I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now (film)
Encyclopedia
I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now is a 1947
musical film
in Technicolor
, directed by Lloyd Bacon
, and starring June Haver
and Mark Stevens
. I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now is a biograpical film about Joseph E. Howard, the writer of the popular song of the same title
.
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later, Joe finds out Katie is working under the stage name Pat O'Dare, performing 'I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now', an unpublished song by Joe.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.
worked on a screenplay on Joseph E. Howard's life for the first time between June and September 1945. However, Darryl F. Zanuck
was unsatisfied and demanded for rewrites. In October 1945, he advised the role of Katie be written into the film, with June Haver
already in mind.
Originally, Celeste Holm
was set to play Lulu Madison. She later withdrew for maternity leave and was replaced by Martha Stewart
. Furthermore, newcomer Jean Peters
was cast in a role, supposing to play an "ugly duckling", supported by "artificial freckles and hornrimmed glasses". Although the role of Katie was written with June Haver in mind, it was initially offered to Linda Darnell
in July 1946, who rejected it, because she felt it was "ill-suited" for her.
1947 in film
The year 1947 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*May 22 - Great Expectations is premiered in New York.*November 24 : The United States House of Representatives of the 80th Congress voted 346 to 17 to approve citations for contempt of Congress against the "Hollywood Ten".*November 25...
musical film
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
in Technicolor
Technicolor
Technicolor is a color motion picture process invented in 1916 and improved over several decades.It was the second major process, after Britain's Kinemacolor, and the most widely used color process in Hollywood from 1922 to 1952...
, directed by Lloyd Bacon
Lloyd Bacon
Lloyd Francis Bacon was a screen, stage, and vaudeville actor and film director.-Life:Bacon was born in San Jose California, the son of actor Frank Bacon, later the co-author and star of the long running Broadway show 'Lightnin' , and Jennie Bacon. He was not related to actor Irving Bacon whom he...
, and starring June Haver
June Haver
June Haver , was an American film actress. She is most well known as a popular star of 20th Century-Fox musicals in the late 1940s, most notably The Dolly Sisters with Betty Grable and John Payne and also for playing the 1920s Broadway actress Marilyn Miller in Look for the Silver Lining...
and Mark Stevens
Mark Stevens (actor)
-Career:Born Richard William Stevens in Cleveland, Ohio, he first studied to become a painter before becoming active in theater work. He then launched a radio career as an announcer in Akron, Ohio....
. I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now is a biograpical film about Joseph E. Howard, the writer of the popular song of the same title
I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now
"I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now" is a popular song. The music was written by Joseph E. Howard and Harold Orlob, the lyrics by Will M. Hough and Frank R. Adams. The song was published in 1909...
.
Plot
Set in the turn of the 20th century, the film focuses on Joseph E. Howard, an aspiring songwriterSongwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
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
- June HaverJune HaverJune Haver , was an American film actress. She is most well known as a popular star of 20th Century-Fox musicals in the late 1940s, most notably The Dolly Sisters with Betty Grable and John Payne and also for playing the 1920s Broadway actress Marilyn Miller in Look for the Silver Lining...
as Katie - Mark StevensMark Stevens (actor)-Career:Born Richard William Stevens in Cleveland, Ohio, he first studied to become a painter before becoming active in theater work. He then launched a radio career as an announcer in Akron, Ohio....
as Joseph E. 'Joe' Howard - Martha StewartMartha Stewart (actor)Martha Stewart is an American actress.-Filmography:-Film:*Surf Party *Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick *Convicted *In a Lonely Place *Are You with It? *Daisy Kenyon...
as Lulu Madison - Reginald GardinerReginald GardinerReginald Gardiner was an English-born actor in film and television and a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in Britain. His parents wanted him to be an architect and he studied at it but he wanted to be an actor and eventually got his way.He started as a super on stage and eventually...
as Will Hough - Lenore Aubert as Fritzi Barrington
- William FrawleyWilliam FrawleyWilliam Clement "Bill" Frawley was an American stage entertainer, screen and television actor. Although Frawley acted in over 100 films, he achieved his greatest fame playing landlord Fred Mertz for the situation comedy I Love Lucy.-Early life:William was born to Michael A. Frawley and Mary E....
as Jim Mason - Gene NelsonGene NelsonGene Nelson was an American dancer, actor, screenwriter, and director.-Biography:Born Leander Eugene Berg in Astoria, Oregon, he moved to Seattle when he was one year old. He was inspired to become a dancer by watching Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers films when he was a child...
as Tommy Yale - Truman BradleyTruman Bradley (actor)Truman Bradley was an actor and narrator in radio, television and film.Bradley began his career in the 1930s as a radio broadcaster. With a voice well-suited for that medium, his career evolved into voice acting and narration. He was the host of the 1950s TV series Science Fiction Theater...
as Martin Webb - George ClevelandGeorge ClevelandGeorge Alan Cleveland was a Canadian film actor. He appeared in over 180 films between 1933 and 1954.-Career:...
as John McCullem
Production
The film's working title was Hello, My Baby. Producers Fred Finklehoffe and George JesselGeorge Jessel (actor)
George Albert Jessel was an American illustrated song "model," actor, singer, songwriter, and Academy Award-winning movie producer. He was famous in his lifetime as a multitalented comedic entertainer, achieving a level of recognition that transcended his limited roles in movies...
worked on a screenplay on Joseph E. Howard's life for the first time between June and September 1945. However, Darryl F. Zanuck
Darryl F. Zanuck
Darryl Francis Zanuck was an American producer, writer, actor, director and studio executive who played a major part in the Hollywood studio system as one of its longest survivors...
was unsatisfied and demanded for rewrites. In October 1945, he advised the role of Katie be written into the film, with June Haver
June Haver
June Haver , was an American film actress. She is most well known as a popular star of 20th Century-Fox musicals in the late 1940s, most notably The Dolly Sisters with Betty Grable and John Payne and also for playing the 1920s Broadway actress Marilyn Miller in Look for the Silver Lining...
already in mind.
Originally, Celeste Holm
Celeste Holm
Celeste Holm is an American stage, film, and television actress, known for her Academy Award-winning performance in Gentleman's Agreement , as well as for her Oscar-nominated performances in Come to the Stable and All About Eve...
was set to play Lulu Madison. She later withdrew for maternity leave and was replaced by Martha Stewart
Martha Stewart (actor)
Martha Stewart is an American actress.-Filmography:-Film:*Surf Party *Aaron Slick from Punkin Crick *Convicted *In a Lonely Place *Are You with It? *Daisy Kenyon...
. Furthermore, newcomer Jean Peters
Jean Peters
Jean Peters was an American actress, known as a star of 20th Century Fox in the late 1940s and early 1950s and as the second wife of Howard Hughes...
was cast in a role, supposing to play an "ugly duckling", supported by "artificial freckles and hornrimmed glasses". Although the role of Katie was written with June Haver in mind, it was initially offered to Linda Darnell
Linda Darnell
Linda Darnell was an American film actress.Darnell was a model as a child, and progressed to theater and film acting as an adolescent. At the encouragement of her mother, she made her first film in 1939, and appeared in supporting roles in big budget films for 20th Century Fox throughout the 1940s...
in July 1946, who rejected it, because she felt it was "ill-suited" for her.