''Sorority House'' is a 1939 American

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

starring

Anne Shirley Anne Shirley is a fictional character introduced in the 1908 novel '' Anne of Green Gables'' by L. M. Montgomery. Shirley is featured throughout the classic book series, which revolve around her life and family in 19th and 20th-century Prince Edw ...

and

James Ellison James Ellison may refer to: * James O. Ellison (1929–2014), U.S. federal judge * James T. Ellison (1862–1920s), New York gangster *James Ellison (actor) (1910–1993), American film actor *James Ellison (footballer, born 1901) (1901–1958), En ...

. The film was directed by

John Farrow John Villiers Farrow, KGCHS (10 February 190427 January 1963) was an Australian film director, producer, and screenwriter. Spending a considerable amount of his career in the United States, in 1942 he was nominated for the Academy Award for B ...

and based upon the

Mary Coyle Chase Mary Chase ( Mary Agnes McDonough Coyle; February 25, 1906 – October 20, 1981) was an American journalist, playwright and children's novelist, known primarily for writing the 1944 Broadway play '' Harvey'', which was adapted into the 1950 fi ...

play named ''Chi House''.Richard Jewell & Vernon Harbin, ''The RKO Story.'' New Rochelle, New York: Arlington House, 1982. p. 130.

Plot

Alice Fisher is the daughter of Lew Fisher, a grocery store owner. She is surprised when he reveals he has college money for her. Alice goes to a boarding house and becomes friends with roommates Dotty Spencer and Merle Scott. Dotty suggests Alice join a

sorority Fraternities and sororities are social organizations at colleges and universities in North America. Generally, membership in a fraternity or sorority is obtained as an undergraduate student, but continues thereafter for life. Some accept gradua ...

if she spikes up her looks and earns a few more bucks. Meanwhile, Alice falls in love with Bill Loomis, who is dating Neva Simpson. He asks Alice out for a date and recommends her for a sorority, stating she is actually rich but pretends not to be. When Alice writes her father a letter that she doesn't have the money for a sorority, he sells his store to a chain and receives the money. Bill and Alice soon fall in love resulting in conflicts, since Bill is still in a relationship with Neva.

Cast

as Alice Fisher *

as Bill Loomis *

Barbara Read Barbara French Read, also known as Barbara Reed, (December 29, 1917 – December 12, 1963) was a Canadian-American film actress of the 1930s and 1940s, who appeared in 21 films during her career. Early life Born Barbara French Read on Decembe ...

as Dotty Spencer *

Pamela Blake Pamela Blake (August 6, 1915 – October 6, 2009) was an American film actress who acted in almost 50 films. She is known primarily for her roles in western films and serials. Early years Blake was born in Oakland, California as Adele Pea ...

as Merle Scott (billed as Adele Pearce) * J. M. Kerrigan as Lew Fisher * Helen Wood as Madam President Martha Lanigan *

Doris Davenport Doris Davenport, also known as Doris Jordan (January 1, 1917 – June 18, 1980) was an American actress in movies of the 1930s and early 1940s. Early years Davenport was born in Moline, Illinois, and lived in Davenport, Iowa, before s ...

as Neva Simpson (billed as Doris Jordan) *

June Storey Mary June Storey (April 20, 1918 – December 18, 1991) was a Canadian-born American film actress who appeared in 45 films during the 1930s and 1940s. She was leading lady to cowboy singer Gene Autry in 10 films. Early years Storey was bor ...

as Norma Hancock *

Elisabeth Risdon Elisabeth Risdon (born Daisy Cartwright Risdon; 26 April 1887 – 20 December 1958) was an English film actress. She appeared in more than 140 films between 1913 and 1952. A beauty in her youth, she usually played in society parts. In later ...

as Mrs. Scott * Margaret Armstrong as Mrs. Pettingell Dawson *

Selmer Jackson Selmer Adolf Jackson (May 7, 1888 – March 30, 1971) was an American stage film and television actor. He appeared in nearly 400 films between 1921 and 1963. His name was sometimes spelled Selmar Jackson. Jackson was born in Lake Mills, Iowa an ...

as Mr. Grant *

Chill Wills Theodore Childress "Chill" Wills (July 18, 1902 – December 15, 1978) was an American actor and a singer in the Avalon Boys quartet. Early life Wills was born in Seagoville, Texas, on July 18, 1902. Career He was a performer from early chi ...

as Mr. Johnson

Production

Mary Coyle Chase wrote a play ''Chi House''. It had not been produced when RKO bought the screen rights in April 1938 as a vehicle for

. The film was originally going to star Shirley,

Lucille Ball Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Golden ...

and

Frances Mercer Frances Mercer (October 21, 1915 – November 12, 2000) was an American film actress. Biography She appeared in the films ''Vivacious Lady'', ''Blind Alibi'', '' Crime Ring'', ''Smashing the Rackets'', ''The Mad Miss Manton'', '' Annabel Take ...

. By August, the title was changed to ''Sorority House'' and

Dalton Trumbo James Dalton Trumbo (December 9, 1905 – September 10, 1976) was an American screenwriter who scripted many award-winning films, including ''Roman Holiday'' (1953), ''Exodus'', ''Spartacus'' (both 1960), and ''Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo'' (1944) ...

was writing the script. Ball and Mercer do not appear in the final film.

Tim Holt Charles John "Tim" Holt III (February 5, 1919 – February 15, 1973) was an American actor. He was a popular Western star during the 1940s and early 1950s, appearing in forty-six B westerns released by RKO Pictures. In a career spanning mo ...

was originally announced as male lead, intending to be reunited with Anne Shirley from ''Stella Dallas'' but this did not eventuate. The male lead was eventually played by James Ellison.

was assigned to direct and filming began 7 February 1939.

Veronica Lake Constance Frances Marie Ockelman (November 14, 1922 – July 7, 1973), known professionally as Veronica Lake, was an American film, stage, and television actress. Lake was best known for her femme fatale roles in film noirs with Alan Ladd ...

was cast in a small role, her first screen part. This was removed in the edit, but the experience encouraged Lake to pursue acting. ''Sorority House'' was a loose reworking of RKO's earlier ''

Finishing School A finishing school focuses on teaching young women social graces and upper-class cultural rites as a preparation for entry into society. The name reflects that it follows on from ordinary school and is intended to complete the education, wit ...

'' (1934). Scripted by

, who'd later get into hot water with the

House Un-American Activities Committee The House Committee on Un-American Activities (HCUA), popularly dubbed the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), was an investigative committee of the United States House of Representatives, created in 1938 to investigate alleged disloy ...

for another screenplay about a group of ladies living together, ''

Tender Comrade ''Tender Comrade'' is a 1943 black-and-white film released by RKO Radio Pictures, showing women on the home front living communally while their husbands are away at war. The film stars Ginger Rogers, Robert Ryan, Ruth Hussey, and Kim Hunter and ...

'' (1943). This film was later used by the same House committee as evidence of Dalton Trumbo spreading communist propaganda. Trumbo was subsequently blacklisted.

Proposed sequel

The film was described as a "surprise hit" and RKO announced plans to make a sequel with Shirley, Read and Ellison, mostly likely to be directed by Farrow, called ''Final Exams''. (This sequel was announced as early as April. However, no film resulted.

References

External links

* * * * {{John Farrow 1939 films 1939 romantic drama films American romantic drama films American black-and-white films Films scored by Roy Webb Films about fraternities and sororities American films based on plays Films directed by John Farrow Films with screenplays by Dalton Trumbo RKO Pictures films Films about fratricide and sororicide 1930s English-language films 1930s American films