Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943)

Director:

David Butler

Writers:

Norman Panama (screenplay) &
Melvin Frank (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

25 September 1943 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Plot:

Two producers are putting together a wartime charity show with an all-star cast but the egotism of radio personality Eddie Cantor disrupts their plans.

Plot Keywords:

Pharmacy | Song And Dance | Nurse | Stage Door | Dual Role

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Humphrey Bogart	...	Humphrey Bogart
Eddie Cantor	...	Eddie Cantor / Joe Simpson
Bette Davis	...	Bette Davis
Olivia de Havilland	...	Olivia de Havilland
Errol Flynn	...	Errol Flynn
John Garfield	...	John Garfield
Joan Leslie	...	Pat Dixon
Ida Lupino	...	Ida Lupino
Dennis Morgan	...	Tommy Randolph
Ann Sheridan	...	Ann Sheridan
Dinah Shore	...	Dinah Shore
Alexis Smith	...	Alexis Smith
Jack Carson	...	Jack Carson
Alan Hale	...	Alan Hale
George Tobias	...	George Tobias
Edward Everett Horton	...	Farnsworth
S.Z. Sakall	...	Dr. Schlenna (as S.K. Sakall)
Hattie McDaniel	...	Gossip in 'Ice Cold Katie' Number
Ruth Donnelly	...	Nurse Hamilton
Don Wilson	...	Radio Announcer
Spike Jones and His City Slickers	...	Novelty Band
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Spike Jones	...	Leader of His City Slickers
Harry Adams	...	Doorman in Bette Davis Number (uncredited)
Sam Adams	...	Bartender in Bette Davis Number (uncredited)
Doris Ake	...	Dancer in 'Ice Cold Katy' Number (uncredited)
Henry Armetta	...	Angelo the Barber (uncredited)
Paulita Arvizu	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Lynn Baggett	...	Miss Latin America in 'Good Night, Good Neighbor' Number (uncredited)
Harry A. Bailey	...	Bald-Headed Man in Bette Davis Number (uncredited)
Leah Baird	...	Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Juliette Ball	...	Dancer in 'Ice Cold Katy' Number (uncredited)
Elmer Ballard	...	Pub Character in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Don Barclay	...	Pete (uncredited)
Joy Barlow	...	A Lucky Star (uncredited)
Janet Barrett	...	A Lucky Star (uncredited)
Benny Bartlett	...	Page Boy (uncredited)
William 'Billy' Benedict	...	Busboy (uncredited)
Willie Best	...	Soldier in 'Ice Cold Katy' Number (uncredited)
Ted Billings	...	Pub Character in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Monte Blue	...	Bartender in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Lennie Bluett	...	Dancer in 'Ice Cold Katy' Number (uncredited)
Mildred Boyd	...	Dancer and Singer in 'Ice Cold Katy' Number (uncredited)
Jess Lee Brooks	...	Justice in 'Ice Cold Katy' Number (uncredited)
Morgan Brown	...	Bus Passenger (uncredited)
James Burke	...	Bill - the Intern Guard (uncredited)
David Butler	...	David Butler (uncredited)
Rita Christiani	...	Ice Cold Katie in 'Ice Cold Katy' Number (uncredited)
Stanley Clements	...	Boy (uncredited)
J.W. Cody	...	Indian (uncredited)
James Conaty	...	Audience Extra (uncredited)
Alan Cook	...	Pub Character in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Tex Cooper	...	Westerner in Dennis Morgan Number (uncredited)
James Coppedge	...	Boy (uncredited)
Ben Corbett	...	Westerner in Dennis Morgan Number (uncredited)
Eleanor Counts	...	Girl Friend of Sailor (uncredited)
Howard Davies	...	Pub Character in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Dorothy Dayton	...	A Lucky Star (uncredited)
Igor Dega	...	Dancer in 'Good Night, Good Neighbor' Number (uncredited)
Harry Depp	...	Table Extra in Bette Davis Number (uncredited)
Joe DeRita	...	Meek Man (uncredited)
William Desmond	...	Westerner in Dennis Morgan Number (uncredited)
Henri DeSoto	...	Maitre d'Hotel in Bette Davis Number (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn	...	Marty (uncredited)
Dick Earle	...	Customer in Bette Davis Number (uncredited)
Dick Elliott	...	Customer in Bette Davis Number (uncredited)
Betty Farrington	...	Assistant Chef (uncredited)
Frank Faylen	...	Sailor (uncredited)
James Flavin	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Iris Flores	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Art Foster	...	Pub Character in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Charles Francis	...	Bald-Headed Man in Bette Davis Number (uncredited)
