Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)

The life of the renowned musical composer, playwright, actor, dancer, and singer George M. Cohan.

Director:

Michael Curtiz

Writers:

Robert Buckner (screen play), Edmund Joseph (screen play)

Stars:

James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston

Won 3 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Cagney	...	George M. Cohan
Joan Leslie	...	Mary
Walter Huston	...	Jerry Cohan
Richard Whorf	...	Sam Harris
Irene Manning	...	Fay Templeton
George Tobias	...	Dietz
Rosemary DeCamp	...	Nellie Cohan
Jeanne Cagney	...	Josie Cohan
Frances Langford	...	Singer - Nora
George Barbier	...	Erlanger
S.Z. Sakall	...	Schwab
Walter Catlett	...	Theatre Manager
Douglas Croft	...	George M. Cohan - As a Boy of 13
Eddie Foy Jr.	...	Eddie Foy
Minor Watson	...	Albee

Storyline

A musical portrait of composer/singer/dancer George M. Cohan. From his early days as a child-star in his family's vaudeville show up to the time of his comeback at which he received a medal from the president for his special contributions to the US, this is the life- story of George M. Cohan, who produced, directed, wrote and starred in his own musical shows for which he composed his famous songs.

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Plot Keywords:

singing | dancing | congressional gold medal | father son relationship | family act | 

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Taglines:

The Yankee Doodle Dandiest Entertainment of 'em all!

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Musical

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 June 1942 (USA)

Also Known As:

Yankee Doodle Dandy

Filming Locations:

New York Street, Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$11,800,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Yankee Doodle Dandy number in the movie was from Cohan's first successful Broadway production, "Little Johnny Jones", reputed to be the first American musical. It was based on events in the life of the American jockey Tod Sloan, who, in 1903, went to London to ride in the English Derby and was accused of throwing the race.

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Goofs

After Cohan's father Jerry dies, George M. Cohan is called the last of the Four Cohans. Actually, Cohan's mother, Helen, died in 1928. Jerry died in 1917 and Cohan's sister, Josie, died in 1916.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Critic #1: I call it a hit. What'll your review say?
Critic #2: I like it too, so I guess I'll pan it.

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Alternate Versions

Also available in a computer colorized version.

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Connections

Featured in MGM/UA Home Video Laserdisc Sampler (1990)

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Soundtracks

(I Wish I Was in) Dixie's Land
(1860) (uncredited)
Music by Daniel Decatur Emmett
Played as part of the "You're a Grand Old Flag" sequence

User Reviews

They don't make them like this anymore- and "Yankee Doodle Dandy" will make you sorry that they don't make them like this anymore

`Yankee Doodle Dandy' makes the viewer say, `They don't make them like that anymore.' The film is uplifting for its espousal of unabashed patriotism and its representation of America as a place in which a gifted performer like George M. Cohan could rise from vaudeville to Broadway. It is also moving for its reverence for the nineteenth late century theatre and early twentieth century Broadway: the sequence showing Cohan's successes of the 1920s commemorate the other musical and non musical hits of the decade as much as Cohan's. I was moved to tears by the ending showing the elderly Cohan joining in a World War II parade, a group of soldiers marching to `Over There' and being asked why he isn't singing, `Hey old-timer, don't you know this song?' `Yankee Doodle Dandy' is a celebration of Cohan's life and career -- a little sanitised perhaps, but still portraying his love for his family, his profession and his country. It isn't a museum piece but more of a picture from another era – and in a time when America is honoured by songs such as `Kick Ass USA' it's a valuable reminder of an age when people feeling their country under threat roused their nationalism by reminding themselves of what made them want to fight for it.