'Arcy Corrigan as Professor LaTouche Billy Bevan as Tom, the barkeeper Billy Franey as the butcher Billy Benedict as David's caddy Dick Lane as the circus manager Ward Bond as a motorcycle policeman Jack Carson as a circus roustabout Animals Skippy as George, Mrs. Random's dog Nissa as Baby and the circus leopard Production Development and writing In March 1937, Howard Hawks signed a contract at RKO for an adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's Gunga Din, which had been in pre-production since the previous fall. When RKO was unable to borrow Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy and Franchot Tone from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for the film and the adaptation of Gunga Din was delayed, Hawks began looking for a new project. In April 1937, he read a short story by Hagar Wilde in Collier's magazine called "Bringing Up Baby" and immediately wanted to make a film from it, remembering that it made him laugh out loud. RKO bought the screen rights in June for $1,004, and Hawks worked briefly with Wilde on the film's treatment. Wilde's short story differed significantly from the film: