''Let's Go Collegiate'' is a 1941 American

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

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 ...

film directed by

Jean Yarbrough Jean Yarbrough (August 22, 1901 – August 2, 1975) was an American film director. Biography Jean Yarbrough was born in Marianna, Arkansas on August 22, 1901. He attended the University of the South located in Sewanee, Tennessee. In 1922 ...

and produced by

Monogram Pictures Monogram Pictures Corporation was an American film studio that produced mostly low-budget films between 1931 and 1953, when the firm completed a transition to the name Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. Monogram was among the smaller studios i ...

. It was released as ''Farewell to Fame'' in the United Kingdom.

Plot summary

Frankie (

Frankie Darro Frankie Darro (born Frank Johnson, Jr.; December 22, 1917 – December 25, 1976) was an American actor and later in his career a stuntman. He began his career as a child actor in silent films, progressed to lead roles and co-starring roles ...

) is the

coxswain The coxswain ( , or ) is the person in charge of a boat, particularly its navigation and steering. The etymology of the word gives a literal meaning of "boat servant" since it comes from ''cock'', referring to the cockboat, a type of ship's boat ...

on the rowing team at Rawley University. His friend Tad (

Jackie Moran Jackie Moran (January 26, 1923 – September 20, 1990) was an American movie actor who, between 1936 and 1946, appeared in over thirty films, primarily in teenage roles. Early life and Hollywood career A native of Mattoon, Illinois, Jo ...

) is a stroke on the crew, president of the Kappa Psi Delta fraternity, and leader of the campus swing band. Rawley's administrators are eagerly awaiting the arrival of renowned athletic star Bob Terry. Tad learns that Terry has been drafted to the army and will not be joining the crew, nor will he be attending the party welcoming him. Frankie and Tad don't have the hearts to tell their girlfriends Midge (

Gale Storm Josephine Owaissa Cottle (April 5, 1922 – June 27, 2009), known professionally as Gale Storm, was an American actress and singer. After a film career from 1940 to 1952, she starred in two popular television programs of the 1950s, '' My Litt ...

) and Bess (

Marcia Mae Jones Marcia Mae Jones (August 1, 1924 – September 2, 2007) was an American film and television actress whose prolific career spanned 57 years. Early years Jones was the youngest of four children born to actress Freda Jones. All three of her ...

), who have worked hard to prepare the party, and instead look for a replacement for Bob for the evening. They find truck driver Hercules "Herk" Bevans (

Frank Sully Francis Thomas Sullivan (June 17, 1908 December 17, 1975), known professionally as Frank Sully, was an American film actor. He appeared in over 240 films between 1934 and 1968. Today's audiences know him best as the dumb detective in the ''Bost ...

) loading a safe onto his truck singlehanded. After some convincing, Herk reluctantly accepts the offer to pose as Bob. Herk enjoys the party and flirts with both Bess and Midge, using guttersnipe slang in contrast to the actual students. He decides to stay on campus and join the team as "Bob Terry," despite his aversion to boats. Frankie cures Herk's nautical nausea with seasick pills. The fraternity gang of Frankie, Tad, Buck (

Keye Luke Keye Luke (, Cantonese Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Cant ...

), and Jeff (

Mantan Moreland Mantan Moreland (September 3, 1902 – September 28, 1973) was an American actor and comedian most popular in the 1930s and 1940s. He starred in numerous films. His daughter Marcella Moreland appeared as a child actress in several films. E ...

) work frantically behind the scenes to keep the fake Terry on the team. They coach him not to make social errors with his uncultured speech, and they tutor him in his homework so thoroughly that they themselves risk failing their college courses. Bess breaks up with Tad and lets him know that she is going to marry "Bob Terry." Midge breaks up with Frankie as well, giving the same reason. On the day of the regatta, Bess and Midge learn of their mutual engagement to Herk. During the race, Frankie runs out of seasick pills and gives Herk moth balls instead. This energizes Herk tremendously and the crew wins. After the race, Herk is arrested for bank robbery. Frankie and Tad reunite with their girlfriends, and explain that "Bob Terry" has been drafted. As Herk is led away, an announcer explains that Terry will be spending the next few years "in federal service."

Cast

as Frankie Monahan *

as Bess Martin *

as Tad *

as Buck Wing *

as Jeff *

as Hercules "Herk" Bevans *

as Midge *Billy Griffith as Prof. Whitaker *

Barton Yarborough William Barton Yarborough (October 2, 1900 – December 19, 1951) was an American actor who worked extensively in radio drama, primarily on the NBC Radio Network. He is famous for his roles in the Carlton E. Morse productions '' I Love a My ...

as Coach Walsh *

Frank Faylen Frank Faylen (born Charles Francis Ruf, December 8, 1905 – August 2, 1985) was an American film and television actor. Largely a bit player and character actor, he occasionally played more fleshed-out supporting roles during his forty-two ...

as Speed * Marguerite Whitten as Malvina *

Paul Maxey Paul Regan Maxey (March 15, 1907 – June 3, 1963) was an American actor. Born in Wheaton, Illinois, the rotund Maxey played character roles in films from 1937, notably as the composer Victor Herbert in ''Till the Clouds Roll By'' (1946) ...

as Bill Miller * Tristram Coffin as Slugger Wilson *Gene O'Donnell as Announcer *Jackie Moran's Band as Orchestra *Marvin Jones as Homer (uncredited)

Soundtrack

* Gale Storm - "Look What You've Done to Me" * Jackie Moran, Marcia Mae Jones, Mantan Moreland, and Marguerite Whitten - "Let's Do a Little Dreamin'" * Gale Storm - "Sweet Sixteen"

Reception

''Let's Go Collegiate'' received unusually good notices when first released. ''Motion Picture Herald'' raved, "This comedy with music, produced on a budget which wouldn't get the camera started on a so-called major lot, outstrips ost B picturesin point of freshness, spirit, liveliness, humor, and the essentials of entertainment generally... Millions have been spent on less worthwhile college plots with a fraction of the results obtained with this one."William R. Weaver in ''Motion Picture Herald'', Sept. 20, 1941, p. 274.

References

External links

* * * {{Jean Yarbrough 1941 films 1941 musical comedy films 1941 romantic comedy films American musical comedy films American romantic comedy films American romantic musical films American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films Films set in universities and colleges Rowing films Monogram Pictures films 1940s romantic musical films Films directed by Jean Yarbrough 1940s American films