''My Best Gal'' is a 1944 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
Anthony Mann and written by
Olive Cooper and
Earl Felton. The film stars
Jane Withers
Jane Withers (April 12, 1926 – August 7, 2021) was an American actress and children's radio show host. She became one of the most popular child stars in Hollywood in the 1930s and early 1940s, with her films ranking in the top ten list for ...
,
Jimmy Lydon
James Joseph Lydon (May 30, 1923 – March 9, 2022) was an American actor and television producer whose career in the entertainment industry began as a teenager during the 1930s.
Early life
Lydon was born in Harrington Park, New Jersey on May 3 ...
,
Frank Craven
Frank Craven (August 24, 1875September 1, 1945) was an American stage and film actor, playwright, and screenwriter, best known for originating the role of the Stage Manager in Thornton Wilder's ''Our Town''.
Early years
Craven's parents, John T ...
,
Fortunio Bonanova
Fortunio Bonanova, pseudonym of Josep Lluís Moll, (13 January 1895 – 2 April 1969) was a Spanish baritone singer and a film, theater, and television actor. He occasionally worked as a producer and director.
According to Lluis Fàbregas Cuixar ...
,
George Cleveland
George Alan Cleveland (September 17, 1885 – July 15, 1957) was a Canadian film actor. He appeared in more than 180 films between 1930 and 1954.
Career
Cleveland was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. His first appearance on the stage ...
and
Franklin Pangborn
Franklin Pangborn (January 23, 1889 – July 20, 1958) was an American comedic character actor famous for playing small but memorable roles with comic flair. He appeared in many Preston Sturges movies as well as the W. C. Fields films '' Interna ...
.
The film was released on March 28, 1944, by
Republic Pictures.
Plot
Kitty O'Hara (Jane Withers) has a good singing voice but will have nothing to do with trying to use it in the theatre or on the radio. She and her grandfather, Danny O'Hara (Frank Craven), and ex-vaudeville hoofer, work in a Broadway drug store, rendezvous of young aspiring actors and performers, Danny and his friend Johnny McCloud (Jimmy Lydon), embryo writer of musicals, conspire to have Kitty's voice auditioned by a radio man. Her anger at discovering she's been tricked subsides when Johnny's induction notice into the U.S. Army arrives, and she tries to interest Broadway producer Ralph Hodges (George Cleveland) in Johnny's musical show. It is auditioned, using the talents of all young unknown performers, and Hodges wants to buy it, but without the youthful talent. Johnny rejects the offer until Danny becomes ill and needs an expensive operation, which Johnny secretly uses the money from selling his show to Hodgs. Kitty and his friends think Johnny has betrayed them.
Cast
*
Jane Withers
Jane Withers (April 12, 1926 – August 7, 2021) was an American actress and children's radio show host. She became one of the most popular child stars in Hollywood in the 1930s and early 1940s, with her films ranking in the top ten list for ...
as Kitty O'Hara
*
Jimmy Lydon
James Joseph Lydon (May 30, 1923 – March 9, 2022) was an American actor and television producer whose career in the entertainment industry began as a teenager during the 1930s.
Early life
Lydon was born in Harrington Park, New Jersey on May 3 ...
as Johnny McCloud
*
Frank Craven
Frank Craven (August 24, 1875September 1, 1945) was an American stage and film actor, playwright, and screenwriter, best known for originating the role of the Stage Manager in Thornton Wilder's ''Our Town''.
Early years
Craven's parents, John T ...
as Danny O'Hara
*
Fortunio Bonanova
Fortunio Bonanova, pseudonym of Josep Lluís Moll, (13 January 1895 – 2 April 1969) was a Spanish baritone singer and a film, theater, and television actor. He occasionally worked as a producer and director.
According to Lluis Fàbregas Cuixar ...
as Charlie
*
George Cleveland
George Alan Cleveland (September 17, 1885 – July 15, 1957) was a Canadian film actor. He appeared in more than 180 films between 1930 and 1954.
Career
Cleveland was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. His first appearance on the stage ...
as Ralph Hodges
*
Franklin Pangborn
Franklin Pangborn (January 23, 1889 – July 20, 1958) was an American comedic character actor famous for playing small but memorable roles with comic flair. He appeared in many Preston Sturges movies as well as the W. C. Fields films '' Interna ...
as Mr. Porter
*Mary Newton as Miss Simpson
*Jack Boyle as Freddy
References
External links
*
1944 films
1940s English-language films
American comedy films
1944 comedy films
Republic Pictures films
Films directed by Anthony Mann
American black-and-white films
1940s American films
{{1940s-comedy-film-stub