Tin Pan Alley (1940). Musical. Cast Alice Faye, Betty Grable, John Payne and Jack Oakie.
In New York, in 1915, 46th Street and 8th Avenue was known as Tin Pan Alley, the headquarters for song publishers. That's where you will find vaudevillian Harry Calhoun and Skeets Harrigan. To help pay the rent, Skeets must fight in the boxing ring. They hire the Blane sisters to sing their songs and Katie loans Skeets the money to buy the tune that makes them a success. Skeets gives a well-known singer the song that he had promised to Katie, Katie heartbroken joins her sister Lily in her London act. In London, the sisters become a huge success while back in New York, Skeets and Calhoun's business fails and Skeets is forced to return to the boxing ring to pay their bills. When war is declared, the partners, enlist in the army and are sent overseas to London. Will they be reunited?
Fun Facts:
Before filming began, there was a feud between Faye and Grable, although the two actresses had never met. On the first day of production, the actresses quickly became lifelong friends. A similar incident happened with Grable and Marilyn Monroe while filming How to Marry a Millionaire. Like the earlier incident, the two actresses became friends.
Tyrone Power and Don Ameche were considered to play the leading roles in the film. Scheduling conflicts took them out and the roles went to Payne and Oakie.
Soundtrack:
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"Put on Your Old Grey Bonnet"
(1909) (uncredited)
Music by Percy Wenrich
Lyrics by Stanley Murphy
Played as background music during the opening credits
"Oh, You Beautiful Doll"
(1911) (uncredited)
Music by Nat Ayer
Lyrics by A. Seymour Brown
Played during the opening credits and sung by two unidentified women
Reprised by a nightclub orchestra for dancing
"Take Me Back to Melody Lane"
(uncredited)
Written by Dave Reed Jr.
Played during the opening credits and sung by an unidentified woman
"Any Little Girl, That's a Nice Little Girl, is the Right Little Girl For Me"
(1910) (uncredited)
Music by Fred Fisher
Lyrics by Thomas J. Gray
Played during the opening credits and sung by an unidentified man
"I Want a Girl (Just Like the Girl That Married Dear Old Dad)"
Music by Harry von Tilzer
Lyrics by William Dillon
Played on piano and clarinet during the opening credits and sung by two unidentified men
"The Darktown Strutters' Ball"
(1917) (uncredited)
Written by Shelton Brooks
Played as background music during the opening credits
Reprised by a nightclub band
Played as background music
"K-K-K-Katy"
(1918) (uncredited)
Written by Geoffrey O'Hara
Sung by Jack Oakie many times using different lyrics throughout picture and he finally comes up with original lyrics at the end
Sung and danced to by Alice Faye and Betty Grable with modified lyrics on stage
Used as background music occasionally
Sung by returning marching doughboys at the end
"You Say The Sweetest Things (Baby)"
(1940) (uncredited)
Music by Harry Warren
Lyrics by Mack Gordon
Played on piano by Elisha Cook Jr.
Sung by Jack Oakie, John Payne and Alice Faye and several unidentified groups
Reprised by Alice Faye and John Payne
Played as background music often
"Pretty Baby"
(1916) (uncredited)
Music by Tony Jackson and Egbert Van Alstyne
Lyrics by Gus Kahn
Played on piano as background music
"Moonlight Bay"
(1912) (uncredited)
Music by Percy Wenrich
Lyrics by Edward Madden
Sung by Alice Faye at a nightclub
"Honeysuckle Rose"
(1929) (uncredited)
Music by Fats Waller (as Thomas Waller)
Lyrics by Andy Razaf
Played on a hamonica by an unidentified inmate in jail
Sung and Danced to in a production number by Betty Grable and a male chorus
"Moonlight and Roses"
(1925) (uncredited)
Written by Edwin H. Lemare, Ben Black and Neil Moret
Sung and Danced to in a production number by Betty Grable
"America, I Love You"
(1915) (uncredited)
Music by Archie Gottler
Lyrics by Edgar Leslie
Played John Payne on piano and sung by Alice Faye;
Played and sung by Roberts Brothers, The Brian Sisters, and various unidentified performers.
Played as background music often
"Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile!"
(1915) (uncredited)
Music by Felix Powell
Lyrics by George Asaf
Played in a London nightclub
"Smiles"
(1917) (uncredited)
Music by Lee S. Roberts
Lyrics by J. Will Callahan
Played on piano in a London nightclub
"Good-Bye Broadway, Hello France"
(1917) (uncredited)
Music by Billy Baskette
Lyrics by C. Francis Reisner and Benny Davis
Played on piano by Elisha Cook Jr. and sung by Jack Oakie
Reprised by an army marching band
Played as background music
"Over There"
(1917) (uncredited)
Written by George M. Cohan
Played as background music as doughboys board the ship to London
Reprised as background music at the end of the war
"The Sheik of Araby"
(1921) (uncredited)
Music by Ted Snyder
Lyrics by Harry B. Smith and Francis Wheeler
Sung and danced by Billy Gilbert, Betty Grable, Alice Faye, Princess Vanessa Ammon,
Fayard Nicholas, Harold Nicholas, and chorus girls in London production number
"When You Wore a Tulip and I Wore a Big Red Rose"
(1914) (uncredited)
Music by Percy Wenrich
Lyrics by Jack Mahoney
"He'd Have to Get Under - Get Out and Get Under (To Fix Up His Automobile)"
(1913) (uncredited)
Music by Maurice Abrahams
Lyrics by Grant Clarke and Edgar Leslie
Filmed with Alice Faye singing in two scenes, but both scenes were cut in from the final print
