State Fair (1945 film)
Encyclopedia
State Fair is a 1945 film directed by Walter Lang
. The film a musical adaptation of the 1933 film of the same name, with original music by Rodgers and Hammerstein
. The film starred Jeanne Crain
, Dana Andrews
, Dick Haymes
, Vivian Blaine
, Fay Bainter
and Charles Winninger
. State Fair was remade
in 1962, that time starring Pat Boone and Ann-Margret.
State Fair was the only Rodgers and Hammerstein musical written directly for film. The movie introduced such popular songs as "It's A Grand Night For Singing" and "It Might As Well Be Spring", which won the Academy Award for Best Song. In 1996 it was adapted for a Broadway musical of the same name
, with additional songs taken from other Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals.
- each with their own hopes for the trip. Mother Melissa (Fay Bainter
) hopes her pickles and mincemeat will beat a rival's. Father Abel (Charles Winninger
) is bringing his prize boar, Blue Boy, to show. Their son Wayne (Dick Haymes
) has a lesson to teach to one of the game barkers, and is upset when his girl can't go to the fair this year. And Margy (Jeanne Crain
) just wants something to pull her out of her melancholy mood, as portrayed in the song, "It Might as Well Be Spring
".
All members of the family have their own adventures in store during their days at the fair, returning to the family camper each evening with their own thoughts and secrets. Margy spends her days and evenings with newspaper writer Pat (Dana Andrews
)... will he be the change she's looking for? Wayne woos singer Emily (Vivian Blaine
); how will that affect his relationship with the girl back home?
was the focus of a 1982 episode of the television series M*A*S*H, in which the characters, having heard about the controversy surrounding that film, attempt to get a copy shipped to their mobile hospital in Korea, but ultimately get State Fair instead. Actor Harry Morgan
, who played Sherman T. Potter for much of M*A*S*Hs run, appears in State Fair as a carnival barker.
Walter Lang
Walter Lang was an American film director.-Early life:Walter Lang was born in Memphis, Tennessee. As a young man he went to New York City where he found clerical work at a film production company. The business piqued his artistic instincts and he began learning the various facets of filmmaking...
. The film a musical adaptation of the 1933 film of the same name, with original music by Rodgers and Hammerstein
Rodgers and Hammerstein
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II were a well-known American songwriting duo, usually referred to as Rodgers and Hammerstein. They created a string of popular Broadway musicals in the 1940s and 1950s during what is considered the golden age of the medium...
. The film starred Jeanne Crain
Jeanne Crain
Jeanne Elizabeth Crain was an American actress.-Early life:Crain was born in Barstow, California, to George A. Crain, a school teacher, and Loretta Carr; she was of Irish heritage on her mother's side, and of English and distant French descent on her father's...
, Dana Andrews
Dana Andrews
Dana Andrews was an American film actor. He was one of Hollywood's major stars of the 1940s, and continued acting, though generally in less prestigious roles, into the 1980s.-Early life:...
, Dick Haymes
Dick Haymes
Richard Benjamin "Dick" Haymes was an Argentine actor and one of the most popular male vocalists of the 1940s and early 1950s. He was the older brother of Bob Haymes, who was an actor, television host, and songwriter....
, Vivian Blaine
Vivian Blaine
Vivian Blaine was an American actress and singer best known for originating the role of Miss Adelaide in the musical theater production Guys and Dolls.-Life and career:...
, Fay Bainter
Fay Bainter
Fay Okell Bainter was an American film and stage actress.-Early life:She was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Charles F. Bainter and Mary Okell. In 1910, she was a traveling stage actress...
and Charles Winninger
Charles Winninger
Charles Winninger was an American stage and film actor, most often cast in comedies or musicals, but equally at home in drama.-Biography:He began as a vaudeville actor...
