Reveille with Beverly
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Reveille with Beverly | |
|---|---|
 Newspaper advertisement | |
| Directed by | Charles Barton |
| Written by | Howard J. Green Jack Henley Albert Duffy |
| Based on | Reveille with Beverly 1941-44 radio show by Jean Ruth[1] |
| Produced by | Sam White |
| Starring | Ann Miller William Wright Dick Purcell |
| Cinematography | Philip Tannura |
| Edited by | James Sweeney |
| Music by | John Leipold |
Production company | Columbia Pictures |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures Corporation |
Release date |
|
Running time | 78 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $40,000 (estimated) |
| Box office | $2,100,000 (USA) |
Reveille with Beverly is a 1943 American musical film starring Ann Miller, Franklin Pangborn, and Larry Parks directed by Charles Barton, released by Columbia Pictures, based on the Reveille with Beverly radio show hosted by Jean Ruth.[2] It is also the name of the subsequent soundtrack album.
The film featured a number of notable guest appearances by such important big band era musicians as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, The Mills Brothers, Bob Crosby, Freddie Slack, and Ella Mae Morse.
In his narration for the 1977 documentary film Life Goes to War, Johnny Carson remarked that while he was stationed on Guam during World War II, he had "memorized the entire score—and most of the dialogue—of Reveille with Beverly".
Beverly Ross wants to be a radio personality, but has to run the switchboard at a local station. The blustery station owner Mr. Kennedy wants no part of programming the "jive that she loves", preferring the classics.[3] She sends the pompous early-morning personality Vernon Lewis away for a vacation, so she can transform his dull classical-music program into a jive session. She invites suggestions and requests, and is swamped by mail from soldiers. She now devotes her show to the military, and the program becomes a success as "Reveille with Beverly." Much of the film consists of musical numbers, visually representing the records she plays. The thin storyline connecting the songs concerns itself with Beverly and Lewis vying for control of the show, resulting in Beverly constantly leaving and returning to her old job at a record store.
Cast
- Ann Miller as Beverly Ross
- William Wright as Barry Lang
- Dick Purcell as Andy Adams
- Franklin Pangborn as Vernon Lewis
- Tim Ryan as Mr. Kennedy
- Larry Parks as Eddie Ross
- Barbara Brown as Mrs. Beverly Ross
- Douglas Leavitt as Mr. Ross
- Adele Mara as Evelyn Ross
- Walter Sande as Pvt. Puckett, aka Canvasback
- Wally Vernon as Stomp McCoy
- Andrew Tombes as Mr. Smith, record-store owner
- Irene Ryan as Elsie (uncredited)
- Doodles Weaver as Elmer (uncredited)
- Bob Crosby Orchestra as themselves
- Freddie Slack and His Orchestra as themselves
- Ella Mae Morse as herself
- Duke Ellington Orchestra as themselves
- Frank Sinatra as himself
- The Mills Brothers as themselves
- The Radio Rogues as themselves/Specialty Act
- Count Basie as Orchestra Leader
- Wilson Benge as Watson (uncredited)
- Herbert Rawlinson as Announcer (uncredited)