Star Spangled Rhythm is a patriotic WWII musical comedy featuring all the biggest Paramount Studio stars of the era. Musical mayhem ensues when an attendant at Paramount (Victor Moore) tries to impress his navy son (Eddie Bracken) … by claiming that he is a studio mogul!
Star Spangled Rhythm (1942) starring Eddie Bracken, Betty Hutton, Victor Moore
Product Description
Showcasing some of the biggest stars in movie history, Star Spangled Rhythm is a hilarious story of a young sailor trying to impress his pals with the glitz and glamour of Hollywood! Whenever Jimmy Webster (Eddie Bracken) calls his father at Paramount Studios, the telephone operator – who thinks Jimmy is a swell catch — embellishes his father’s position from gatekeeper to studio boss. Thinking his father is one of Hollywood’s head honchos, Jimmy decides to take his Navy pals on a tour of Paramount and show them how the other half lives.
They are all in for a big surprise, but the biggest surprise comes from a show the studio decides to put on for the sailors. Featuring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Veronica Lake, Betty Hutton, Fred MacMurray, Paulette Goddard, Alan Ladd, Ray Milland and so many more, it is a behind-the-scenes glimpse into studio life during the golden age of Hollywood!
Songs
- That Old Black Magic
- Music by Harold Arlen
- Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
- Sung by Johnny Johnston, Danced by Vera Zorina
- Hit the Road to Dreamland
- Music by Harold Arlen
- Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
- Sung by Mary Martin, Dick Powell and The Golden Gate Quartette
- Old Glory
- Music by Harold Arlen
- Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
- Sung by Bing Crosby and Chorus
- A Sweater, a Sarong and a Peek-a-Boo Bang
- Music by Harold Arlen
- Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
- Sung by Paulette Goddard, Dorothy Lamour, Veronica Lake (dubbed by Martha Mears), Arthur Treacher, Walter Catlett and Sterling Holloway
- Sharp as a Tack
- Music by Harold Arlen
- Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
- Performed by Eddie ‘Rochester’ Anderson, Katherine Dunham, Slim Gaillard (as Slim and Slam), Slam Stewart (as Slim and Slam) and Woody Strode
- I’m Doin’ It for Defense
- Music by Harold Arlen
- Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
- Sung by Betty Hutton
- On the Swing Shift
- Music by Harold Arlen
- Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
- Sung and Danced by Marjorie Reynolds, Betty Jane Rhodes and Dona Drake
Cast of characters
- Bob Hope (Fancy Pants) … Bob Hope – Master of Ceremonies
- Victor Moore (It Happened on Fifth Avenue) … William ‘Bronco Billy’ Webster
- Betty Hutton (Annie Get Your Gun) … Polly Judson
- Eddie Bracken (Summer Stock) … Johnny Webster
- Walter Abel (Mr. Skeffington) … B.G. DeSoto
- Gil Lamb (The Howdy Doody Show) … High Pockets
- Cass Daley … Mimi
‘Old Glory’ Number
- Bing Crosby (Holiday Inn) … Bing Crosby – ‘Old Glory’ Number
- Irving Bacon (Blondie: Footlight Glamour) … New England Farmer – ‘Old Glory’ Number (uncredited)
- Virginia Brissac (The Ghost Breakers) … Lady from Iowa – ‘Old Glory’ Number (uncredited)
- Edward H. Marr … Heavy – ‘Old Glory’ Number (uncredited)
- Matt McHugh (Night of Terror) … Man from Brooklyn – ‘Old Glory’ Number (uncredited)
- Peter Potter (The Paleface) … Georgia Boy – ‘Old Glory’ Number (uncredited)
Card-Playing Skit
- Fred MacMurray (Woman’s World) … Frank in Card-Playing Skit
- Franchot Tone (Dancing Lady) … John in Card-Playing Skit
- Ray Milland (Panic in the Year Zero) … Joe in Card-Playing Skit
- Lynne Overman (Roxie Hart) … Mark in Card Playing Skit
‘Sweater, Sarong & Peekaboo Bang’ Number
- Dorothy Lamour (Road to Morocco) … Self
- Paulette Goddard (Modern Times) … Self
- Veronica Lake (I Married a Witch) … Self
- Arthur Treacher … Self
- Walter Catlett (Pinocchio) … Self
