The Star Maker (1939)

Director:

Roy Del Ruth

Writers:

Arthur Caesar (based on a story by) and
William A. Pierce (based on a story by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

25 August 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Comedy | Music

Tagline:

LINDA WARE,,,Hollywood's youngest child singing star and 99 kids stars of tomorrow(original ad)

Plot:

This is a film about the life of Gus Edwards, a well known vaudeville composer, entertainer, and producer.

Plot Keywords:

Vaudeville | Song | Orphanage | Producer | Newsboy

Cast

Bing Crosby	...	Larry Earl
Louise Campbell	...	Mary
Linda Ware	...	Jane Gray
Ned Sparks	...	'Speed' King
Laura Hope Crews	...	Carlotta Salvini
Janet Waldo	...	Stella
Walter Damrosch	...	Walter Damrosch
Thurston Hall	...	Mr. Proctor
Clara Blandick	...	Miss Esther Jones
Oscar O'Shea	...	Mr. Flannigan
John Gallaudet	...	Duke
Ben Welden	...	Joe Gimlick
Emory Parnell	...	Mr. Olson
Dorothy Vaughan	...	Mrs. Riley
Bodil Rosing	...	Mrs. Swanson
Paul Stanton	...	Mr. Coyle
Morgan Wallace	...	Lou Morris
Richard Denning	...	Assistant Dance Director
Joseph Crehan	...	Old Gentleman
Ethel Griffies	...	Voice Teacher
Frank Faylen	...	First Reporter
Billy Gilbert	...	Steel Worker
Grace Hayle	...	Rural Mother
Johnnie Morris	...	Newsboy (as Johnny Morris)
Selmer Jackson	...	Doctor
Sig Arno	...	Ballet Master (as Siegfried Arno)
Ralph Faulkner	...	Fencing Master
Earl Dwire	...	Mac, the Accountant
Harry C. Bradley	...	Conductor (as Harry Bradley)
Wally Maher	...	Reporter
George Eldredge	...	Reporter
Stanley Price	...	Reporter
George Guhl	...	Piano Mover
Jimmie Dundee	...	Second Piano Mover (as Jim Dundee)
Max Wagner	...	Third Piano Mover
Ralph Sanford	...	Uniformed Doorman
A.S. 'Pop' Byron	...	Stage Doorman
Allen Fox	...	Photographer
Fritzi Brunette	...	Cutie's Mother
Edwin Stanley	...	Gerry Member (as Ed Stanley)
Ottola Nesmith	...	Elderly Lady
Jack Pennick	...	Prizefighter
George C. Pearce	...	Gerry Society Member (as George Pearce)
Doro Merande	...	Gerry Society Woman
Frances Raymond	...	Gerry Society Woman
Kenneth Wilson	...	Ken
Billy Simms	...	Spike
Donald Brenon	...	Judge
Patti McCarty	...	Patsy (as Patsy McCartney)
John Andrews	...	Andy
Danny Daniels	...	Blackie
Don Hulbert	...	Duck
Gloria Atherton	...	Curly
Darryl Hickman	...	Boots
Dorothy Babb	...	Dottie
Dante DiPaolo	...	Turkey (as Dante Di Paolo)
Tommy Batten	...	Bats
Mary Ellen Bergren	...	Ivories
Gene Collins	...	Dummy
Eugene Eberle	...	Whitey
Dolores Dianne	...	Rusty
Joe Geil	...	Red
Richard Humphries	...	Chicago
Jackie McGee	...	Lucky
Joyce Arleen	...	Toots
Roland Dupree	...	Frenchy
Marilyn Marlin	...	Ginger
Patsy Parsons	...	Cookie (as Patsy Lee Parsons)
Jean Ruth	...	Butch
Leon Tyler	...	Big Ears
Howard Smiley	...	Skipper
Marilyn McKay	...	Cutie
Jacqueline Ossia	...	Penny
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Daisy Bufford	...	Colored Maid (uncredited)

Directed by
Roy Del Ruth

Writing credits
Arthur Caesar		(based on a story by) and
William A. Pierce		(based on a story by)
Frank Butler		(screenplay) and
Don Hartman		(screenplay) and
Arthur Caesar		(screenplay)

Produced by
Charles R. Rogers	....	producer
William LeBaron	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Cinematography by
Karl Struss

Film Editing by
Alma Macrorie

Art Direction by
Hans Dreier
Robert Usher

Set Decoration by
A.E. Freudeman

Costume Design by
Edith Head

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hal Walker	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Charles Hisserich	....	sound recordist
Richard Olson	....	sound recordist

Music Department
Alfred Newman	....	musical director
Troy Sanders	....	music assistant (uncredited)

Other crew
Ralph Faulkner	....	fight choreographer

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1939) (USA) (theatrical)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since.

Soundtrack:

By the Light of the Silvery Moon

"Suggested by the career of Gus Edwards"

When Paramount decided to make The Star Maker, stage mothers all over the country must have been grateful for the opportunity to get their little pride of joys a break into show business. Bing Crosby who had some of his best film moments with children never had to contend with so many of them.

The beginning credits state quite plainly that the film is "suggested by the career of Gus Edwards." Crosby's character is named Larry Earl so no one gets the idea this is biographical.

Gus Edwards was one of America's finest turn of the last century songwriters who did in fact hit on the idea of forming a theatrical troupe of talented youngsters, many of whom became stars in their own right in adulthood. Coming to mind immediately are Eddie Cantor and George Jessel who started out as adolescents with Edwards.

One of the scenes funniest moments involves a bit by Billy Gilbert trying to get one of his kids an audition. Of course that's redundant because Billy Gilbert was one of the funniest men in film and any moment with him is by definition, funny. Another moment involves a mother trying to get her daughter to sing for Crosby, giving him the opportunity to warble, I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now. I'm sure the real Gus Edwards went through thousands of moments like these.

Young Linda Ware was introduced here, presumably as Paramount's answer to Deanna Durbin. She sang some classical stuff real nice, but after another film was never heard from again.

Next to Ned Sparks, W.C. Fields was a Pollyanna, especially with children. Sparks was another of Hollywood's funniest men with those lines dripping with sarcasm and ill will. He has one very funny scene trying to read a bedtime story to Crosby's traveling troupe.

Jimmy Monaco and Johnny Burke wrote some new tunes for Bing and these were mixed in with some stuff by Gus Edwards and others of the period in a nice confection.

Others in the cast include Louise Campbell as Mrs. Crosby, Laura Hope Crews as Ware's mother and Thurston Hall as a theatrical producer.

Ms. Crews had a banner year in 1939, she was given her signature part as Aunt Pittypat Hamilton in Gone With The Wind.

One of the things I always criticize Paramount for is not giving Crosby's films the elaborate Busby Berkeley like numbers. Same is true here, especially with the show business background of the film. But I think that kind of theatrics would have overwhelmed the story about children.

I won't dispute Paramount when they say this is only suggested by Gus Edwards career.