Second Chorus (1940)

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Passed
1h 24min
Comedy, Musical
03 Jan 1941 (USA)
Movie

5.7 (1,761)

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When perennial college students Danny O'Neill and Hank Taylor are forced to make it on their own, the competitive pair get jobs with Artie Shaw's band and reunite with ex-manager Ellen Miller.

Director:

H.C. Potter

Writers:

Stars:

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars.
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Reviews:

Photos and Videos

Still of Fred Astaire (I) and Burgess Meredith (I) in Second Chorus (1940)

Still of Fred Astaire (I) and Paulette Goddard in Second Chorus (1940)

Still of Bus Bassey, Vernon Brown (I), Billy Butterfield, Jack Cathcart (I), Jud De Naut, Nick Fatool, Johnny Guarnieri, Alton Hendrickson, Jack Jenney, Neely Plumb, Artie Shaw, Leonard Sues, George Wendt (II), Jerry Jerome (IV), Les Robinson (III), Buddy Morrow and Artie Shaw and His Orchestra in Second Chorus (1940)

Still of Fred Astaire (I), Paulette Goddard and Burgess Meredith (I) in Second Chorus (1940)

Still of Fred Astaire (I), Burgess Meredith (I) and Artie Shaw in Second Chorus (1940)

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23 photos

Cast verified as complete

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	Fred Astaire	...	Danny O'Neill
	Paulette Goddard	...	Ellen Miller
	Artie Shaw	...	Artie Shaw
	Charles Butterworth	...	Lester Chisholm
	Burgess Meredith	...	Hank Taylor
	Frank Melton	...	Stu
	Jimmy Conlin	...	Mr. Dunn (as Jimmy Conlon)
	Don Brodie	...	Clerk
	Marjorie Kane	...	Secretary
	Joan Barclay	...	Receptionist
	Willa Pearl Curtis	...	Scrubwoman
	Artie Shaw and His Orchestra	...	Artie Shaw and His Band (as Artie Shaw and His Band)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
	Phil Arnold	...	Shaw's First Manager (uncredited)
	Bobby Barber	...	Room Service Waiter (uncredited)
	Bus Bassey	...	Tenor Sax Player (uncredited)
	William 'Billy' Benedict	...	Ticket Taker (uncredited)
	Vernon Brown	...	Trombone Player (uncredited)
	Billy Butterfield	...	Trumpet Player (uncredited)
	Romaine Callender	...	Waiter (uncredited)
	Jack Cathcart	...	Trumpet Player (uncredited)
	Heinie Conklin	...	Reporter (uncredited)
	Gordon De Main	...	Elevator Passenger (uncredited)
	Jud De Naut	...	Bass Player (uncredited)
	Jay Eaton	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
	Nick Fatool	...	Drummer (uncredited)
	Jack Gardner	...	Reporter (uncredited)
	Jack Gordon	...	Stagehand (uncredited)
	Johnny Guarnieri	...	Piano Player (uncredited)
	Ben Hall	...	Western Union Boy (uncredited)
	Alton Hendrickson	...	Guitar Player (uncredited)
	Jack Jenney	...	Trombone Player (uncredited)
	Jerry Jerome	...	Tenor Sax Player (uncredited)
	Adia Kuznetzoff	...	Boris (uncredited)
	Lillian Lawrence	...	Spinster (uncredited)
	Alexander Leftwich	...	Elevator Passenger (uncredited)
	Ben Lessy	...	Shaw's Second Manager (uncredited)
	Joseph Marievsky	...	Ivan (uncredited)
	Charles R. Moore	...	Sam - Elevator Operator (uncredited)
	Buddy Morrow	...	Musician (uncredited)
	Spec O'Donnell	...	Disappointed Fan at Stage Door (uncredited)
	Hermes Pan	...	College Clarinetist (uncredited)
	Neely Plumb	...	Alto Sax Player (uncredited)
	Albert Pollet	...	Waiter (uncredited)
	June Preston	...	Little Blonde Girl Dancing (uncredited)
	Fred Rapport	...	Headwaiter (uncredited)
	Les Robinson	...	Alto Sax Player (uncredited)
	Ronald R. Rondell	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
	Charles Smith	...	College Boy with Zinc Oxide on His Nose (uncredited)
	Mary Stewart	...	Dancer / Singer (uncredited)
	Leonard Sues	...	Trumpet Player (uncredited)
	Edward Thomas	...	Waiter (uncredited)
	Michael Visaroff	...	Sergei (uncredited)
	George Wendt	...	Trumpet Player (uncredited)
	Poppy Wilde	...	Night Club Patron (uncredited)
	Allen Wood	...	Messenger (uncredited)

Directed by

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H.C. Potter

Written by

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Frank Cavett	...	(original story)

Elaine Ryan	...	(screen play) and
Ian McLellan Hunter	...	(screen play)

Johnny Mercer	...	(contributor to screenplay)

Ben Hecht	...	() (uncredited)

Produced by

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Fred Astaire	...	associate producer (uncredited)
Boris Morros	...	producer
Robert Stillman	...	associate producer

Music by

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Artie Shaw

Cinematography by

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Theodor Sparkuhl

...

director of photography

Editing by

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Jack Dennis

Editorial Department

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Fred R. Feitshans Jr.

