Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily Entertainment GuideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Paid to Dance

  • 1937
  • Approved
  • 55m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
136
YOUR RATING
Rita Hayworth, Julie Bishop, Arthur Loft, and Don Terry in Paid to Dance (1937)
Film NoirCrimeDramaMystery

Government undercover agents William Dennis (Don Terry) and Joan Bradley (Julie Bishop as Jacqueline Wells) are working to solve the disappearances of girls working as "taxi-dancers" from da... Read allGovernment undercover agents William Dennis (Don Terry) and Joan Bradley (Julie Bishop as Jacqueline Wells) are working to solve the disappearances of girls working as "taxi-dancers" from dance halls operated by Jack Miranda (Arthur Loft) and his henchman Nifty (Paul Fix). Dennis... Read allGovernment undercover agents William Dennis (Don Terry) and Joan Bradley (Julie Bishop as Jacqueline Wells) are working to solve the disappearances of girls working as "taxi-dancers" from dance halls operated by Jack Miranda (Arthur Loft) and his henchman Nifty (Paul Fix). Dennis sets himself up as a theatrical booking agent, and shows his power by the opening and clo... Read all

  • Director
    • Charles C. Coleman
  • Writers
    • Leslie T. White
    • Robert E. Kent
  • Stars
    • Don Terry
    • Julie Bishop
    • Rita Hayworth
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.3/10
    136
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Charles C. Coleman
    • Writers
      • Leslie T. White
      • Robert E. Kent
    • Stars
      • Don Terry
      • Julie Bishop
      • Rita Hayworth
    • 3User reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Photos4

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster

    Top cast45

    Edit
    Don Terry
    Don Terry
    • William Dennis
    Julie Bishop
    Julie Bishop
    • Joan Bradley
    • (as Jacqueline Wells)
    Rita Hayworth
    Rita Hayworth
    • Betty Morgan
    Arthur Loft
    Arthur Loft
    • Jack Miranada
    Paul Fix
    Paul Fix
    • Nifty
    Paul Stanton
    Paul Stanton
    • Charles Kennedy
    Louise Stanley
    Louise Stanley
    • Phyllis Parker
    Ralph Byrd
    Ralph Byrd
    • Nickels Brown
    Beatrice Curtis
    • Frances Mitchell
    Bess Flowers
    Bess Flowers
    • Suzy
    Beatrice Blinn
    Beatrice Blinn
    • Lois
    Jane Hamilton
    • Evelyn
    Dick Curtis
    Dick Curtis
    • Mike Givens
    Al Herman
    • Joe Krause
    Thurston Hall
    Thurston Hall
    • State Governor
    Horace McMahon
    Horace McMahon
    • LaRue
    Eddie Fetherston
    • Skipper
    Edward LeSaint
    Edward LeSaint
    • Judge
    • Director
      • Charles C. Coleman
    • Writers
      • Leslie T. White
      • Robert E. Kent
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews3

    6.3136
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    6declancooley

    Short plot-packed, break-neck paced, B-movie with a young Rita Hayworth in a talking role some scenes.

    It seems those dancers-for-hire clubs have some shady dealings in the background with young girls being locked into contracts that allow them to be shipped to any club the owner wants - still, one can't operate without protection from the law and when a new protector comes into the picture, suddenly there's trouble in local boss Miranda's Paradise Club. These girls are also dying like flies and disappearing into thin air to the consternation of the citizenry so the governor decides to get tough has many repercussions for the girls. Rita Hayworth is a new dancer who gets mixed up in the conflict between the club owners, the agents and the law; however, she only has a few scenes here and there, and looks fairly ordinary here as she had yet to have her transformation into all-out film star. As the flick proceeds the pace picks up speed until by the end developments come thick and fast, enough to make your head spin. It's dog-eat-dog among the bosses as the steel ring of the police tightens. Clearly a low budget affair, this film in packs tons of plot as is surprisingly brutal near the end. Short and sweet!
    5boblipton

    Undercover Cops

    Taxi dancers are disappearing from the dance halls of the state, and some are turning up dead. While citizen groups demand the halls be closed, Don Terry and Julie Bishop go to work undercover to solve the crimes and close down the racket. Miss Bishop gets a job as a dance-hall girl, while Terry opens a competing hall and gets an in as a fixer.

    This seems to be based on Lucky Luciano's brothels; it wouldn't be the first or last time that the Production Code turned prostitutes in taxi dancers. It's high speed, timing in at an hour, but lacks much in the way of interesting details thereby, despite. A cast that includes Rita Hayworth, Paul Fix, and Thurston Hall.

    More like this

    The Lady in Question
    6.3
    The Lady in Question
    The Shadow
    6.4
    The Shadow
    Girls Can Play
    5.7
    Girls Can Play
    Life Begins with Love
    5.6
    Life Begins with Love
    The Wrath of God
    6.0
    The Wrath of God
    Angels Over Broadway
    6.5
    Angels Over Broadway
    There's Always a Woman
    6.7
    There's Always a Woman
    Who Killed Gail Preston?
    6.2
    Who Killed Gail Preston?
    Pal Joey
    6.6
    Pal Joey
    You'll Never Get Rich
    6.7
    You'll Never Get Rich
    Old Louisiana
    6.2
    Old Louisiana
    Bowery at Midnight
    5.3
    Bowery at Midnight

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Dorothy Wray's debut....
    • Goofs
      The top gangster contacts the big boss by picking up a phone and speaks to him without dialing a number or going through an operator and doesn't even make sure that he's speaking to the right person. He then asks for advice on a situation that's just happened and which the big boss would have no knowledge of.

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 11, 1937 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Hard to Hold
    • Production company
      • Columbia Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      55 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Rita Hayworth, Julie Bishop, Arthur Loft, and Don Terry in Paid to Dance (1937)
    Top Gap
    What is the English language plot outline for Paid to Dance (1937)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.