''Shine on Harvest Moon'', starring Ann Sheridan and Dennis Morgan, is a 1944 musical– biographical film of the

vaudeville 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 ...

team of Nora Bayes and

Jack Norworth John Godfrey Knauff (January 5, 1879 – September 1, 1959), known professionally as Jack Norworth, was an American songwriter, singer and vaudeville performer. Biography Norworth is credited as writer of a number of Tin Pan Alley hits. He wr ...

who wrote the popular song "

Shine On, Harvest Moon "Shine On, Harvest Moon" is a popular early-1900s song credited to the married vaudeville team Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth. It was one of a series of moon-related Tin Pan Alley songs of the era. The song was debuted by Bayes and Norworth in the Z ...

". The film was directed by David Butler. Ann Sheridan's singing voice was dubbed by Lynn Martin (the second and last time in her film career).

Plot

Cast

* Ann Sheridan as Nora Bayes (singing voice was dubbed by Lynn Martin) * Dennis Morgan as Jack Norworth *

Jack Carson John Elmer Carson (October 27, 1910 – January 2, 1963) was a Canadian-born American film actor. Carson often played the role of comedic friend in films of the 1940s and 1950s, including ''The Strawberry Blonde'' (1941) with James Cagney and ...

as The Great Georgetti *

Irene Manning Irene Manning (born Inez Harvuot, July 17, 1912 – May 28, 2004) was an American actress and singer. Biography Manning was born as Inez Harvuot on July 17, 1912 in Cincinnati, Ohio, one of five siblings. Both of her parents were singers. Her fa ...

as Blanche Mallory * S. Z. Sakall as Poppa Carl * Marie Wilson as Margie *

Robert Shayne Robert Shayne (born Robert Shaen Dawe, October 4, 1900 – November 29, 1992) was an American actor whose career lasted for over 60 years. He was best known for portraying Inspector Bill Henderson in the American television series '' Adven ...

as Dan Costello *Bob Murphy as Police Sergeant *

The Four Step Brothers The Four Step Brothers were an American dance group. The group started out as a trio in 1925, with the original members, Maceo Anderson, Al Williams and Red Walker. Although their original name was the ''Step Brothers,'' because that was also th ...

as Dance Team

Musical numbers

1. "Overture" - Played by Orchestra behind titles.
2. "Shine On, Harvest Moon / Daisy / In My Merry Oldsmobile" - Sung by Chorus.
3. "San Antonio" - Sung and Danced by Irene Manning.
4. "Be My Little Baby Bumble Bee" - Sung by Irene Manning.
5. "My Own United States" - Sung by Ann Sheridan (dubbed by Lynn Martin) and Chorus, Danced by Chorus.
6. "Time Waits for No One" - Sung by Ann Sheridan (dubbed by Lynn Martin).
7. "It Looks Like a Big Night Tonight" - Sung and Danced by Bob Murphy, Jack Carson, Dennis Morgan, Ann Sheridan (dubbed by Lynn Martin) and Chorus.
8. "Time Waits for No One" (reprise) - Sung by Ann Sheridan (dubbed by Lynn Martin).
9. "We're Doing Our Best / Don't Let the Rainy Days Get You" - Sung and Danced by Ann Sheridan (dubbed by Lynn Martin) and Irene Manning.
10. "How Can They Tell That I'm Irish" - Sung and Danced by Ann Sheridan (dubbed by Lynn Martin).
11. "Shine On, Harvest Moon" - Sung by Dennis Morgan and Ann Sheridan (dubbed by Lynn Martin).
12. "When It's Apple Blossom Time in Normandy / Take Me Out to the Ball Game / I've Got a Garden in Sweden / Breezin' Along with the Breeze / Who's Your Honey Lamb" - Sung by Dennis Morgan and Ann Sheridan (dubbed by Lynn Martin).
13. "So Dumb But So Beautiful" - Sung by Jack Carson and Marie Wilson and danced by The Ashburns.
14. "Shine On, Harvest Moon" (reprise) - Sung by Dennis Morgan.
15. "Thank You for the Dance" - Sung and Danced by Irene Manning and Chorus.
16. "Every Little Movement (Has a Meaning of Its Own)" - Sung by Irene Manning.
17. "I Go for You" - Sung by Dennis Morgan and Ann Sheridan (dubbed by Lynn Martin).
18. "Just Like a Gypsy" - Sung by Ann Sheridan (dubbed by Lynn Martin).
19. "Just Like a Gypsy" (reprise) - Sung by Phyllis Kennedy.
20. Finale (in Technicolor): 1. "Shine On, Harvest Moon" - Sung by Dennis Morgan and Ann Sheridan (dubbed by Lynn Martin).
2. "Time Waits for No One" - Sung by Dennis Morgan and Chorus.
3. "So Dumb But So Beautiful" - Sung by Jack Carson and Marie Wilson.
4. "Shine On, Harvest Moon" - Sung by Chorus and Danced by The Four Step Brothers.
5. "Shine On, Harvest Moon" - Sung by Dennis Morgan, Ann Sheridan (dubbed by Lynn Martin) and Chorus.

Reception

Critical review

Bosley Crowther of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' wrote: "What is done in the name of biography in the Warner Brothers' 'Shine on Harvest Moon' is something which shouldn't be done to a burglar—let alone to the memory of the late Nora Bayes. For this musical film in which that lady and her second husband, Jack Norworth, are supposedly represented in their joint and devoted careers is no more veracious to the real thing than if it were a story of Alice Faye. It is simply another of those musicals which dig back into the past for a score of nostalgic ditties and some old-time vaudeville atmosphere; a film in which a songsmith falls in love with a honky-tonk girl and sticks with her through trials and tribulations until they finally emerge together on top. And if anyone goes expecting to see Ann Sheridan play Nora Bayes, or Dennis Morgan play Jack Norworth, this is to make it understood that you will not."

Box office

According to Warner Bros records the film earned $2,557,000 domestically and $1,149,000 foreign.

References

External links

* * * {{David Butler 1944 films 1940s biographical films American biographical films American musical films Biographical films about singers Films directed by David Butler Films set in the 1900s Warner Bros. films Films scored by Heinz Roemheld Cultural depictions of pop musicians 1944 musical films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films