Louise Franklin	...	Dancer in 'Ice Cold Katy' Number (uncredited)
George B. French	...	Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Edward Gargan	...	Doorman (uncredited)
Phyllis Godfrey	...	Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Bert Gordon	...	Patient (uncredited)
William Haade	...	Finchley the Butler (uncredited)
Harriette Haddon	...	A Lucky Star (uncredited)
Bobby Hale	...	Pub Character in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Creighton Hale	...	Engineer (uncredited)
Avanelle Harris	...	Dancer in 'Ice Cold Katy' Number (uncredited)
Sam Harris	...	Audience Extra (uncredited)
Paul Harvey	...	Dr. Kirby (uncredited)
Hubert Head	...	Pub Character in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Mark Hellinger	...	Mark Hellinger (uncredited)
Cleo Herndon	...	Dancer and Singer in 'Ice Cold Katy' Number (uncredited)
Marjorie Hoshelle	...	Maid (uncredited)
Earl Hunsaker	...	Pub Character in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Brandon Hurst	...	Cab Driver in 'Good Night, Good Neighbor' Number (uncredited)
Henry Iblings	...	Pub Character in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Boyd Irwin	...	Harry - Man in Audience (uncredited)
Charles Irwin	...	Pub Character in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Noble Johnson	...	Charlie the Indian (uncredited)
Matthew Jones	...	Gambler in 'Ice Cold Katy' Number (uncredited)
Fred Kelsey	...	Pub Waiter in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Arnold Kent	...	Dancer in 'Good Night, Good Neighbor' Number (uncredited)
Dudley Kuzelle	...	Pub Character in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Lucille La Marr	...	A Lucky Star (uncredited)
Mary Landa	...	A Lucky Star (uncredited)
Richard Lane	...	Barney Johnson (uncredited)
Jerry Mandy	...	Chef (uncredited)
Hank Mann	...	Assistant Photographer in 'Ice Cold Katie' Number (uncredited)
Lou Marcelle	...	Commentator (uncredited)
Angelita Mari	...	Duenna in 'Good Night, Good Neighbor' Number (uncredited)
Joan Matthews	...	Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Frank Mayo	...	Doctor Wheaton (uncredited)
Mike Mazurki	...	Olaf (uncredited)
Fred McEvoy	...	Pub Character in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Matt McHugh	...	Fireman in Humphrey Bogart Sequence (uncredited)
Howard M. Mitchell	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Millie Monroe	...	Dancer in 'Ice Cold Katy' Number (uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse	...	Audience Extra at Radio Show (uncredited)
Edmund Mortimer	...	Dance Extra in Bette Davis Number (uncredited)
Jack Mower	...	Engineer (uncredited)
Jack Norton	...	Drunk in Bette Davis Number (uncredited)
Florence O'Brien	...	Singer & Dancer in 'Ice Cold Katy' Number (uncredited)
Helen O'Hara	...	Girl in Ann Sheridan Number (uncredited)
Anne O'Neal	...	Maid (uncredited)
Harriet Olsen	...	A Lucky Star (uncredited)
Sylvia Opert	...	Hatcheck Girl in Bette Davis Number / A Lucky Star (uncredited)
Virginia Patton	...	Girl in Ann Sheridan Number (uncredited)
Harry Pilcer	...	Man in Broadcasting Station (uncredited)
Angi O. Poulos	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Joyce Reynolds	...	Girl with Book (uncredited)
Dick Rich	...	Fred (uncredited)
Margarita Savilla	...	Dancer (uncredited)
Dorothy Schoemer	...	A Lucky Star (uncredited)
Georgia Lee Settle	...	Girl in Ann Sheridan Number (uncredited)
Charles Soldani	...	Indian (uncredited)
Will Stanton	...	Pub Character in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Juanita Stark	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Madame Sul-Te-Wan	...	Bit in 'Ice Cold Katie' Number (uncredited)
David Thursby	...	Pub Character in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Mary Treen	...	Fan (uncredited)
Billy Wayne	...	Chauffeur (uncredited)
Doodles Weaver	...	'Doodles' Weaver (uncredited)
Lillian West	...	Bus Passenger (uncredited)
Conrad Wiedell	...	Jitterbug in Bette Davis Number (uncredited)
Buster Wiles	...	Pub Character in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Tudor Williams	...	Pub Character in Errol Flynn Number (uncredited)
Joan Winfield	...	Cigarette Girl in Bette Davis Number (uncredited)
Nancy Worth	...	Hatcheck Girl in Bette Davis Number / A Lucky Star (uncredited)
Duke York	...	Wooden Indian (uncredited)

