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 | Musician | Husband Wife Relationship | Sequel

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

George Montgomery	...	Bill Abbot
Ann Rutherford	...	Connie Ward
Glenn Miller	...	Gene Morrison
The Glenn Miller Orchestra	...	Gene Morrison 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	...	Nicholas Brothers (as Nicholas Brothers)
Tamara Geva	...	Mrs. Beck
Frank Orth	...	Rex Willet
Grant Mitchell	...	Dr. Ward
Harry Morgan	...	Cully Anderson (as Henry Morgan)
Jackie Gleason	...	Ben Beck
Edith Evanson	...	Hilda
Alec Craig	...	Henry Fink
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Iris Adrian	...	Blonde in Bus Station (uncredited)
Tex Beneke	...	Phil Mercer (uncredited)
Johnny Best	...	Band Member (uncredited)
Ralph Brewster	...	Band Member (uncredited)
Ralph Brooks	...	Recording Booth Assistant (uncredited)
Ernie Caceres	...	Band Member (uncredited)
Bill Cartledge	...	Bellhop (uncredited)
Nick Cockrane	...	Musician (uncredited)
Frank D'Annolfo	...	Band Member (uncredited)
Tom Dugan	...	Bus Driver (uncredited)
Bullets Durgom	...	Bullets (uncredited)
Ray Eberle	...	Band Member (uncredited)
Dale Evans	...	Band Member's Wife (uncredited)
Jane Goude	...	Hostess (uncredited)
Bobby Hackett	...	Band Member (uncredited)
Dick Hogan	...	Teen Ager (uncredited)
Kenneth Howell	...	Teen Ager (uncredited)
Olin Howland	...	Dance Ticket-Taker (uncredited)
Marion Hutton	...	Band Singer (uncredited)
Robert Emmett Keane	...	Headwaiter (uncredited)
Al Klink	...	Band Member (uncredited)
Kay Linaker	...	Margie (uncredited)
Arthur Loft	...	Recording Session Director (uncredited)
Trudy Marshall	...	Irene (uncredited)
Skippy Martín	...	Band Member (uncredited)
Billy May	...	Band Member (uncredited)
Dale McMickle	...	Band Member (uncredited)
The Modernaires	...	Singers (uncredited)
Roseanne Murray	...	Dancer (uncredited)
William Newell	...	Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
Fayard Nicholas	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Harold Nicholas	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Lillian Porter	...	Mousie (uncredited)
Jimmy Priddy	...	Band Member (uncredited)
Moe Purtill	...	Buddy Steele (uncredited)
Henry Roquemore	...	Fat Man (uncredited)
Dick Rush	...	Conductor (uncredited)
Willie Schwartz	...	Band Member (uncredited)
Paul Tanner	...	Band 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:

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

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

George Montgomery's trumpet playing was performed by The Glenn Miller Orchestra band member Johnny Best.

Quotes:

Cully Anderson:I'll bust ya right where ya sit!
Bill Abbott:Ah, that would be a foul.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Glenn Miller Story (1954)

Soundtrack:

(I've Got a Gal in) Kalamazoo

Glenn Miller & Orchestra in romantic/comedy plot.

In many ways a typical studio movie of its time: boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, trouble between boy and girl, etc. Resolutions to the dramatic twist are more comic than realistic, but that's standard fare for movies of that era and fans of this genre know what to expect.

The Glenn Miller orchestra with vocals by Marion Hutton, Tex Benecke, and the excellent production values inputed by the film's producers make this movie worth seeing. Also, print out the entire cast list from the IMDb and note all the stars worth identifying as the film progresses.

A must see/have for fans of Glenn Miller and the popular music of the WWII era. If you romanticize this era, as I do, you'll love the film.