''Las Vegas Nights'' is a 1941 American
comedy film
A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...
directed by
Ralph Murphy
Ralph Murphy (May 1, 1895 – February 10, 1967) was an American film and television director. Born in Rockville, Connecticut, Murphy was active in films from 1931 through 1962, with some work in television. From 1941 to 1944 he was married to ...
and written by
Ernest Pagano
Ernest S. Pagano (January 16, 1901 – April 29, 1953) was an American screenwriter. He began in showbusiness as a "gag-man" in silent films. He wrote for 66 films between 1927 and 1947. He was born in Florence, Colorado, and died in Los A ...
,
Harry Clork and Eddie Welch. The film stars
Phil Regan,
Bert Wheeler
Albert Jerome Wheeler (April 7, 1895 – January 18, 1968) was an American comedian who performed in Broadway theatre, American comedy feature films, and vaudeville acts. He was the comedy partner of Robert Woolsey, and together they formed ...
,
Constance Moore
Constance Moore (January 18, 1920 or January 18, 1921Additional on April 23, 2017. – September 16, 2005) was an American singer and actress. Her most noted work was in wartime musicals such as ''Show Business'' and ''Atlantic City'' and the ...
,
Virginia Dale
Virginia Dale (born Virginia Paxton; July 1, 1917 – October 3, 1994) was an American actress and dancer.
Biography
Dale was born in North Carolina. She was the daughter of Lula Helms Paxton, and she graduated from Central High School in Ch ...
, Lillian Cornell,
Betty Brewer
Virginia Luella Brewer (November 23 or January 17, 1920s – December 2, 2006), known professionally as Betty Brewer, was an American actress.
Brewer was born in Joplin, Missouri, however her date of birth is a cause for some dispute with some ...
and Hank Ladd. The film was released on March 28, 1941, by
Paramount Pictures.
This was
Frank Sinatra's film debut; he appears briefly with the
Tommy Dorsey
Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-toned trombo ...
Band singing "
I'll Never Smile Again
"I'll Never Smile Again" is a 1939 song written by Ruth Lowe. It has been recorded by many other artists since, becoming a standard.
The most successful and best-known million selling single version of the song was recorded by Tommy Dorsey an ...
".
Plot
In this musical,
vaudevillian
Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...
sisters Norma (
Constance Moore
Constance Moore (January 18, 1920 or January 18, 1921Additional on April 23, 2017. – September 16, 2005) was an American singer and actress. Her most noted work was in wartime musicals such as ''Show Business'' and ''Atlantic City'' and the ...
), Mildred (
Lillian Cornell
Lillian Cornell (born Lillian Michuda; June 2, 1916 - May 25, 2015) was an American singer on old-time radio and an actress in films in the early 1940s.
Early years
Cornell was born Lillian Michuda June 2, 1916, in Chicago. Her name was changed ...
), and Patsy (
Virginia Dale
Virginia Dale (born Virginia Paxton; July 1, 1917 – October 3, 1994) was an American actress and dancer.
Biography
Dale was born in North Carolina. She was the daughter of Lula Helms Paxton, and she graduated from Central High School in Ch ...
), along with Patsy's husband, Stu (
Bert Wheeler
Albert Jerome Wheeler (April 7, 1895 – January 18, 1968) was an American comedian who performed in Broadway theatre, American comedy feature films, and vaudeville acts. He was the comedy partner of Robert Woolsey, and together they formed ...
), come to
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
to turn an old building they inherited into a trendy nightclub. At a
casino
A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live entertai ...
, the sisters win a tidy sum to fund their
venture
Venture may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
Music
*The Ventures, an American instrumental rock band formed in 1958
*"A Venture", 1971 song by the band Yes
*''Venture'', a 2010 EP by AJR
Games
* ''Venture'' (video game), a 1981 arcade gam ...
, but Stu loses it just as quickly. While taking out loans, they get mixed up with a
scheming lawyer who wants their property for himself and they must fend him off to keep their new club running.
Cast
*
Phil Regan as Bill Stevens
*
Bert Wheeler
Albert Jerome Wheeler (April 7, 1895 – January 18, 1968) was an American comedian who performed in Broadway theatre, American comedy feature films, and vaudeville acts. He was the comedy partner of Robert Woolsey, and together they formed ...
as Stu Grant
*
Constance Moore
Constance Moore (January 18, 1920 or January 18, 1921Additional on April 23, 2017. – September 16, 2005) was an American singer and actress. Her most noted work was in wartime musicals such as ''Show Business'' and ''Atlantic City'' and the ...
as Norma Jennings
*
Virginia Dale
Virginia Dale (born Virginia Paxton; July 1, 1917 – October 3, 1994) was an American actress and dancer.
Biography
Dale was born in North Carolina. She was the daughter of Lula Helms Paxton, and she graduated from Central High School in Ch ...
as Patsy Grant
*
Lillian Cornell
Lillian Cornell (born Lillian Michuda; June 2, 1916 - May 25, 2015) was an American singer on old-time radio and an actress in films in the early 1940s.
Early years
Cornell was born Lillian Michuda June 2, 1916, in Chicago. Her name was changed ...
as Mildred Jennings
*
Betty Brewer
Virginia Luella Brewer (November 23 or January 17, 1920s – December 2, 2006), known professionally as Betty Brewer, was an American actress.
Brewer was born in Joplin, Missouri, however her date of birth is a cause for some dispute with some ...
as Katy
*Hank Ladd as Hank Bevis
*
Henry Kolker
Joseph Henry Kolker (November 13, 1874 ome sources 1870– July 15, 1947) was an American stage and film actor and director.
Early years
Kolker was born in Quincy, Illinois.
Career
Kolker, like fellow actors Richard Bennett and Robert Wa ...
as William Stevens Sr.
*Francetta Malloy as Gloria Stafford
*William 'Red' Donahue as 'Red' Donahue
*
Tommy Dorsey
Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-toned trombo ...
as Tommy Dorsey
*
Frank Sinatra as Singer
See also
*
List of films set in Las Vegas
This is a list of films set in Las Vegas.
See also
* List of films shot in Las Vegas
* List of television shows set in Las Vegas
References
{{reflist
Las Vegas
Films
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, ...
References
External links
*
1941 films
American comedy films
1941 comedy films
Paramount Pictures films
Films directed by Ralph Murphy
American black-and-white films
1940s English-language films
1940s American films
{{1940s-comedy-film-stub