IMDb > Second Fiddle (1939)

Second Fiddle (1939) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

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Director:
Sidney Lanfield
Writers:
George Bradshaw (story)
Harry Tugend (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Second Fiddle on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
30 June 1939 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Comedy | Musical See more »
Tagline:
The show that licked the World's Fair!
Plot:
Studio publicist (Power) discovers Minnesota skating teacher (Henie) and takes her to Hollywood. She goes back to Minnesota but he follows her. Full summary » | Add synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. See more »
NewsDesk:
(2 articles)
The King's Speech leads Black Swan in dance to the tune of £2.76m
 (From The Guardian - Film News. 25 January 2011, 8:59 AM, PST)
Second Fiddle No More! The (Changing) Role of the Sidekick
 (From thetorchonline. 5 October 2009, 6:58 PM, PDT)
User Reviews:
Sonja Skates, Tyrone Schemes, Rudy Sings, But Edna May Steals The Show See more (9 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Sonja Henie ... Trudi Hovland

Tyrone Power ... Jimmy Sutton

Rudy Vallee ... Roger Maxwell
Edna May Oliver ... Aunt Phoebe
Mary Healy ... Jean Varick

Lyle Talbot ... Willie Hogger
Alan Dinehart ... George 'Whit' Whitney
Minna Gombell ... Jenny
Stewart Reburn ... Trudi's Skating Partner
Spencer Charters ... Joe Clayton

Charles Lane ... Studio Chief (voice)
The Brian Sisters ... Schoolroom Vocal Trio
Betty Brian ... Schoolroom Vocal Trio Member (as The Brian Sisters)
Doris Brian ... Schoolroom Vocal Trio Member (as The Brian Sisters)
Gwen Brian ... Schoolroom Vocal Trio Member (as The Brian Sisters)
John Hiestand ... Radio Announcer
George Chandler ... Taxi Driver
Irving Bacon ... Justice of the Peace Harvey Vaughan
Maurice Cass ... Justice of the Peace Alex Blank
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Purnell Pratt ... Abbott, the Editor (scenes deleted)
Jed Prouty ... Undetermined Secondary Role (scenes deleted)
Don Ackerman ... Dancer (uncredited)
Ernie Alexander ... Photographer (uncredited)
Herbert Ashley ... Highway Patrolman (uncredited)
Monica Bannister ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Patsy Bedell ... Dancer (uncredited)
Angela Blue ... Dancer (uncredited)
Eugene Borden ... French Radio Broadcaster (uncredited)
Charles Brokaw ... Assistant Director (uncredited)
Ralph Brooks ... Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
A.S. 'Pop' Byron ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Bud Carpenter ... Dancer (uncredited)
Jack Chefe ... Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Dora Clement ... Hairdresser (uncredited)
Frank Coghlan Jr. ... Studio Call Boy (uncredited)
Ray Cooke ... Pool Party Photographer (uncredited)
James Cooley ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Donald Douglas ... Film Director (uncredited)
Eddie Dunn ... Road Construction Workman (uncredited)
Edward Earle ... Gregg - Screen Test Director (uncredited)
Paul Ellis ... Spanish Radio Broadcaster (uncredited)
Fern Emmett ... Townswoman (uncredited)
Frank Erickson ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Grace Gale ... Dancer (uncredited)
Mildred Gaye ... Dancer (uncredited)
Sugar Geise ... Dancer (uncredited)
Alyce Goering ... Dancer (uncredited)
Harold Goodwin ... Pool Party Photographer (uncredited)
Irving Gregg ... Dancer (uncredited)
Sol Haines ... Dancer (uncredited)
Edith Haskins ... Dancer (uncredited)
Tommy Hicks ... Fat Skater (uncredited)
Leyland Hodgson ... Henry, the Maitre'd Hotel (uncredited)
George Holmes ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Payne B. Johnson ... Boy (uncredited)
Donald Kerr ... Pool Party Photographer (uncredited)
The King Sisters ... Vocal Quartette (uncredited)
Marilyn Kinsley ... Dancer (uncredited)
Mike Lally ... Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Bud Lawler ... Dancer (uncredited)
Barbara Leonard ... Hairdresser (uncredited)
Max Linder ... Man in Audience (uncredited)
Lois Lindsay ... Dancer (uncredited)
Robert Lowery ... Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
Warren Mace ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Charles Marsh ... Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Frank McGlynn Sr. ... Lincolnesque Actor (uncredited)
Margie McKay ... Dancer (uncredited)
Charles Meakin ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse ... Patron at Earl Carroll's (uncredited)
Forbes Murray ... Jack - Premiere Attendee (uncredited)
William Newell ... Make-Up Artist (uncredited)
Barry Norton ... Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
Alex Novinsky ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Anne O'Neal ... Little Girl's Mother (uncredited)
Gil Perkins ... Studio Grip (uncredited)
Wanda Perry ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Eleanor Peterson ... Dancer (uncredited)
Byron Poindexter ... Dancer (uncredited)
Lillian Porter ... Girlfriend of Jimmy (uncredited)
Victor Potel ... Steve - Crane Operator (uncredited)
June Preston ... Schoolroom Vocal Trio Member (uncredited)
Hal Rand ... Dancer (uncredited)
Steven Randall ... Orchestra Leader (uncredited)
Arthur Rankin ... Assistant Director (uncredited)
Dick Redman ... Freddie, the Boy Skater (uncredited)
Vivian Reid ... Dancer (uncredited)
Sam Rice ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Belle Richards ... Dancer (uncredited)
Suzanne Ridgeway ... Premiere Attendee (uncredited)
Cyril Ring ... Florist (uncredited)
Ramon Ros ... Dancer (uncredited)
Larry Steers ... Premiere Attendee (uncredited)
George Stewart ... Dancer (uncredited)
Iva Stewart ... Stewardess (uncredited)
Mary Stewart ... Dancer (uncredited)
Frank Sully ... Townsman (uncredited)
Gertrude Sutton ... Townswoman (uncredited)
Charles Tannen ... Assistant Director (uncredited)
Minerva Urecal ... Miss Bland, the School Principal (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel ... Studio Musician (uncredited)
Frederick Vroom ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Dorothy Ward ... Dancer (uncredited)
Billy Wayne ... Make-Up Artist (uncredited)
Victor Wong ... Chinese Radio Broadcaster (uncredited)
Create a character page for: ?

