Footlight Serenade (original) (raw)

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1942 film by Gregory Ratoff

Footlight Serenade
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Gregory Ratoff
Screenplay by	Robert EllisHelen LoganLynn Starling
Story by	Fidel LaBarbaKenneth Earl
Produced by	William LeBaron
Starring	John PayneBetty GrableVictor MatureJane Wyman
Cinematography	Lee Garmes
Edited by	Robert L. Simpson
Music by	Charles Henderson
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date	August 1, 1942 (1942-08-01)
Running time	80 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$1.4 million (US rentals)[1]

Footlight Serenade is a 1942 musical comedy film directed by Gregory Ratoff, starring Betty Grable, John Payne, and Victor Mature.[2]

Tommy Lundy is an arrogant champion boxer who is hired by Broadway promoter Bruce McKay to star in a stage act, which will include singing, dancing, a comedian called Slap and a boxing exhibition. Tommy makes sure his girlfriend, singer Estelle Evans, gets the female lead in the role, but he falls in love with dancer Pat Lambert, who becomes Estelle's understudy.

Pat is engaged to Bill Smith, who ends up with a small part in the show. They get married but keep it a secret so as not to irk Tommy and cause him to quit the show. Estelle becomes jealous of Tommy's attentions to Pat and informs Tommy that Pat and Bill were seen checking into a hotel.

During the boxing portion of the stage act, Tommy begins punching Bill with closer to full force. Between blows, Bill explains that he and Pat are now husband and wife. Tommy accepts this graciously, and then he and Bill instead take turns smacking.[3]

• John Payne as William J. 'Bill' Smith

• Betty Grable as Pat Lambert

• Victor Mature as Tommy Lundy

• Jane Wyman as Flo La Verne

• James Gleason as Bruce McKay

• Phil Silvers as Slap

• Cobina Wright Jr. as Estelle Evans

• June Lang as June

• Frank Orth as Mike the stage doorman

• Mantan Moreland as Amos. Tommy's Dresser (as Manton Moreland)

• Irving Bacon as Stagehand

• Charles Tannen as Charlie, Stage manager

• George Dobbs as Frank, Dance director

• Ray Walker as Reporter

• Lillian Yarbo as Estelle's Maid (uncredited)

• Except with You (uncredited). Music by Ralph Rainger. Lyrics by Leo Robin. Sung by Cobina Wright Jr.

• Are You Kiddin'? (uncredited). Music by Ralph Rainger. Lyrics by Leo Robin. Sung and danced by Betty Grable

• I'm Still Crazy for You (uncredited). Music by Ralph Rainger. Lyrics by Leo Robin. Sung by Betty Grable and John Payne

• Land on Your Feet (uncredited). Music by Ralph Rainger (instrumental only). Danced by Betty Grable and Hermes Pan

• I Heard the Birdies Sing (uncredited). Music by Ralph Rainger. Lyrics by Leo Robin. Sung and danced by Betty Grable and chorus

• I'll Be Marching to a Love Song (uncredited). Music by Ralph Rainger. Lyrics by Leo Robin. Sung and danced by Betty Grable, Victor Mature, John Payne, chorus

• Living High (uncredited). Music by Ralph Rainger

1. ↑ "101 Pix Gross in Millions" Variety 6 Jan 1943 p 58
2. ↑ "Footlight Serenade". AFI. afi.com. Retrieved December 21, 2015.
3. ↑ "Footlight Serenade - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards". AllMovie. Retrieved February 16, 2012.

• Footlight Serenade at IMDb
• Footlight Serenade at the TCM Movie Database (archived)