''I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now'' is a 1947 American

historical History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some theorists categ ...

musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), 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 serv ...

directed by

Lloyd Bacon Lloyd Francis Bacon (December 4, 1889 – November 15, 1955) was an American screen, stage, and vaudeville actor and film director. As a director, he made films in numerous genres, including westerns, musicals, comedies, gangster films, and c ...

and starring

June Haver June Haver (born Beverly June Stovenour; June 10, 1926 – July 4, 2005) was an American film actress, singer and dancer. Once groomed by 20th Century Fox to be "the next Betty Grable," Haver appeared in a string of Musical film, musicals, but sh ...

, Mark Stevens and

Martha Stewart Martha Helen Stewart (, ; born August 3, 1941) is an American retail business woman, writer, and television personality. As the founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, focusing on home and hospitality, she gained success through a variety ...

. ''I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now'' is a biographical film about

Joseph E. Howard Joseph Edgar Howard (February 12, 1870May 19, 1961) was an American Broadway theatre, Broadway composer, lyricist, Libretto, librettist, and performer. A famed member of Tin Pan Alley along with wife and composer Ida Emerson as part of the song-w ...

, the "writer" of the popular song of the same title. Produced and distributed by

20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc., formerly 20th Century Fox, is an American film studio, film production and Film distributor, distribution company owned by the Walt Disney Studios (division), Walt Disney Studios, the film studios division of the ...

, it was shot in

Technicolor Technicolor is a family of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes. The first version, Process 1, was introduced in 1916, and improved versions followed over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black-and ...

Plot

Set in the turn of the 20th century, the film focuses on Joseph E. Howard, an aspiring

songwriter A songwriter is a person who creates musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music genre and film scoring. ...

who happily sells a song to performer Lulu Madison, who later takes sole credit for the writing. He angrily confronts her, but she distracts him by seducing him in her hotel suite. Thinking that she can use Joe's talent for her career, she invites him to serve as her personal piano player on her tour. He accepts her invitation and bids farewell to Katie, the young niece of his guardian John McCullem who reluctantly says goodbye. Over the following period, Joe grows to become a successful songwriter. Katie follows him to Philadelphia and joins the tour by lying, saying that her uncle has died. Katie's presence distracts Joe, much to Lulu's anger and jealousy. Although Lulu makes sure it obvious to Katie she is not happy about her presence, Katie remains unaffected and continues supporting Joe in his career, rather than working for Lulu. One evening, Lulu tries to cancel Joe's performance, and Katie responds by ruining Lulu's costume, thus making it possible for Joe to perform his latest song, which is received with wild applause. After being fired by Lulu, Joe and Katie form their own group, working for producers Karl and Kassel. However, Joe is later seduced by attractive performer Fritzi Barrington to work for her. They are successful, but their collaboration proves short-lived, as Fritzi's financial supporter, a flame from the past, is jealous of Joe's connection to her and withdraws. Joe and Fritzi are able to perform a show, though, and it proves to be a major success. They eventually make their debut on Broadway and work together for a while, until Fritzi retires to marry Martin Webb. Joe, feeling betrayed, blames Katie for scaring away Fritzi, as Katie is her understudy in the show. Sometime later, Joe finds out Katie is working under the stage name Pat O'Dare, performing 'I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now', an unpublished song by Joe. Katie is surprised to see him, and they eventually kiss each other.

Cast

as Katie McCullem * Mark Stevens as Joseph E. Howard *

as Lulu Madison *

Reginald Gardiner William Reginald Gardiner (27 February 1903 – 7 July 1980) was an English actor on the stage, in films and on television. Early years Gardiner was born in Wimbledon, England, and he was a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.Katz, ...

as Will Hough *

Lenore Aubert Lenore Aubert (born Eleonore Maria Leisner, April 18, 1913The book ''Women in Horror Films, 1940s'' says that Aubert was born "on April 18, 1913 (although 1918 was given in publicity)." – July 31, 1993) was a model and Hollywood actress best ...

as Fritzi Barrington *

William Frawley William Clement Frawley (February 26, 1887 – March 3, 1966) was an American vaudevillian and actor best known for playing landlord Fred Mertz in the sitcom ''I Love Lucy.'' Frawley also played "Bub" O'Casey during the first five seasons of t ...

as Jim Mason *

Gene Nelson Gene Nelson (born Leander Eugene Berg; March 24, 1920 – September 16, 1996) was an American actor, dancer, screenwriter, and director. Biography Nelson was born Eugene Leander Berg in Seattle, Washington. By 1924, he and his parents mov ...

as Tommy Yale * Truman Bradley as Martin Webb *

George Cleveland Grover "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 ...

as John McCullem

Production

The film's working title was ''Hello, My Baby'' after the Howard tune " Hello! Ma Baby". Producers Fred Finklehoffe and George Jessel worked on a screenplay on Joseph E. Howard's life for the first time between June and September 1945.

Darryl F. Zanuck Darryl Francis Zanuck (; September 5, 1902December 22, 1979) was an American film producer and studio executive; he earlier contributed stories for films starting in the silent era. Best known as a co-founder of 20th Century Fox, he played a ...

was unsatisfied and demanded rewrites. In October 1945, he advised the role of Katie be written into the film, with

already in mind. Originally,

Celeste Holm Celeste Holm (April 29, 1917 – July 15, 2012) was an American actress. Holm won an Academy Award for her performance in Elia Kazan's '' Gentleman's Agreement'' (1947), and was nominated for her roles in '' Come to the Stable'' (1949) and ''A ...

was set to play Lulu Madison. She later withdrew for maternity leave and was replaced by

. Furthermore, newcomer

Jean Peters Elizabeth Jean Peters (October 15, 1926 – October 13, 2000) was an American film actress. She was known as a star of 20th Century Fox in the late 1940s and early 1950s, and as the second wife of Howard Hughes. Although possibly best remembered ...

was cast in a role, supposing to play an "ugly duckling", supported by "artificial freckles and hornrimmed glasses".''Dunkirk Evening Observer'' - July 31, 1946, Dunkirk, New York. p.8 Although the role of Katie was written with June Haver in mind, it was initially offered to

Linda Darnell Linda Darnell (born Monetta Eloyse Darnell; October 16, 1923 – April 10, 1965) was an American actress. Darnell progressed from modelling as a child to acting in theatre and film. At the encouragement of her mother, she made her first film in ...

in July 1946, who rejected it, because she felt it was "ill-suited" for her.

References

External links

* * {{Lloyd Bacon 1947 films 1940s musical drama films 1940s romantic musical films American biographical films American musical drama films American romantic drama films American romantic musical films Films directed by Lloyd Bacon Films set in the 1890s Films set in the 1900s 20th Century Fox films 1947 drama films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films 1940s historical films American historical films English-language romantic musical films English-language musical drama films English-language historical films