...

assistant film editor (as Fred Feitshans)

Art Direction by

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Boris Leven

Makeup Department

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Don L. Cash

...

makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management

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Joseph H. Nadel

...

production manager (as Joe Nadel)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Frank Cavett	...	associate director
Edward Montagne	...	assistant director
Robert Stillman	...	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department

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Howard Bristol	...	set dresser
Irving W. Sindler	...	props (uncredited)

Sound Department

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William A. Wilmarth

...

sound recorder (as William Wilmarth)

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Helen Taylor	...	wardrobe
Eugene Joseff	...	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department

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Edward Paul	...	associate musical director (as Eddie Paul)
Perry Botkin Sr.	...	musician (uncredited)
Billy Butterfield	...	musician: trumpet dubbing for Burgess Meredith (uncredited)
Johnny Guarnieri	...	music arranger (uncredited)
Bobby Hackett	...	musician: trumpet dubbing for Fred Astaire (uncredited)
Gregory Stone	...	music arranger (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

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Howard J. Green

...

script polisher (uncredited)

Additional Crew

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Hermes Pan

...

dance director

Crew verified as complete

Production Companies

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Boris Morros Productions

Distributors

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Paramount Pictures (1940) (United States) (theatrical) (as A Paramount Picture)
Paramount Film Service (1940) (Canada) (theatrical)
Paramount British Pictures (1941) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
Paramount Film Service (1941) (Australia) (theatrical)
Los Artistas Unidos de América del Sur (1941) (Argentina) (theatrical)
Film AB Paramount (1942) (Sweden) (theatrical)
Astor Pictures Corporation (1947) (United States) (theatrical) (re-issue)
Astor Pictures Corporation (1947) (United States) (tv)
Atlantic Television Corp. (1950) (United States) (tv)
Alpha Video Distributors (2004) (United States) (DVD)
Reel Media International (2004) (World-wide) (VHS)
Reel Media International (2007) (World-wide)
Penteo Films S.L. (2019) (World-wide) (restored HD)
ROKiT FLIX (2023) (United States)

Special Effects

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Other Companies

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International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) (acknowledgement)
Western Electric (mirrophonic sound recording)

Storyline

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Plot Summary	Danny and Hank are surprised when Artie Shaw hires competent manager Ellen away from their college band. The two trumpet players scheme to get into Shaw's outfit themselves, each trying to trump the other's plays. Written by Diana Hamilton Plot Summary
Plot Keywords	ballroom-dancing playing-trumpet band-leader playing-clarinet tapping-foot-to-the-beat See All (27) »
Taglines	They're the tip-tops in toe-taps! (Print Ad- Evening Star, ((Washington, DC)) 28 January 1941) See more »
Genres	Comedy Musical Romance
Parents Guide	Add content advisory for parents »
Certification	Argentina:Atp Australia:G Brazil:Livre Finland:S France:Tous publics Norway:7 (VOD) Norway:A (recommended rating) Norway:A (cinema rating) Sweden:15 United Kingdom:U United Kingdom:U (video rating) United States:Passed (Classified and Passed by) United States:Approved

Additional Details

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Also Known As	Swing Romance (France) Al fin solos (Spain) Romance en swing (Belgium, French title) Dans efter noter (Sweden) O Par Ideal (Portugal) See more »
Runtime	84 min
Country	United States
Language	English
Color	Black and White
Aspect Ratio	1.37 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix	Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)
Filming Locations	Occidental College - 1600 Campus Road, Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, California, USA See more »

Did You Know?

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Trivia	Fred Astaire would later refer to this as the worst film he ever made. Artie Shaw confided that it put him off film acting. See more »
Goofs	(at around 3 mins) Danny's chair suddenly jumps to immediately (and intimately) next to Ellen's left side at the table. See more »
Movie Connections	Edited into Second Chorus (2022). See more »
Soundtracks	Would You Like to Be the Love of My Life See more »
Crazy Credits	Opening credits prologue: A UNIVERSITY IN NEW ENGLAND See more »
Quotes	Lester Chisholm: [in a fake Russian accent] Vas good. Danny O'Neill: Vas good? Vas per-fect. See more »

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