''College Swing'', also known as ''Swing, Teacher, Swing'' in the U.K., is a 1938 American

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Raoul Walsh Raoul Walsh (born Albert Edward Walsh; March 11, 1887December 31, 1980) was an American film director, actor, founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), and the brother of silent cinema actor George Walsh. He wa ...

and starring

George Burns George Burns (born Nathan Birnbaum; January 20, 1896March 9, 1996) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer, and one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, radio, film, and television. His arched eyeb ...

Gracie Allen Grace Ethel Cecile Rosalie Allen (July 26, 1895 – August 27, 1964) was an American vaudevillian, singer, actress, and comedian who became internationally famous as the zany partner and comic foil of husband George Burns, her straight man, ap ...

, Martha Raye, and

Bob Hope Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...

. The supporting cast features Edward Everett Horton, Ben Blue,

Betty Grable Elizabeth Ruth Grable (December 18, 1916 – July 2, 1973) was an American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer. Her 42 films during the 1930s and 1940s grossed more than $100 million, and for 10 consecutive years (1942–1951) she p ...

Jackie Coogan John Leslie Coogan (October 26, 1914 – March 1, 1984) was an American actor and comedian who began his film career as a child actor in silent films. Coogan's role in Charlie Chaplin's film ''The Kid (1921 film), The Kid'' (1921) made him one o ...

, John Payne,

Robert Cummings Charles Clarence Robert Orville Cummings (June 9, 1910 – December 2, 1990) was an American film and television actor who appeared in roles in comedy films such as ''The Devil and Miss Jones'' (1941) and ''Princess O'Rourke'' (1943), and in d ...

, and Jerry Colonna.

Plot

It's 1738, and Gracie Alden of the powerful Alden family fails to graduate from the college founded by her grandfather for the ninth year in a row, so he leaves the institution in his will to the first female of the family to graduate within 200 years. At the deadline, in 1938, another Gracie Alden, the last girl of the line, is having trouble with her studies, so she hires fast-talking Bud Brady to help her. Her efforts are opposed by woman-hating professor Hubert Dash and his secretary George Jones, who don't want to see their beloved college fall into the hands of an empty-headed nit-wit like Gracie. When by hook and by crook Gracie manages to pass her exam and becomes the owner of the college, she does away with entrance exams, hires a bunch of incompetent but kooky teachers, and turns the place into a jumpin' jitterbugging joint complete with swing bands and remote radio broadcasts.

Cast

as ''George Jonas'' *

as ''Gracie Alden'' * Martha Raye as ''Mable'' *

as ''Bud Brady'' * Edward Everett Horton as ''Hubert Dash'' *Florence George as ''Ginna Ashburn'' * Ben Blue as ''Ben Volt'' *

as ''Betty'' *

as ''Jackie'' * John Payne as ''Martin Bates'' * Cecil Cunningham as ''Dean Sleet'' *

as ''Radio Announcer'' * Skinnay Ennis as ''Skinnay'' * Jerry Colonna as ''Prof. Yascha Koloski'' (uncredited) *The Slate Brothers as themselves *Robert Mitchell and St. Brendan's Choristers as themselves Cast notes: * Mary Livingstone, who became well known as the wife of

Jack Benny Jack Benny (born Benjamin Kubelsky; February 14, 1894 – December 26, 1974) was an American entertainer who evolved from a modest success as a violinist on the vaudeville circuit to one of the leading entertainers of the twentieth century with ...

, appears in a small uncredited part as an usherette. *Jackie Coogan and Betty Grable were married at the time they made this film together.

Production credits

- director * Lewis E. Gensler - producer *

Walter DeLeon Walter DeLeon (May 3, 1884 – August 1, 1947) was an American screenwriter and playwright. Biography Walter DeLeon was born on May 3, 1884, in Oakland, California. DeLeon made his playwright debut at Idora Park in Oakland. He wrote for ...

- screenplay * Francis Martin - screenplay * Frederick Hazlitt Brennan - adaptation * Ted Lesser - idea * Victor Milner - photography *

Hans Dreier Hans Dreier (August 21, 1885 – October 24, 1966) was a German motion picture art director. He was Paramount Pictures' supervising art director from 1927 until his retirement in 1950, when he was succeeded by Hal Pereira. Hans Dreier was born ...

- art direction * Ernst Fegté - art direction * LeRoy Stone - editor * Harold Lewis - sound recording * Howard Wilson - sound recording *

Edith Head Edith Claire Head (née Posener, October 28, 1897 – October 24, 1981) was an American film costume designer who won a record eight Academy Awards for Academy Award for Best Costume Design, Best Costume Design between 1949 and 1973, making he ...

- costumes * A. E. Freudeman - interior decorations *

LeRoy Prinz LeRoy Jerome Prinz (July 14, 1895 – September 15, 1983) was an American choreographer, director and producer, who was involved in the production of dozens of motion pictures, mainly for Paramount Pictures and Warner Brothers, from 1929 through ...

- staging dances * Boris Morros - musical direction * Arthur Franklin - musical adviser

Songs

*"The Old School Bell" - sung by Robert Mitchell and St. Brendan's Choristers *" Moments Like This" - by

Burton Lane Burton Lane ( Levy; February 2, 1912 – January 5, 1997) was an American composer and lyricist primarily known for his theatre and film scores. His most popular and successful works include '' Finian's Rainbow'' in 1947 and '' On a Clear Day Yo ...

(music) and

Frank Loesser Frank Henry Loesser ( "lesser"; June 29, 1910 – July 28, 1969) was an American songwriter who wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway theatre, Broadway musicals ''Guys and Dolls (musical), Guys and Dolls'' and ''How to Succeed in Business ...

(words), performed by Florence George *"I Fall in Love with You Every Day" - by Manning Sherwin (music) and Frank Loesser (words), performed by Florence George and John Payne *"College Swing" - by

Hoagy Carmichael Hoagland Howard "Hoagy" Carmichael (November 22, 1899 – December 27, 1981) was an American musician, composer, songwriter, actor, author and lawyer. Carmichael was one of the most successful Tin Pan Alley songwriters of the 1930s and 1940s, a ...

(music) and Frank Loesser (words), sung by

and Skinnay Ennis, danced by Betty Grable and

*"How'ja Like to Love Me?" - by Burton Lane (music) and Frank Loesser (words), performed by Martha Raye and

*"What Did Romeo Say To Juliet?" - by Burton Lane (music) and Frank Loesser (words), performed by John Payne and Florence George *"What a Rumba Does to Romance" - by Manning Sherwin (music) and Frank Loesser (lyrics), performed by Martha Raye with Ben Blue, danced by Betty Grable and Jackie Coogan,

and Gracie Allen, The Slate Brothers, and unidentified extras *"You're a Natural" - by Manning Sherwin (music) and Frank Loesser (lyrics), performed by Gracie Allen *"Irish Washerwoman" - traditional Irish jig, danced by Gracie Allen *"Please" - performed by Jerry Colonna.IMD
Soundtracks
/ref>

References

External links

* * {{Preston Sturges 1938 romantic comedy films 1938 films American black-and-white films American romantic comedy films Films directed by Raoul Walsh Films set in universities and colleges Films with songs by Burton Lane Paramount Pictures films 1930s American films 1930s English-language films English-language romantic comedy films