Birth of the Blues
Strike Up The Band ! * Here comes happiness . . . in a merry medley of romance . . . and rhythm !
5.5 / 10
English / 87 min. / 1941-11-07
Storyline:
Jeff grows up near Basin Street in New Orleans, playing his clarinet with the dock workers. He puts together a band, the Basin Street Hot-Shots, which includes a cornet player, Memphis. They struggle to get their jazz music accepted by the cafe society of the city. Betty Lou joins their band as a singer and gets Louie to show her how to do scat singing. Memphis and Jeff both fall in love with Betty Lou.
Cast:
Bing Crosby
as Jeff Lambert
Mary Martin
as Betty Lou Cobb
Brian Donlevy
as Memphis
Carolyn Lee
as Aunt Phoebe Cobb
Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson
as Louey
J. Carrol Naish
as Blackie
Warren Hymer
as Limpy
Horace McMahon
as Wolf
Ruby Elzy
as Ruby
Jack Teagarden
as Pepper
Danny Beck
as Deek
Harry Barris
as Suds
Perry Botkin Sr.
as Leo
Minor Watson
as Henri Lambert
Harry Rosenthal
as Piano Player
Donald Kerr
as Skeeter, Barbershop Musician
Barbara Pepper
as Maizie
Cecil Kellaway
as Granet
Ronnie Cosby
as Jeff as a Boy
Ted Lewis
as Self (archive footage)
Duke Ellington
as Self (archive footage)
Louis Armstrong
as Self (archive footage)
Tommy Dorsey
as Self (archive footage)
Jimmy Dorsey
as Self (archive footage)
Benny Goodman
as Self (archive footage)
Paul Whiteman
as Self (archive footage)
Roscoe Ates
as Cab Driver (uncredited)
Charles Lane
as Wilbur - Bijou Theater Manager (uncredited)
Mantan Moreland
as Black Trumpet Player (uncredited)