The story of the successful Tin Pan Alley songwriting team of Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby is told loosely and lightheartedly.
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Title: Three Little Words (1950)
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Fred Astaire | ... | Bert Kalmar | |
| Red Skelton | ... | Harry Ruby | |
| Vera-Ellen | ... | Jessie Brown Kalmar | |
| Arlene Dahl | ... | Eileen Percy | |
| Keenan Wynn | ... | Charlie Kope | |
| Gale Robbins | ... | Terry Lordel | |
| Gloria DeHaven | ... | Mrs. Carter De Haven (as Gloria De Haven) | |
| Phil Regan | ... | Phil Regan | |
| Harry Shannon | ... | Clanahan | |
| Debbie Reynolds | ... | Helen Kane | |
| Paul Harvey | ... | Al Masters | |
| Carleton Carpenter | ... | Dan Healy | |
 |
George Metkovich | ... | Al Schacht |
|
|
Harry Mendoza | ... | The Great Mendoza (as The Great Mendoza) |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
Song-and-dance man Bert Kalmar can't continue his stage career after an injury for a while, so he has to earn his money as a lyricist. Perchance he meets composer Harry Ruby and their first song is a hit. Ruby gets Kalmar to marry is former partner Jessie Brown, and Kalmar and Jessie prevent Ruby from getting married to the wrong girls. But due to the fact that Ruby has caused a backer's withdrawal for a Kalmar play, they end their relation. Written by Stephan Eichenberg <eichenbe@fak-cbg.tu-muenchen.de>
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
12 July 1950 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Drei kleine Worte See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$1,470,000 (estimated)Gross USA:
$2,800,000Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)Color:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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Written by Harry Ruby, Bert Kalmar
Sung by Fred Astaire (later by Red Skelton)
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Did You Know?
Goofs
When Astaire, Wynn, and Skelton are talking about the play never being produced, there are several pictures of M.G.M. stars on the wall. First, from left to right, is Judy Garland, then Spencer Tracy, then Katharine Hepburn, and another I could not identify. The time period in the movie was at that point during the mid 1930s, but those photos were all from the late 1940s. See more »Quotes
Eileen Percy: [singing] I love you so much, I can't conceal it, / I love you so much, it's a wonder you don't feel it.See more »
Soundtracks
Three Little WordsWritten by Harry Ruby, Bert Kalmar
Sung by Fred Astaire (later by Red Skelton)
See more »
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This is my favorite of all Red Skelton's movies; he does a fine job as Ruby and his partnership with Kalmar, played by Fred Astaire who wrote many songs back in the 1920s and 30s. Of course, the music is grand and the dancing of Astaire and Vera-Ellen is most enjoyable. And the beautiful Arlene Dahl is the wife of Red. I thought she was more gorgeous than Rita Hayworth. Of particular note, a cute little blonde got her start in films as the voice of that Betty Boop girl, Helen Kane. She was Debbie Reynolds who sang "I Want to be Loved By You". Lots of the good old songs!