The 1946 film "Vacation in Reno" is a comedy set in the post World War II period. Jack Haley stars as Jack Carroll, a married man who has tried several "get rich quick" schemes. He and his wife Eleanor have an argument and both head for Reno, Nevada, which at that time was the divorce center of America. Jack visits a war surplus store and buys an amphibious vehicle and a mine detector. He has map to loot supposedly buried by an old west bandit near a Reno guest ranch. Jack witnesses a bank robbery and later the robbers bury their loot at the ranch. The loot includes "silver", a slang term for silver coins.

Jack Carroll and his friend Eddie visit a war surplus store.

Jack emerges driving an odd vehicle.

The vehicle is a Ford GPA "Seep", a military amphibious version of the more famous "Jeep." Jack has also purchased a mine detector which was used to locate "mines" or underground explosive devices.

Jack tells his friend that the device can locate buried silver and gold.

Jack shows his friend a book of treasure maps and tells him he intends to go to Reno and dig up loot hidden by an old west bandit many years ago. Jack intends to use the money to open a rabbit breeding ranch.

Jack and his wife Eleanor get into an argument and he calls her mother a "fat porpoise." Both leave for Reno, he to hunt treasure and she to get a divorce.

A scene of downtown Reno in 1946.

This sign was erected in the 1920's and was replaced in 1963 by a more modern sign. Newer signs with the same slogan have since been erected. Jack heads to a bank to cash a check and meets two men who then put on masks.

The two robbers escape with their loot and head out to the "Bar Nothing Ranch" a guest or "dude" ranch. They meet their female accomplice Bunny and bury the loot near a large rock. Separately, Jack and Eleanor arrive in Reno and check into the ranch hotel.

The hotel lobby shows the "Western" decor popular at the time. On the ranch property is "Indian Rock" where the bandit's loot is located.

The rock's name may have been a reference to the 1946 film "Duel in the Sun" where the final climatic scene takes place at an "Indian Head Rock."

Jack digs up some junk items and finally a suitcase.

Jack opens the suitcase and then drops it.

The coin rolls are the size of silver dollar rolls and half dollar rolls. A loose silver dollar also appears. Silver dollars were in common use in the Reno casinos until the early 1960's.

The bills are standard Mexican Revolution motion picture stage or prop bills. For more information on these bills please visit: Mexican Revolution Currency Notes.

Jack heads back to the hotel and leaves his suitcase with the desk clerk.

The clerk notices the suitcase weight and asks Jack if it has gold in it; Jack replies "no, silver." The two bank bandits encounter Jack who does not recognize them. He tells them what he found and they realize that he has their money. The bandits send their girlfriend Bunny to stay with Jack and she poses as his wife. Then Jack's real wife shows up.

Eleanor, the real wife, is on the left, and Bunny, the impersonator, is on the right.

Some more comedy and slapstick occurs involving a third "wife" and her sailor husband, and some deputy sheriffs hunting the bank robbers and believing that Jack is one of them. Jack and Eleanor end up on the ranch riding trails, Jack on top of the ranch stagecoach and Eleanor in the Seep vehicle.

Jack is able to get off the stagecoach and is picked up by Eleanor.

Jack has a military flare gun which he fires at the stagecoach causing the bandits to give up. The sheriff and deputies arrive and Jack, now knowing the money he dug up belongs to the bank, gives it to the sheriff who then informs Jack that the bank will give him a reward.

Jack and Eleanor head home and he is now a hero to her mother.

Jack uses the reward money to enable his dream.

Jack Haley as Jack Carroll
Anne Jeffreys as Eleanor
Iris Adrian as Bunny Wells
Director: Leslie Goodwins
Writers: Charles Kerr, Charles E. Roberts, Arthur Ross