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IMDbPro

Birth of the Blues

  • 19411941
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 27m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
414
YOUR RATING
Bing Crosby, Brian Donlevy, Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson, Carolyn Lee, and Mary Martin in Birth of the Blues (1941)
  • History
  • Music
  • Romance
Jeff grows up near Basin Street in New Orleans, playing his clarinet with the dock workers. He puts together a band, the Basin Street Hot-Shots, which includes a cornet player, Memphis. They... Read allJeff grows up near Basin Street in New Orleans, playing his clarinet with the dock workers. He puts together a band, the Basin Street Hot-Shots, which includes a cornet player, Memphis. They struggle to get their jazz music accepted by the cafe society of the city. Betty Lou join... Read allJeff grows up near Basin Street in New Orleans, playing his clarinet with the dock workers. He puts together a band, the Basin Street Hot-Shots, which includes a cornet player, Memphis. They struggle to get their jazz music accepted by the cafe society of the city. Betty Lou joins their band as a singer and gets Louie to show her how to do scat singing. Memphis and Je... Read all
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
414
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Victor Schertzinger
  • Writers
    • Harry Tugend(story)
    • Walter DeLeon
    • Erwin Gelsey(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Bing Crosby
    • Mary Martin
    • Brian Donlevy
Top credits
  • Director
    • Victor Schertzinger
  • Writers
    • Harry Tugend(story)
    • Walter DeLeon
    • Erwin Gelsey(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Bing Crosby
    • Mary Martin
    • Brian Donlevy
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 13User reviews
    • 7Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 1 win & 1 nomination total

    Photos31

    Bing Crosby, Brian Donlevy, Carolyn Lee, and Mary Martin in Birth of the Blues (1941)
    Bing Crosby, Brian Donlevy, and Mary Martin in Birth of the Blues (1941)
    Bing Crosby and Brian Donlevy in Birth of the Blues (1941)
    Bing Crosby, Brian Donlevy, and Mary Martin in Birth of the Blues (1941)
    Bing Crosby and Mary Martin in Birth of the Blues (1941)
    Bing Crosby and Mary Martin in Birth of the Blues (1941)
    Tommy Dorsey in Birth of the Blues (1941)
    Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson and Ruby Elzy in Birth of the Blues (1941)
    Ronnie Cosby in Birth of the Blues (1941)
    Birth of the Blues (1941)
    Mary Martin in Birth of the Blues (1941)
    Louis Armstrong in Birth of the Blues (1941)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bing Crosby
    Bing Crosby
    • Jeff Lambert
    Mary Martin
    Mary Martin
    • Betty Lou Cobb
    Brian Donlevy
    Brian Donlevy
    • Memphis
    Carolyn Lee
    Carolyn Lee
    • Aunt Phoebe Cobb
    Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson
    Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson
    • Louey
    • (as Rochester)
    J. Carrol Naish
    J. Carrol Naish
    • Blackie
    Warren Hymer
    Warren Hymer
    • Limpy
    Horace McMahon
    Horace McMahon
    • Wolf
    • (as Horace MacMahon)
    Ruby Elzy
    • Ruby
    Jack Teagarden
    Jack Teagarden
    • Pepper
    Danny Beck
    • Deek
    Harry Barris
    Harry Barris
    • Suds
    Perry Botkin Sr.
    Perry Botkin Sr.
    • Leo
    • (as Perry Botkin)
    Minor Watson
    Minor Watson
    • Henri Lambert
    Harry Rosenthal
    Harry Rosenthal
    • Piano Player
    Donald Kerr
    • Skeeter, Barbershop Musician
    Barbara Pepper
    Barbara Pepper
    • Maizie
    Cecil Kellaway
    Cecil Kellaway
    • Granet
    • Director
      • Victor Schertzinger
    • Writers
      • Harry Tugend(story)
      • Walter DeLeon
      • Erwin Gelsey(uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Though the movie is in black and white, in one scene, when Bing Crosby is singing "By the Light of the Silvery Moon" in a movie theater, a slide show being projected behind him is in full color, though Bing is still in black and white.
    • Connections
      Features The Golden Princess (1925)
    • Soundtracks
      The Birth of the Blues
      (uncredited)

      Music by Ray Henderson

      Lyrics by Buddy G. DeSylva and Lew Brown

      Performed by Bing Crosby

    User reviews13

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Jazz lovers will love it
    Jazz lovers, go out and rent Birth of the Blues; even if you don't like old movies, it might become one of your favorites. Loosely based on real events, Bing Crosby plays someone who, despite his classical training, has jazz in his veins and insists on playing a new kind of music. When no one wants to listen to it, he forms a band with Brian Donlevy and Mary Martin and starts touring, forcing everyone to listen to it!

    Cute little tidbits included in the screenplay will make jazz historians chuckle, like when one band member breaks his bow and is forced to improvise by plucking the bass fiddle with his fingers. Fans of the original jazz and blues movement will enjoy seeing Jack Teagarden perform, as well as Eddie "Rochester" Anderson enjoying a pretty big part as Bing's loyal friend.

    I'm not the biggest fan of jazz, but I thought this movie was adorable. It's light and fluffy, with only a little smidge of drama, unlike some musical biopics. With "Melancholy Baby", "After the Ball" and the title song, there are tons of toe-tapping numbers to get immersed in. A new song was written for the film, "The Waiter, the Porter, and the Upstairs Maid", and for me, it was particularly fun to watch. I'd heard the song a million times on my Bing Crosby Greatest Hits CD but never knew what movie it came from!
    helpful•0
    1
    • HotToastyRag
    • Nov 16, 2018

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 7, 1941 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Swingens födelse
    • Filming locations
      • Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $857,283 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 27 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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