Skirts Ahoy

Skirts Ahoy (1952) starring Esther Williams, Vivian Blaine, Joan Evans, Debbie Reynolds, Bobby Van

Synopsis of Skirts Ahoy

In Skirts Ahoy!, three women in three different situations report for induction at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station and end up roommates. A fun musical romance.

Product Description

Three women, three different situations: Whitney (Williams), a rich girl who leaves her groom at the altar; Una (Vivian Blaine), a shopgirl whose desire to marry is continually thwarted by the duty assignments of her sailor boyfriend; Mary Kate (Joan Evans), who was left at the altar by a hesitant fiancé. Soon, all three women report for induction at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station and end up roommates.

What follows is a frothy and fun musical buoyed by a chipper cast and seven tunes by Ralph Blane and Harry Warren. Skirts Ahoy! features two swim numbers with Williams and a star turn by Debbie Reynolds and Bobby Van, who sparkle in a special song-and-dance routine to “Oh By Jingo!” Ahoy, indeed!

Cast of characters

• Esther Williams (Neptune’s Daughter) … Whitney Young
• Joan Evans (Column South) … Mary Kate Yarbrough
• Vivian Blaine (State Fair) … Una Yancy
• Barry Sullivan (Julie (1956)) … Lt. Cmdr. Paul Elcott
• Keefe Brasselle (The Eddie Cantor Story) … Dick Hallson
• Billy Eckstine … Billy Eckstein
• Dean Miller (Everything I Have is Yours) … Archie O’Conovan
• Margalo Gillmore (High Society) … Lt. Cmdr. Stauton
• The DeMarco Sisters … The Williams Sisters
  • Anne DeMarco
  • Arlene DeMarco
  • Gloria DeMarco
  • Jeanette DeMarco
  • Terri DeMarco

Songs

• Skirts Ahoy!
  • Music by Harry Warren
  • Lyrics by Ralph Blane
  • Performed by female chorus over opening titles
  • Played instrumentally behind the black drill team
• Glad to Have You Aboard
  • Music by Harry Warren
  • Lyrics by Ralph Blane
  • Performed by the Vivian Blaine with The DeMarco Sisters and chorus of WAVE trainees
• Hilda Matilda
  • Music by Harry Warren
  • Lyrics by Ralph Blane
  • Out-take: Performed by unknown vocalist
• Hold Me Close to You
  • Music by Harry Warren
  • Lyrics by Ralph Blane
  • Performed by Billy Eckstine
• I Get a Funny Feeling
  • Music by Harry Warren
  • Lyrics by Ralph Blane
  • Performed by Keefe Brasselle
• The Navy Waltz
  • Music by Harry Warren
  • Lyrics by Ralph Blane
  • Performed by chorus, with The DeMarco Sisters
  • Waltzed to by Esther Williams and Emmett Lynn
• Oh, By Jingo
  • Music by Albert von Tilzer
  • Lyrics by Lew Brown
  • Performed by Debbie Reynolds and Bobby Van
• Row, Row, Row Your Boat
  • Traditional
  • Performed by Esther Williams and children in swimming pool
• What Good Is a Gal? (Without a Guy?)
  • Music by Harry Warren
  • Lyrics by Ralph Blane
  • Performed by Joan Evans (dubbed by Joan Elms), Esther Williams and Vivian Blaine
  • Also performed by The DeMarco Sisters
• What Makes a Wave?
  • Music by Harry Warren
  • Lyrics by Ralph Blane
  • Performed by The DeMarco Sisters and Esther Williams
• Anchors Aweigh
  • Music by Charles A. Zimmerman
  • Played for the graduation march, and in the background in other parts of the film
• We Will Fight
  • Music by Harry Warren
  • Lyrics by Ralph Blane
  • Out-take: Performed by Joan Evans (dubbed by Joan Elms), Esther Williams and Vivian Blaine