. State Fair was remade
State Fair (1962 film)
State Fair is a 1962 film directed by José Ferrer. The film is a remake of the 1933 and 1945 films of the same name.It was considered to be a financially and critically unsuccessful film. It starred Pat Boone, Bobby Darin, Ann-Margret, Tom Ewell, Pamela Tiffin and Alice Faye.Richard Rodgers wrote...
in 1962, that time starring Pat Boone and Ann-Margret.
State Fair was the only Rodgers and Hammerstein musical written directly for film. The movie introduced such popular songs as "It's A Grand Night For Singing" and "It Might As Well Be Spring", which won the Academy Award for Best Song. In 1996 it was adapted for a Broadway musical of the same name
State Fair (musical)
State Fair is a musical with a book by Tom Briggs and Louis Mattioli, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and music by Richard Rodgers.Rodgers and Hammerstein originally adapted the Phil Stong novel of the same name for a 1945 movie musical, which was remade in 1962...
, with additional songs taken from other Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals.
Songs
- "Our State Fair"
- "It Might as Well Be SpringIt Might as Well Be Spring"It Might as Well Be Spring" is a song from the 1945 film, State Fair. With music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, it won the Academy Award for Best Original Song that year. State Fair was the only original film score by Rodgers and Hammerstein. In the film the song was...
" - "That's for MeThat's for MeThe music was written by Richard Rodgers, the lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. The song was published in 1945. It was included in the 1945 version of the musical film State Fair.Recordings were made by Jo Stafford and Dick Haymes....
" - "Isn't It Kind of Fun?"
- "It's A Grand Night For Singing"
- "All I Owe Ioway"
Plot
The Frake family heads off for the Iowa State FairIowa State Fair
The Iowa State Fair is an annual state fair held in Des Moines, Iowa.The 2011 Iowa State Fair was held August 11–21 and marked 100 years of the butter cow sculpture.-History:...
- each with their own hopes for the trip. Mother Melissa (Fay Bainter
Fay Bainter
Fay Okell Bainter was an American film and stage actress.-Early life:She was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Charles F. Bainter and Mary Okell. In 1910, she was a traveling stage actress...
) hopes her pickles and mincemeat will beat a rival's. Father Abel (Charles Winninger
Charles Winninger
Charles Winninger was an American stage and film actor, most often cast in comedies or musicals, but equally at home in drama.-Biography:He began as a vaudeville actor...
) is bringing his prize boar, Blue Boy, to show. Their son Wayne (Dick Haymes
Dick Haymes
Richard Benjamin "Dick" Haymes was an Argentine actor and one of the most popular male vocalists of the 1940s and early 1950s. He was the older brother of Bob Haymes, who was an actor, television host, and songwriter....
) has a lesson to teach to one of the game barkers, and is upset when his girl can't go to the fair this year. And Margy (Jeanne Crain
Jeanne Crain
Jeanne Elizabeth Crain was an American actress.-Early life:Crain was born in Barstow, California, to George A. Crain, a school teacher, and Loretta Carr; she was of Irish heritage on her mother's side, and of English and distant French descent on her father's...
) just wants something to pull her out of her melancholy mood, as portrayed in the song, "It Might as Well Be Spring
It Might as Well Be Spring
"It Might as Well Be Spring" is a song from the 1945 film, State Fair. With music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, it won the Academy Award for Best Original Song that year. State Fair was the only original film score by Rodgers and Hammerstein. In the film the song was...
".
All members of the family have their own adventures in store during their days at the fair, returning to the family camper each evening with their own thoughts and secrets. Margy spends her days and evenings with newspaper writer Pat (Dana Andrews
Dana Andrews
Dana Andrews was an American film actor. He was one of Hollywood's major stars of the 1940s, and continued acting, though generally in less prestigious roles, into the 1980s.-Early life:...
)... will he be the change she's looking for? Wayne woos singer Emily (Vivian Blaine
Vivian Blaine
Vivian Blaine was an American actress and singer best known for originating the role of Miss Adelaide in the musical theater production Guys and Dolls.-Life and career:...
