Orchestra Wives (1942)

Director:

Archie Mayo

Writers:

Karl Tunberg (screenplay) and
Darrell Ware (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

4 September 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Music

Tagline:

It's Hep! It's Hot! It's Hilarious!

Plot:

Connie Ward is in seventh heaven when Gene Morrison's band rolls into town. She is swept off her feet by trumpeter Bill Abbot...

Plot Keywords:

Musical Acts | Beautiful Woman | Musician | Husband Wife Relationship | Sequel

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

George Montgomery	...	Bill Abbot
Ann Rutherford	...	Connie Ward / Abbot
Glenn Miller	...	Gene Morrison
The Glenn Miller Orchestra	...	Gene Morrison's Orchestra (as The Glenn Miller Band)
Lynn Bari	...	Jaynie Stevens
Carole Landis	...	Natalie Mercer
Cesar Romero	...	St. John 'Sinjin' Smith
Virginia Gilmore	...	Elsie
Mary Beth Hughes	...	Caroline Steele
The Nicholas Brothers	...	Themselves (as Nicholas Brothers)
Tamara Geva	...	Mrs. Beck
Frank Orth	...	Rex Willet
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Iris Adrian	...	Blonde in Bus Station (uncredited)
Tex Beneke	...	Phil Mercer, Band Member (uncredited)
Johnny Best	...	Johnny Best, Orchestra Member (uncredited)
Ralph Brewster	...	Himself - Modernaires Singer (uncredited)
Ralph Brooks	...	Assistant in Recording Booth (uncredited)
Ernie Caceres	...	Ernie Caceres, Orchestra Member (uncredited)
Bill Cartledge	...	Bellhop (uncredited)
Nick Cockrane	...	Musician (uncredited)
Alec Craig	...	Henry Fink (uncredited)
Frank D'Annolfo	...	Frank D'Annolfo, Orchestra Member (uncredited)
Tom Dugan	...	Bus Driver (uncredited)
Bullets Durgom	...	Bullets (uncredited)
Ray Eberle	...	Ray Eberle, Band Vocalist (uncredited)
Dale Evans	...	Hazel - Girl at Soda Fountain (uncredited)
Edith Evanson	...	Hilda (uncredited)
Jackie Gleason	...	Ben Beck, Bass Player (uncredited)
Jane Goude	...	Hostess (uncredited)
Bobby Hackett	...	Bobby Hackett - Orchestra Member (uncredited)
Dick Hogan	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Kenneth Howell	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
Olin Howland	...	Ticket Taker at Dance (uncredited)
Marion Hutton	...	Marion Hutton, Band Vocalist (uncredited)
Robert Emmett Keane	...	Headwaiter (uncredited)
Al Klink	...	Al Klink, Orchestra Member (uncredited)
Kay Linaker	...	Margie (uncredited)
Arthur Loft	...	Recording Session Director (uncredited)
Trudy Marshall	...	Irene, Girl in Soda Shop (uncredited)
Skippy Martín	...	Skippy Martin, Orchestra Member (uncredited)
Billy May	...	Billy May, Orchestra Member (uncredited)
Dale McMickle	...	Dale McMickle, Orchestra Member (uncredited)
Grant Mitchell	...	Dr. Ward (uncredited)
The Modernaires	...	The Modernaires, Singing Group (uncredited)
Harry Morgan	...	Cully Anderson (uncredited)
Roseanne Murray	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited)
William Newell	...	Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
Lillian Porter	...	Mousie, the Cigarette Girl (uncredited)
Jimmy Priddy	...	Jimmy Priddy, Orchestra Member (uncredited)
Moe Purtill	...	Buddy Steele, Drummer (uncredited)
Henry Roquemore	...	Fat Man (uncredited)
Dick Rush	...	Conductor (uncredited)
Willie Schwartz	...	Willie Schwartz, Orchestra Member (uncredited)
Paul Tanner	...	Paul Tanner, Orchestra Member (uncredited)
Dick Winslow	...	Musician (uncredited)

Directed by
Archie Mayo

Writing credits
Karl Tunberg		(screenplay) and
Darrell Ware		(screenplay)
James Prindle		(original story)

Produced by
William LeBaron	....	producer
William Goetz	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Leigh Harline		(uncredited)
Alfred Newman		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Lucien Ballard		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Robert Bischoff

Art Direction by
Richard Day
Joseph C. Wright

Set Decoration by
Thomas Little

Costume Design by
Earl Luick

Makeup Department
Guy Pearce	....	makeup artist

Production Management
William Koenig	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bernard Carr	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Roger Heman Sr.	....	sound (as Roger Heman)
Fred Lau	....	sound

Music Department
Alfred Newman	....	musical director
Maurice De Packh	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Edward B. Powell	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Nick Castle	....	dances stager: Nicholas Brothers
Harry Brand	....	publicity director (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1942) (USA) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1954) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Fox Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

Canada:G (video rating) | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

This is the film debut of the song "At Last", famously covered nearly 20 years later by Etta James.

Quotes:

Bill Abbott:Now listen cutie-pie. I'm a big, bad trumpet player, and never in my life have I seen anything so gorgeous coming off a dance floor. I've seen thousands. I've kissed some of them, but not like I'm going to kiss you.

Movie Connections:

Edited from Sun Valley Serenade (1941)

Soundtrack:

Bugle Call Rag

Refreshing Swingers Movie

Orchestra Wives is a refreshing swingers movie. Glenn Miller is excellent and Ann Rutherford is beautiful. The music is very well done by the great one (Glenn Miller). We should embrace this type of movie for its gentle music and great acting. Movies like Orchestra Wives are coming Back.