Sunny (1941 film)
Encyclopedia
Sunny is a 1941 film
American film directed by Herbert Wilcox
. It was adapted by Sig Herzig
from the Jerome Kern
-Oscar Hammerstein II
musical play Sunny
. It stars Anna Neagle
, Ray Bolger
, John Carroll
, Edward Everett Horton
, Grace Hartman
, Paul Hartman
, Frieda Inescort
, and Helen Westley
.
It is the second film version of the musical; the first was made in 1930.
1941 in film
The year 1941 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Citizen Kane, consistently rated as one of the greatest films of all time, was released in 1941.-Top grossing films :-Academy Awards:...
American film directed by Herbert Wilcox
Herbert Wilcox
Herbert Sydney Wilcox was a British film producer and director.-Early life:Wilcox's mother was from County Cork, Ireland, but he was born in Norwood and attended school in Brighton...
. It was adapted by Sig Herzig
Sig Herzig
Sig Herzig was an American screenwriter and playwright.Born Siegfried Maurice Herzig in New York City, Herzig began his career as the director of the comedy short Husband and Strife , but he switched gears to create plot lines for more than three dozen silent films...
from the Jerome Kern
Jerome Kern
Jerome David Kern was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over 100 stage works, including such classics as "Ol' Man River", "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man", "A...
-Oscar Hammerstein II
Oscar Hammerstein II
Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II was an American librettist, theatrical producer, and theatre director of musicals for almost forty years. Hammerstein won eight Tony Awards and was twice awarded an Academy Award for "Best Original Song". Many of his songs are standard repertoire for...
musical play Sunny
Sunny (musical)
Sunny is a musical with music by Jerome Kern and a libretto by Oscar Hammerstein II and Otto Harbach. The plot involves Sunny, the star of a circus act, who falls for a rich playboy, but comes in conflict with his snooty family...
. It stars Anna Neagle
Anna Neagle
Forming a professional alliance with Wilcox, Neagle played her first starring film role in the musical Goodnight Vienna , again with Jack Buchanan. With this film Neagle became an overnight favourite...
, Ray Bolger
Ray Bolger
Raymond Wallace "Ray" Bolger was an American entertainer of stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of the Scarecrow and Kansas farmworker Hank in The Wizard of Oz.-Early life:...
, John Carroll
John Carroll (actor)
John Carroll was an American actor and singer. He was born Julian Lafaye in New Orleans, Louisiana....
, Edward Everett Horton
Edward Everett Horton
Edward Everett Horton was an American character actor. He had a long career in film, theater, radio, television and voice work for animated cartoons. He is especially known for his work in the films of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.-Early life:Horton was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Isabella...
, Grace Hartman
Grace Hartman (actress)
Grace Hartman was an American stage and musical theatre actress...
, Paul Hartman
Paul Hartman
Paul Hartman was an American dancer, stage performer and television character actor.-Biography:Born in San Francisco, California, Hartman, like Fred Astaire, began performing as a dancer with his sister...
, Frieda Inescort
Frieda Inescort
Frieda Inescort was a Scottish-born actress best known for creating the role of Sorel Bliss in Noel Coward's play Hay Fever....
, and Helen Westley
Helen Westley
Helen Westley was an American character actress.-Career:Born as Henrietta Remsen Meserole Manney, Helen Westley was a member of the original board of the Theatre Guild, and appeared in many of their productions, among them Peer Gynt, and some of their productions of plays by George Bernard...
.
It is the second film version of the musical; the first was made in 1930.
Cast
- Anna NeagleAnna NeagleForming a professional alliance with Wilcox, Neagle played her first starring film role in the musical Goodnight Vienna , again with Jack Buchanan. With this film Neagle became an overnight favourite...
as Sunny O'Sullivan - Ray BolgerRay BolgerRaymond Wallace "Ray" Bolger was an American entertainer of stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of the Scarecrow and Kansas farmworker Hank in The Wizard of Oz.-Early life:...
as Bunny Billings - John CarrollJohn Carroll (actor)John Carroll was an American actor and singer. He was born Julian Lafaye in New Orleans, Louisiana....
as Larry Warren - Edward Everett HortonEdward Everett HortonEdward Everett Horton was an American character actor. He had a long career in film, theater, radio, television and voice work for animated cartoons. He is especially known for his work in the films of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.-Early life:Horton was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Isabella...
as Henry Bates - Grace HartmanGrace Hartman (actress)Grace Hartman was an American stage and musical theatre actress...
as Juliet Runnymede - Paul HartmanPaul HartmanPaul Hartman was an American dancer, stage performer and television character actor.-Biography:Born in San Francisco, California, Hartman, like Fred Astaire, began performing as a dancer with his sister...
as Egghead - Frieda InescortFrieda InescortFrieda Inescort was a Scottish-born actress best known for creating the role of Sorel Bliss in Noel Coward's play Hay Fever....
as Elizabeth Warren - Helen WestleyHelen WestleyHelen Westley was an American character actress.-Career:Born as Henrietta Remsen Meserole Manney, Helen Westley was a member of the original board of the Theatre Guild, and appeared in many of their productions, among them Peer Gynt, and some of their productions of plays by George Bernard...
as Aunt Barbara - Benny RubinBenny RubinBenny Rubin was an American comedian and film actor. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Rubin made more than 200 radio, film and television appearances over a span of 50 years.-Radio and television:...
as Maj. Montgomery Sloan - Muggins Davies as Muggins
- Richard Lane as Reporter
- Martha TiltonMartha TiltonMartha Tilton was an American popular singer, best-known for her 1939 recording of "And the Angels Sing" with Benny Goodman. She was sometimes introduced as The Liltin' Miss Tilton.Tilton and her family lived in Texas and Kansas, relocating to Los Angeles when she was seven years old...
as Queen of Hearts - Torben MeyerTorben MeyerTorben Emil Meyer was a Danish character actor who appeared in over 190 films in a 55-year career.-Early career:...
as Jean (head waiter)
Soundtrack
- Anna Neagle and John Carroll - "D'ye Love Me?" (Music by Jerome KernJerome KernJerome David Kern was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over 100 stage works, including such classics as "Ol' Man River", "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man", "A...
, lyrics by Otto A. Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein IIOscar Hammerstein IIOscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II was an American librettist, theatrical producer, and theatre director of musicals for almost forty years. Hammerstein won eight Tony Awards and was twice awarded an Academy Award for "Best Original Song". Many of his songs are standard repertoire for...
) - "Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms" (Music traditional, Lyrics by Thomas MooreThomas MooreThomas Moore was an Irish poet, singer, songwriter, and entertainer, now best remembered for the lyrics of The Minstrel Boy and The Last Rose of Summer. He was responsible, with John Murray, for burning Lord Byron's memoirs after his death...
) - Anna Neagle and Ray Bolger - "Jack Tar and Sam Gob"
- Martha Tilton and chorus - "The Lady Must Be Kissed"
- Danced by Ray Bolger - "Ringmaster"
- Anna Neagle - "Sunny" (Music by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Otto A. Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II)
- Danced by Grace Hartman and Paul Hartman - "Two Little Love Birds" (Music by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Otto A. Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II)
- Danced as "The Mohache"' by Grace Hartman and Paul Hartman - "Bolero" (Written by Maurice RavelMaurice RavelJoseph-Maurice Ravel was a French composer known especially for his melodies, orchestral and instrumental textures and effects...
) - Bolger also sung by Anna Neagle and John Carroll - "Who?" (Music by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Otto A. Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II)