''Tell It to a Star'' is a 1945 American

musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as breaks ...

directed by Frank McDonald, written by John K. Butler, and starring

Ruth Terry Ruth Mae Terry (born Ruth Mae McMahon, October 21, 1920 – March 11, 2016) was an American singer and actress in film and television from the 1930s to the 1960s. She claimed her stage name came from Walter Winchell, who combined the names ...

, Robert Livingston,

Alan Mowbray Alan Mowbray (born Alfred Ernest Allen; 18 August 1896 – 25 March 1969) was an English stage and film actor who found success in Hollywood. Early life Mowbray was born in London, England. He served with distinction in the British Army in W ...

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 ...

Isabel Randolph Isabel Randolph (December 4, 1889 – January 11, 1973) was an American character actress in radio and film from the 1940s through the 1960s and in television from the early 1950s to the middle 1960s. Early life She was born in 1889 in Chi ...

and Eddie Marr. It was released on August 16, 1945, by

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures Corporation (currently held under Melange Pictures, LLC) was an American motion picture production-distribution corporation in operation from 1935 to 1967, that was based in Los Angeles. It had studio facilities in Studio City an ...

Plot

Carol Lambert is a cigarette girl in a posh

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

hotel. A note is delivered to the resort's bandleader, Gene Ritchie, requesting that Carol get a chance to sing. Gene already has a singer, Mona St. Clair, so the note causes resentment and Carol is fired. Mrs. Whitmore, the hotel's owner, likes Carol and rehires her. Meantime, a con artist who calls himself "Colonel" Morgan turns up and, with partner Billy, begins scamming the hotel's guests. An embarrassed Carol tries to cover for him. Morgan uses his charms to persuade Mrs. Whitmore to let Carol sing. She's a great success, but when an irate Mona reveals that Morgan's a con man who has even promised to deliver a new benefactor for the band, the musicians walk out. Carol arranges an

all-female band An all-female band is a musical group in popular music that is exclusively composed of female musicians. This is distinct from a girl group, in which the female members are solely vocalists, though this terminology is not universally followed. While ...

for Gene and it's a hit. She and Gene hit it off, too.

Cast

as Carol Lambert * Robert Livingston as Gene Ritchie *

as Colonel Ambrose Morgan *

as Horace Lovelace *

as Mrs. Arnold Whitmore *Eddie Marr as Billy Sheehan *

Lorna Gray Virginia Pound (July 26, 1917 – April 30, 2017), known professionally as Lorna Gray and (after 1945) Adrian Booth, was an American film actress known for her comic roles, and later as a villainess. She is best known for her roles in Columb ...

as Mona St. Clair *

Frank Orth Frank Orth (February 21, 1880 – March 17, 1962) was an American actor born in Philadelphia. He is probably best remembered for his portrayal of Inspector Faraday in the 1951-1953 television series '' Boston Blackie''. Career By 1897, Ort ...

as Augustus T. Goodman * Tom Dugan as Ed Smith *

George Chandler George Chandler (June 30, 1898 – June 10, 1985) was an American actor who starred in over 140 feature films, usually in smaller supporting roles, and he is perhaps best known for playing the character of Uncle Petrie Martin on the televi ...

as Al Marx * Mary McCarty as Miss Dobson *

William B. Davidson William Beatman Davidson (June 16, 1888 – September 28, 1947) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 300 films between 1915 and 1947. Early life Davidson was born in Dobbs Ferry, New York. He attended Columbia University, w ...

as Brannigan *

Aurora Miranda Aurora Miranda da Cunha Richaid (20 April 1915 – 22 December 2005) was a Brazilian singer and actress. She began her career at the age of 18 in 1933. Miranda appeared in several films, including ''The Three Caballeros'', where she danced with ...

as Specialty Act

References

External links

* 1945 films 1940s English-language films American musical films 1945 musical films Republic Pictures films Films directed by Frank McDonald American black-and-white films 1940s American films {{musical-film-stub