Directed by
David Butler

Writing credits
Norman Panama		(screenplay) &
Melvin Frank		(screenplay) and
James V. Kern		(screenplay)
Everett Freeman		(from an original story by) &
Arthur Schwartz		(from an original story by)

Produced by
Mark Hellinger	....	producer
Jack L. Warner	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Heinz Roemheld		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
Arthur Edeson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Irene Morra		(film editor)

Art Direction by
Anton Grot
Leo K. Kuter		(as Leo E. Kuter)

Set Decoration by
Walter F. Tilford		(set decorations)

Costume Design by
Milo Anderson		(gowns)

Makeup Department
Perc Westmore	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Philip Quinn	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Charles David Forrest	....	sound
Francis J. Scheid	....	sound

Special Effects by
Hans F. Koenekamp	....	special effects (as H.F Koenekamp)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eugene Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department
Dudley Chambers	....	vocal arrangements
Leo F. Forbstein	....	musical director
Ray Heindorf	....	orchestral arrangements
Frank Loesser	....	music and lyrics by
Arthur Schwartz	....	music and lyrics by
Maurice De Packh	....	additional orchestrator (uncredited)

Other crew
Herbert Farjeon	....	dialogue director
LeRoy Prinz	....	dance numbers created and staged by (as Leroy Prinz)
Jack L. Warner	....	presenter (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros (presents) (A Warner Bros.-First National Picture)

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1943) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

127 min (Turner library print) (copyright length)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:Approved (PCA #6543)

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros

Trivia:

"The Screen Guild Theater" broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on September 27, 1943 with Eddie Cantor, Dinah Shore and Dennis Morgan reprising their film roles.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: In one of the scenes where Eddie Cantor, dressed as an American Indian, is being chased by other men dressed as American Indians, the film negative has been flipped - you can see the signs on store windows are clearly backward/mirror images of what they are supposed to read.

Quotes:

Dr. Schlenna:Farnsworth, I got you into this complication, and it's up to me to make a mess out of it.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Adventures of Errol Flynn (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Old Folks at Home

Bird's eye view of Warners Hollywood in the early 1940s

The unforgettable Eddie Cantor is the glue which holds this wartime extravaganza together. He was one of the few great singers who could double as a first rate comedian.

Other reviewers have pretty much covered all angles but for me the high point is the appearance of Spike Jones and his City Slickers, performing one of their hilarious numbers. Once you've experienced Spike, you just can't get enough of his unique style, if that's the right word.

Bogart's appearance is amusing while Miss Davis provides a memorable performance. None of the other Warners stars really stand out. For me, 'Starlift' is a better star vehicle, though it would come almost a decade later.