MGM, Act 2!

Stormy Weather, a 1943 20th Century Fox release,

featured The Nicholas Brothers, Fayard and Harold (above)

and Bill Robinson, Lena Horn, and Cab Calloway (below), along with

Fats Waller and Ada Brown.

Both Cabin In The Sky and Stormy Weather featured leading African American stars of the day. Two of the highlights of "Stormy" included Fats performing "Ain't Misbehavin'" and Caby leading his band in "Jumpin' Jive" with an incredible dance sequence by The Nicholas Brothers.

 

From It Happened in Brooklyn, released in 1947 by MGM,  we'll hear "Time After Time", one of the 6 Jule Styne/Sammy Cahn songs in this flick. The movie starred Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Durante, Peter Lawford (the trio above!), plus Kathryn Grayson. It was Frank's 3rd picture with MGM. Variety liked it:

"Much of the lure will result from Frank Sinatra's presence in the cast. Guy's acquired the Bing Crosby knack of nonchalance, throwing away his gag lines with fine aplomb. He kids himself in a couple of hilarious sequences and does a takeoff on Jimmy Durante, with Durante aiding him, that's sockeroo."

Girl Crazy started out on the Broadway stage with Ginger Rodgers and Ethel Merman (in her Broadway debut!)...by 1943 it was an MGM classic with Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. Gershwin music, of course, plus director Busby Berkeley, who didn't last long (those pricey production numbers were his downfall!). Before this, there was another Girl Crazy, done in 1932 with Bert Wheeler, and after this a 1965 flick with Connie Francis and Herman's Hermits??? Yup, it was called When The Boys Meet The Girls.

Wow...anyway, we'll hear "I Got Rhythm" and "Treat Me Rough" from the best, the 1943 version! 

Oh, forgot to mention that at first it was announced that Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell would star! hmmmm....

And this was Garland's last "youngster" role; she very much wanted to begin playing adults, but Roger Eden convinced her to do one more movie with Mickey!

Below, Mickey with June Allyson in her film debut..."Treat Me Rough"!

 

Love Me or Leave Me was released in 1955 (and what a year that seems to be for great movie musicals!)...all based on the life of Ruth Etting, dancer/singer/star. It was directed by Charles Vidor and starred Doris Day, Cameron Mitchell and Jimmy Cagney. Jimmy played gangster Moe The Gimp Snyder (they could really name 'em back in the day, right?), although that role was initially offered to Spencer Tracey.   

 And it was Jimmy who got Doris into the movie; both Jane Russell and Ava Gardner were considered before Ms. Day clinched it!

 

What a trio (below)!

And I remember those little paper coffee cups, with the handles.

Above, a sample pic of the real Harvey Girls! The Harvey House Waitresses, brain child of Fred Harvey, who advertised for "white, young women, 18–30 years of age, of good character, attractive and intelligent" to employ in his restaurants out west. Perfect fodder for a musical, released in 1946, with a fantastic cast: Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Preston Foster, Angela Lansbury, Chil Wills, Marjorie Main, and Cyd Charisse in her first speaking role.

And an Oscar for Best Original Song: "On The Atchison, Topeka And The Sante Fe" written by Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer. :)

 

Before Judy was cast, Lana Turner was MGM's first pick for the starring role...but again Roger Edens stepped in, convincing Judy NOT to do Yolanda and the Thief (with Fred Astaire), but come over to the "dark side" and do The Harvey Girls instead. He musta been a real persuasive type, that Roger!

Also the part of "Em" was originally intended for Ann Sothern, but due to "personal problems", it went to Angela, her 4th film. And, tho she seemed to sing just fine in Sweeney (on stage, years later), she was dubbed by Virginia Rees.