Star Spangled Rhythm (Paramount 1942, Betty Hutton, Eddie Bracken)

In Star Spangled Rhythm Paramount opens the famous front gates and gives classic-movie fans a cinematic time machine back to wartime days. Most anyone associated with the studio at the time (actors and directors both) shows up in this charming story of a soldier (Eddie Bracken) coming home to visit his father (Victor Moore), once a cowboy star and now the studio gatekeeper. Moore and switchboard operator Betty Hutton have convinced Bracken that Pop runs the place, and the studio personnel love him enough to keep up the facade. A rare chance to get a glimpse at studio life of the classic era.

Tom Dugan briefly portrays Hitler in a musical revue. Coincidentally, Dugan also appeared as an actor playing Hitler in the Ernst Lubitch comedy To Be or Not To Be the same year. Victor Moore had a long career in Vaudeville before becoming a valuable character player in 30’s And 40’s Hollywood.

Academy Award Nominations: Best Score; Best Song (‘That Old Black Magic’).

production details
USA | Paramount | 99 minutes | 1942
Director: George Marshall
Script: George S. Kaufman, Melvin Frank, Norman Panama,

cast

Fred MacMurray as Frank in Card-Playing Skit
Irving Bacon as New England Farmer – ‘Old Glory’ Number (uncredited)
Bing Crosby as Bing Crosby – ‘Old Glory’ Number
Sterling Holloway as Sterling – ‘Sweater, Sarong & Peekaboo Bang’ Number

Veronica Lake as Veronica Lake – Sweater, Sarong & Peekaboo Bang Number
Juanita Moore as Dancer – ‘Sharp as a Tack’ Number (uncredited)
Dorothy Lamour as Dorothy Lamour – ‘ Hit the Road to Dreamland’ Number
Alan Ladd as Alan Ladd – Scarface Skit
Gil Lamb as High Pockets
Anne Revere as Sarah (uncredited)
Albert Dekker as Albert Dekker (uncredited)
Frank Faylen as Soldier – ‘That Old Black Magic’ Number (uncredited)
Rod Cameron as Petty Officer (uncredited)
Matt McHugh as Man from Brooklyn – ‘Old Glory’ Number (uncredited)
Tom Dugan as Adolf Hitler – ‘Sweater, Sarong & Peekaboo Bang’ Number (uncredited)
Cecil Kellaway as Cecil Kellaway (uncredited)
Eva Gabor as Eva Gabor (uncredited)
Bob Hope as Bob Hope – Master of Ceremonies
Franchot Tone as John in Card-Playing Skit
Ray Milland as Joe in Card-Playing Skit
Victor Moore as William ‘Bronco Billy’ Webster
Paulette Goddard as Paulette Goddard – ‘Sweater, Sarong & Peekaboo Bang’ Number
Vera Zorina as Dick Powell – ‘ Hit the Road to Dreamland’ Number
Mary Martin as Mary Martin – ‘Hit the Road to Dreamland’ Number
Dick Powell as Dick Powell – ‘ Hit the Road to Dreamland’ Number
Betty Hutton as Polly Judson
Eddie Bracken as Johnny Webster
Eddie ‘Rochester’ Anderson as Rochester – ‘Sharp as a Tack’ Number
William Bendix as Herman the Husband in Bob Hope Skit
Jerry Colonna as Colonna – Bob Hope Skit
Macdonald Carey as Louie the Lug in Skit
Walter Abel as B.G. DeSoto
Susan Hayward as Genevieve in Priorities Skit
Marjorie Reynolds as Marjorie Reynolds – Swing Shift Skit
Betty Jane Rhodes as Betty Rhodes – Swing Shift Skit
Dona Drake as Dona Drake – Swing Shift Skit
Lynne Overman as Mark in Card Playing Skit
Gary Crosby as Gary Crosby
Johnny Johnston as Johnnie Johnson – ‘That Old Black Magic’ Number
Cass Daley as Mimi
Ernest Truex as Murgatroyd in Priorities Skit
Katherine Dunham as Katherine – ‘Smart as a Tack’ Number
Arthur Treacher as Arthur Treacher – ‘Sweater, Sarong & Peekaboo Bang’ Number
Walter Catlett as Walter – ‘Sweater, Sarong & Peekaboo Bang’ Number
The Golden Gate Quartette as Golden Gate Quartette
Walter Darewahl as Specialty Act
Cecil B. DeMille as Cecil B. DeMille
Preston Sturges as Preston Sturges
Ralph Murphy as Ralph Murphy
Ellen Drew as Ellen Drew (uncredited)
Frances Gifford as Frances Gifford (uncredited)
Richard Loo as Emperor Hirohito – ‘Sweater, Sarong & Peekaboo Bang’ Number (uncredited)
Diana Lynn as Diana Lynn (uncredited)
Frank Moran as Man With Preston Sturges (uncredited)
Paul Porcasi as Benito Mussolini – ‘Sweater, Sarong & Peekaboo Bang’ Number (uncredited)
Robert Preston as Robert Preston (uncredited)
Keith Richards as Officer with Capt. Kingsley (uncredited)
Woody Strode as Rochester’s Motorcycle Chauffeur (uncredited)