''I'll Get By'' is a 1950 American

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

musical film directed by Richard Sale, and starring

June Haver June Haver (born Beverly June Stovenour, June 10, 1926 – July 4, 2005) was an American film actress, singer, and dancer. Once groomed by 20th Century Fox to be "the next Betty Grable", Haver appeared in a string of musicals, but she never achie ...

Gloria DeHaven Gloria Mildred DeHaven (July 23, 1925 – July 30, 2016) was an American actress and singer who was a contract star for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). Early life DeHaven was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of actor-director Carter De ...

and

William Lundigan William Paul Lundigan (June 12, 1914 – December 20, 1975) was an American film actor. His more than 125 films include '' Dodge City'' (1939), ''The Fighting 69th'' (1940), ''The Sea Hawk'' (1940), ''Santa Fe Trail'' (1940), '' Dishonored Lady ...

. This story follows themes explored in 1940's ''

Tin Pan Alley Tin Pan Alley was a collection of music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It originally referred to a specific place: West 28th Street ...

'', with updated characters and music. The plot revolves around songwriters and their struggles in the music industry.

Plot

Song plugger Bill Spencer runs into Liza Martin, literally. He slams a door into her accidentally while rushing to bring a new recording to Peter Pepper, an influential New York disc jockey. The record breaks. After he is fired, Bill opens his own music publishing business. He hires a secretary, Miss Murphy, and gains a partner in Freddy Lee, a young man from Texas, with whom he peddles a song that piano player Chester Dooley has written. They hear the singer Terry Martin is performing with trumpeter Harry James at a club, so they go there to pitch the song to her. Terry's sister is also in the act; she is Liza, the girl Bill once awkwardly met. Freddy annoys Terry but the girls like the song, "I'll Get By," and agree to record it. Before long, it and they become huge successes. But, before a benefit in Hollywood, when the actress Jeanne Crain asks to perform the song, Bill says no because he promised it to Liza, but behind his back, Freddy agrees to let the actress have it. A furious Liza leaves Bill and refuses to listen to his attempts to explain. The boys are drafted into the Marines, and when they report to a San Diego base, they run into Miss Murphy, who is now stationed there as an officer. After the boys ship out for duty, Miss Murphy goes out of her way to explain to Liza and Terry what happened with the song. The girls go on a USO show tour to the South Pacific where the guys have been sent, and all are reunited.

Cast

as Liza Martin *

as William Spencer *

as Terry Martin *

Dennis Day Dennis Day (born Owen Patrick Eugene McNulty; May 21, 1916 – June 22, 1988) was an American actor, comedian, and singer. He was of Irish descent. Early life Day was born and raised in the Throggs Neck section of the Bronx, New York City, the ...

as Freddy Lee *

Thelma Ritter Thelma Ritter (February 14, 1902 – February 5, 1969) was an American actress, best known for her comedic roles as working-class characters and her strong New York accent. She won the 1958 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, and received ...

as Miss Murphy *

Harry James Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was an American musician who is best known as a trumpet-playing band leader who led a big band from 1939 to 1946. He broke up his band for a short period in 1947 but shortly after he reorganized ...

as Harry James (himself) *

Jeanne Crain Jeanne Elizabeth Crain (May 25, 1925 – December 14, 2003) was an American actress. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her title role in '' Pinky'' (1949). She also starred in the films '' In the Meantime, Darling'' (194 ...

as Jeanne Crain (herself) *

Steve Allen Stephen Valentine Patrick William Allen (December 26, 1921 – October 30, 2000) was an American television personality, radio personality, musician, composer, actor, comedian, and writer. In 1954, he achieved national fame as the co-cre ...

as Peter Pepper *

Harry Antrim Harry Antrim (August 27, 1884 – January 18, 1967) was an American stage, film and television actor. Biography Antrim was born on August 27, 1884, in Chicago, Illinois. By 1906, he was working in vaudeville. During the early 1930s, he moved to ...

as Mr. Olinville * Danny Davenport as Chester Dooley *

Dan Dailey Daniel James Dailey Jr. (December 14, 1915 – October 16, 1978) was an American dancer and actor. He is best remembered for a series of popular musicals he made at 20th Century Fox such as '' Mother Wore Tights'' (1947). Biography Early life D ...

as Pvt. Dan Dailey (himself)

Awards

Lionel Newman Lionel Newman (January 4, 1916 – February 3, 1989) was an American conductor, pianist, and film and television composer. He won the Academy Award for Best Score of a Musical Picture for '' Hello Dolly!'' with Lennie Hayton in 1969. He ...

received a nomination for the 1951

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

in the category of Best Music, Scoring for this film.

References

External links

* * 1950 films 1950 musical comedy films 1950 romantic comedy films American romantic musical films American musical comedy films American romantic comedy films 20th Century Fox films Films directed by Richard Sale Films scored by Lionel Newman 1950s romantic musical films Films produced by William Perlberg 1950s English-language films 1950s American films {{romantic-musical-film-stub