- Sterling Holloway (Walt Disney’s The Jungle Book) … Self
- Tom Dugan (Take Me Out to the Ball Game) … Adolf Hitler
- Richard Loo (West of Shanghai) … Emperor Hirohito
- Paul Porcasi … Benito Mussolini
‘That Old Black Magic’ Number
- Vera Zorina (Louisiana Purchase) … Self
- Johnny Johnston … Self
- Frank Faylen (Gunfight at the O.K. Corral) … Soldier
‘Hit the Road to Dreamland’ Number
- Mary Martin … Mary Martin
- Dick Powell (Cowboy From Brooklyn) … Dick Powell
Scarface Skit
- Alan Ladd … Alan Ladd
‘Sharp as a Tack’ Number
- Eddie ‘Rochester’ Anderson (Topper Returns) … Rochester
- Katherine Dunham … Katherine
- Doris Ake … Dancer
- Lennie Bluett … Dancer
- Vivian Dandridge … Dancer
- Dorothea Durham … Dancer
- Louise Franklin … Flirt / Dancer
- Avanelle Harris … Dancer
- Florence O’Brien … Danceruncredited)
- Millie Monroe … Dancer
- Juanita Moore … Dancer
- Neva Peoples … Dancer
Bob Hope Skit
- William Bendix (The Dark Corner) … Herman the Husband
- Jerry Colonna … Colonna
- Macdonald Carey … Louie the Lug in Skit
- Maxine Ardell … Girl – Bob Hope Skit (uncredited)
- Chester Clute (Arsenic and Old Lace) … Air-Raid Warden
- Marjorie Deanne … Girl
- Marion Martin (The Big Street) … Wife
- Lorraine Miller … Dancer – ‘Swing Shift’ Number / Girl – Bob Hope Skit (uncredited)
Priorities Skit
- Susan Hayward (I Want to Live) … Genevieve
- Ernest Truex (Private Buckaroo) … Murgatroyd
Swing Shift Skit
- Marjorie Reynolds (Holiday Inn) … Marjorie Reynolds- Swing Shift Skit
- Betty Jane Rhodes … Betty Rhodes- Swing Shift Skit
- Dona Drake … Dona Drake- Swing Shift Skit
- Don Castle … Worker – ‘Swing Shift’ Number
- Gary Crosby … Gary Crosby
- The Golden Gate Quartette … Golden Gate Quartet
- Walter Darewahl … Specialty Act
- Cecil B. DeMille (The Greatest Show on Earth) … Cecil B. DeMille
- Preston Sturges (Houdini) … Preston Sturges
- Ralph Murphy … Ralph Murphy
- Sherman Sanders … Square Dance Caller – ‘Swing Shift’ Number
Additional Cast
- Gladys Blake (Scared to Death) … Liz
- Karin Booth … Kate
- Rod Cameron (The Monster and the Girl) … Petty Officer
- Boyd Davis … Capt. Kingsley
- Barney Dean … Songwriter
- Edgar Dearing (Blondie Meets the Boss) … Mac
- Albert Dekker (As Young As You Feel) … Albert Dekker
- Eddie Dew (Cat People) … Petty Officer
- Ellen Drew (Isle of the Dead) … Ellen Drew
- Edward Fielding (All This and Heaven Too) … Y. Frank Freemont
- Susanna Foster … Susanna Foster
- Eva Gabor (The Aristocats) … Eva Gabor
- Frances Gifford (Having Wonderful Time) … Frances Gifford
- Dorothy Granger (Punch Drunks) … Officer
- Lynda Grey … Swing Shift Singer
- William Haade (Key Largo) … Army Sergeant Duffy
- Frederic Henry … Swing Shift Singer
- Maynard Holmes (Dancing Lady) … Sailor
- Jack Hope … Jack Hope
- Eddie Johnson … Tommy
- Cecil Kellaway (The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms) … Cecil Kellaway
- Chris King … Finale Singer
- Alice Kirby … Swing Shift Singer / Finale Singer
- Louise La Planche … Swing Shift Singer
- Donivee Lee … Swing Shift Singer
- Arthur Loft (Blondie Knows Best) … Casey
- Jimmy Lydon (Life with Father) … Jimmy Lydon
- Diana Lynn (My Friend Irma) … Diana Lynn
- Martha Mears (DuBarry Was a Lady) … Veronica Lake (singing voice)
- James Millican (Mister 880) … Ramrod – Sailor
- Frank Moran (Ghosts on the Loose) … Man With Preston Sturges
- Paul Newlan … Stage Door Guard
- Mabel Paige (Her Husband’s Affairs) … Swing Shift Singer
- Barbara Pepper (The Rogues Tavern) … Blonde Who Bruises Too Easy
- Jean Phillips … Swing Shift Singer
- Marcella Phillips … Swing Shift Singer
- Robert Preston (The Music Man) … Robert Preston
- Anne Revere … Sarah
- Keith Richards … Officer with Capt. Kingsley
- Jack Roberts … Assistant Director
- John Shay … Sentry
- Charles Smith (A Girl a Guy and a Gob) … Finale Singer
- Woody Strode (Kingdom of the Spiders) … Woodrow – Rochester’s Motorcycle Chauffeur