); how will that affect his relationship with the girl back home?
Cast
- Jeanne CrainJeanne CrainJeanne Elizabeth Crain was an American actress.-Early life:Crain was born in Barstow, California, to George A. Crain, a school teacher, and Loretta Carr; she was of Irish heritage on her mother's side, and of English and distant French descent on her father's...
as Margy Frake - Dana AndrewsDana AndrewsDana Andrews was an American film actor. He was one of Hollywood's major stars of the 1940s, and continued acting, though generally in less prestigious roles, into the 1980s.-Early life:...
as Pat Gilbert - Dick HaymesDick HaymesRichard Benjamin "Dick" Haymes was an Argentine actor and one of the most popular male vocalists of the 1940s and early 1950s. He was the older brother of Bob Haymes, who was an actor, television host, and songwriter....
as Wayne Frake - Vivian BlaineVivian BlaineVivian Blaine was an American actress and singer best known for originating the role of Miss Adelaide in the musical theater production Guys and Dolls.-Life and career:...
as Emily Edwards - Charles WinningerCharles WinningerCharles Winninger was an American stage and film actor, most often cast in comedies or musicals, but equally at home in drama.-Biography:He began as a vaudeville actor...
as Abel Frake - Fay BainterFay BainterFay Okell Bainter was an American film and stage actress.-Early life:She was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Charles F. Bainter and Mary Okell. In 1910, she was a traveling stage actress...
as Melissa "Ma" Frake - Donald MeekDonald MeekDonald Meek was a Scottish-born American character actor. He first worked as a stage actor and later became a film actor, starring in several movies including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Little Miss Broadway, and State Fair. Before becoming an actor, he fought in the Spanish-American War and...
as Mr. Hippenstahl, the pickle and mincemeat judge. - Frank McHughFrank McHughFrancis Curray "Frank" McHugh was an American film and television actor.Born in Homestead, Pennsylvania, McHugh came from a theatrical family. His parents ran a stock theatre company and as a young child he performed on stage...
as McGee, a song plugger. He wants Emily to sing a song he's promoting, and becomes a buddy to a lovelorn Wayne after using him to get the song to Emily. - Percy KilbridePercy KilbridePercy W. Kilbride was an American character actor. The son of Irish immigrants, he made a career of playing country hicks, most memorably as Pa Kettle in the Ma and Pa Kettle series of feature films.-Career:...
as Dave Miller - Harry MorganHarry MorganHarry Morgan is an American actor. Morgan is well-known for his roles as Colonel Sherman T. Potter on M*A*S*H , Pete Porter on both Pete and Gladys and December Bride , Detective Bill Gannon on Dragnet , and Amos Coogan on Hec Ramsey...
as a carnival barker against whom Wayne has a grudge.
Singers
Dick Haymes and Vivian Blain were well known big band singers of the time who did their own singing. Jeanne Crain's singing voice was dubbed by Louanne Hogan.In popular culture
The film The Moon Is BlueThe Moon Is Blue
The Moon Is Blue is a 1953 American comedy film produced and directed by Otto Preminger. The screenplay by F. Hugh Herbert, based on his 1951 play of the same title, focuses on a young woman who meets an architect on the observation deck of the Empire State Building and quickly turns his life...
was the focus of a 1982 episode of the television series M*A*S*H, in which the characters, having heard about the controversy surrounding that film, attempt to get a copy shipped to their mobile hospital in Korea, but ultimately get State Fair instead. Actor Harry Morgan
Harry Morgan
Harry Morgan is an American actor. Morgan is well-known for his roles as Colonel Sherman T. Potter on M*A*S*H , Pete Porter on both Pete and Gladys and December Bride , Detective Bill Gannon on Dragnet , and Amos Coogan on Hec Ramsey...
, who played Sherman T. Potter for much of M*A*S*Hs run, appears in State Fair as a carnival barker.