Directed by
Sidney Lanfield 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
George Bradshaw  story
Harry Tugend  writer

Produced by
Gene Markey .... producer
Darryl F. Zanuck .... producer
 
Original Music by
Cyril J. Mockridge (uncredited)
David Raksin (uncredited)
 
Cinematography by
Leon Shamroy 
 
Film Editing by
Robert L. Simpson 
 
Art Direction by
Richard Day 
Hans Peters 
 
Set Decoration by
Thomas Little 
 
Costume Design by
Royer 
 
Makeup Department
Ann Barr .... hair stylist (uncredited)
Burris Grimwood .... makeup artist (uncredited)
 
Production Management
A.F. Erickson .... production manager (uncredited)
Fred Fox .... production manager (uncredited)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jasper Blystone .... assistant director (uncredited)
Leo Houck .... assistant director (uncredited)
Ad Schaumer .... assistant director (uncredited)
Lee Valle .... assistant director (uncredited)
 
Sound Department
W.D. Flick .... sound
Roger Heman Sr. .... sound
 
Music Department
Louis Silvers .... musical director
Walter Scharf .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Herbert W. Spencer .... orchestrator (uncredited)
 
Other crew
Harry Losee .... choreographer
Eddie Edstrom .... follow-up man (uncredited)
 

Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
See more »
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
85 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Black and White
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)
Certification:
USA:Approved (PCA #5217) | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl
Filming Locations:
20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA
Company:
Twentieth Century Fox Film CorporationSee more »

Did You Know?

Quotes:
Jimmy Sutton:What are you making, Phoebe?
Aunt Phoebe:Don't know yet... started making a doily, and it got away from me!
See more »
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Hidden Hollywood II: More Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Vaults (1997) (TV)See more »
Soundtrack:
I'm Sorry for MyselfSee more »

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User Reviews

   (Review this title)
1 out of 1 people found the following review useful.
Sonja Skates, Tyrone Schemes, Rudy Sings, But Edna May Steals The Show, 16 May 2002
Author: Ron Oliver (revilorest@juno.com) from Forest Ranch, CA

A publicity agent finds himself playing SECOND FIDDLE when he fabricates a phony romance for a lovely new movie star he secretly adores.

Sonja Henie was Norway's ice queen when she won Olympic gold medals in 1928, 1932 & 1936. After going professional, she began a celebrated movie career at 20th Century Fox in 1936 with her American film debut, ONE IN A MILLION. Beautiful & talented, as well as being a natural in front of the cameras, she carved out her own special niche during Hollywood's Golden Age. Although Miss Henie's ice routines may look antiquated by comparison to modern champions, there was nothing antique about her dazzling smile or sparkling personality. In this regard, some of today's snowflake princesses could still learn a great deal from her.

As her career progressed, it became increasingly difficult for Fox to find decent stories for Miss Henie and the excuses for the lavish ice dancing numbers were often implausible. No matter. Audiences did not flock to her films to watch Sonja recite Shakespeare. The movies were meant to be pure escapist fantasy, plain & simple.

SECOND FIDDLE is no exception and its story is often quite silly. Also, Sonja is not given nearly enough skating time to really satisfy her fans. However, Sonja's costars do offer some compensation.

Although the role was certainly not one of his best, Tyrone Power is a lot of fun as the agent who must sublimate his own desires for the good of the Studio. Consequently, he has almost no romantic time with Sonja whatsoever, so instead he makes his somewhat unappealing role as charming as possible. His best moments are with marvelous character actress Edna May Oliver, playing Henie's sharp-tongued aunt, watching rather helplessly as she steals her every scene.

Rudy Vallee is onboard mostly to sing a few songs, but he deftly underplays what could have been a boring good guy character and makes him standout well in contrast to the much more manic Power.

Lyle Talbot has the small role of Sonja's Minnesota suitor. Movie mavens will recognize the voice of Charles Lane as that of the Studio Chief.

Irving Berlin composed the songs, all of which are pleasant, but none of them come close to being counted among his best.

Notice the sly script reference to 'Ferdinand.' This would be an allusion to Ferdinand the Bull, the somewhat less than masculine hero of Munro Leaf's 1936 story (and made into an Academy Award winning cartoon by Walt Disney in 1938). Since the line is spoken to Power, it could be that the scriptwriter had more than one inference in mind...

Ultimately, though, this is Sonja's show. She glides effortlessly into the viewer's heart, while balancing on a thin edge of silver, suspended over frozen water.

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