Best Foot Forward (1943)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Edward Buzzell

Writers:

John Cecil Holm (book)
Irving Brecher (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

8 October 1943 (USA)

Genre:

Musical | Comedy

Plot:

Bud Hooper, a cadet at Winsocki Military Academy, sends an invitation to movie star Lucille Ball to come to Winsocki's big dance...

Plot Keywords:

Military Academy | Actress | Reporter | Pennsylvania | Prom

Cast

Lucille Ball	...	Lucille Ball
William Gaxton	...	Jack O'Riley
Virginia Weidler	...	Helen Schlesinger
Tommy Dix	...	Bud Hooper
Nancy Walker	...	Nancy - Blind Date
June Allyson	...	Ethel
Kenny Bowers	...	Dutch Miller
Gloria DeHaven	...	Minerva
Jack Jordan	...	Hunk
Beverly Tyler	...	Miss Delaware Water Gap, Vocalist
Chill Wills	...	Chester Short
Henry O'Neill	...	Major Reeber
Sara Haden	...	Miss Talbert
Donald MacBride	...	Captain Bradd
Bob Stebbins	...	Greenie (as Bobby Stebbins)

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #9191) | Sweden:Btl | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

St. John's Military Academy - 1101 North Genesee Street, Delafield, Wisconsin, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The play opened on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA on 1 October 1941 and had 326 performances. The opening night cast included Nancy Walker, who originated her movie role in the play, and June Allyson, Kenny Bowers, Tommy Dix, Jack Jordan and Stanley Donen, all of whom are also in this film but with different roles; and Rosemary Lane. Gil Stratton was brought out to Hollywood at the same time but appeared in Girl Crazy (1943) instead, although some say he had a small role in this film. A 1963 off-Broadway revival starred Liza Minnelli.

Goofs:

Continuity: June Allyson is credited onscreen as Minerva and Gloria DeHaven as Ethel. However, Allyson is called Ethel and DeHaven is called Minerva and 'Min' in the film.

Movie Connections:

Featured in That's Entertainment! III (1994)

Soundtrack:

My First Promise {The Ring Waltz}

Whatever Happened to Best Foot Forward's Tommy Dix?

I really did enjoy seeing 1943's Best Foot Forward (BFF) again , after more than 50 years. I note that a couple of other reviewers have commented that they most enjoyed the film, as did I, for the song Buckle Down, Winsocki, as sung by Tommy Dix, and wondered what ever became of "military cadet" Tommy Dix, real life and career-wise. Young Tom would be about 82 years old now. As I recall, Tommy Dix was also in the original Broadway stage production of BFF in 1941. As far as I can find, there is absolutely not one shred or hint of bio or other life/career information re Tommy Dix on the internet, except that he was born in 1924 and appeared in very minor roles in two other movies in the early 1940's. Finito!

INDEED, what ever DID happen to our cadet, Tommy Dix? Does anybody out there know? Anyway, I hope he graduated with full honors from life's academy and had a grand and rewarding career, whatever and wherever it may have been, in or out of the movies.