The Harvey Girls
Encyclopedia
The Harvey Girls is a 1946 MGM
musical film
based on a 1942 novel
by Samuel Hopkins Adams
about Fred Harvey's famous Harvey House
restaurants. Directed by George Sidney
, the film stars Judy Garland
, John Hodiak
, Angela Lansbury
, Virginia O'Brien
, Ray Bolger
, and Marjorie Main
. It won an Academy Award
for Best Song for "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
", written by Johnny Mercer
and Harry Warren
. The film was a product of the Arthur Freed
unit at MGM.
restaurants, travels on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad to the western town of Sandrock. On the trip, they meet Susan Bradley (Judy Garland
) who is traveling to the same town to marry the man whose beautiful letters she received when she answered a "lonely hearts" ad. Unfortunately, when she gets there, the man turns out to be an "old coot" who doesn't match up at all to her expectations – but he also doesn't want to get married as much as she doesn't want to marry him, so they agree to call it off. When she learns that the letters were written as a joke by someone else, the owner of the local saloon, Ned Trent (John Hodiak
), she confronts him and tells him off, in the process endearing herself to him.
Susan joins the Harvey Girls, and is soon their leader in fighting against the attempts by Trent's business partner, Judge Sam Purvis (Preston Foster
), to scare them off and the animosity of the dance hall girls/prostitutes, led by Em (Angela Lansbury
), who is in love with Trent and sees Susan as a rival. Trent comes to see the value of the Harvey House and other trappings of civilization, and tells Purvis to leave them alone, but Purvis continues with his campaign of intimidation, finally burning down the restaurant. Trent offers his saloon as a replacement, and Em and the dance hall girls leave town. Susan, thinking that Trent is leaving too, gets on the train, but Em, seeing that Susan loves Trent so much she's willing to give up everything for him, stops the train and points out Trent riding towards them on his horse. The film ends with their wedding in the desert, surrounded by the Harvey Girls.
Cast notes
, but Roger Edens
of the Arthur Freed unit decided after seeing the musical Oklahoma that the story should be reworked as MGM's western musical with Judy Garland as its star. Unfortunately, Garland wanted to work with Fred Astaire
on Yolanda and the Thief
, which was being directed by her husband at the time, Vincente Minelli, and was not interested in the part. Edens managed to convince her that the part in Yolanda wasn't big enough for her, and promised that Harvey Girls would be specifically created to showcase her talents.
Ann Sothern
and Lucille Ball
were supposed to have parts in the film at one point, and Edward Arnold
was scheduled to play Judge Purvis.
The Harvey Girls filmed from 12 January through 4 June 1945, a rather long production period. Studio filming was at MGM's Culver City studios, and location shooting took place at the Iverson Ranch in Victorville
, at Chatsworth near Los Angeles
, in Las Vegas, New Mexico
at the Castaneda Harvey House (a National and State Historic Landmark of New Mexico), and in Monument Valley
.
Although Angela Lansbury was a fine singer in her own right, her voice was considered unsuitable for the character she played, a low-down saloon singer, and as a result all of her singing in the film was dubbed by Virginia Rees. Cyd Charisse, who had her first speaking role in the film, also had her singing dubbed, by Marion Doenges.
Virginia O'Brien, a comic actress known for her deadpan style of singing, was pregnant at the time The Harvey Girls was filmed, and as a result some of her scripted scenes with Ray Bolger were never filmed, because her condition was becoming difficult to hide, while others that were filmed were cut from the final print. This accounts for O'Brien's and Bolger's characters more or less disappearing from the film after O'Brien sings "Wild Wild West". Bolger was burnt by steam during the filming of "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Sante Fe".
The Harvey Girls had its American release on 18 January 1946.
(music) and Johnny Mercer
:
By far the biggest hit from the score of The Harvey Girls was "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
". MGM released the song to record companies even before shooting was finished on the film, and it became an instant hit dominating the airwaves through the summer and fall of 1945, with versions by Bing Crosby
with Six Hits and a Miss, Judy Garland and the Merry Macs, the Tommy Dorsey
Orchestra with the Sentimentalists, and, the most popular, Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers. Mercer's version entered the Billboard charts on 5 July 1945, and stayed on it for 16 weeks, including seven straight weeks as #1 between 28 July and 8 September. Crosby's entered the charts on 19 July and stayed ten weeks, going as high as #4, while Dorsey's came on on 2 August and stayed for six weeks, peaking at #6. Garland's hit the Billboard #10 position on 20 September. The song was also number 1 on Your Hit Parade
for eight weeks running.
In shooting the number for the film, Garland reportedly did the entire song up to the tempo change in one take, twice.
Cut from the film were three other songs written by Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer for it: "March of the Doagies," "Hayride" and "My Intuition." "Doagies" was a production number featuring Judy Garland, and "My Intuition" was a duet for Garland and John Hodiak. Both of those number were filmed, while "Hayride", a duet for Garland and Ray Bolger was prerecorded but not filmed.
" won an Academy Award for Best Original Song
for Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer. In addition, Lennie Hayton
's score was nominated for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture, but did not win.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
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...
based on a 1942 novel
The Harvey Girls (novel)
The Harvey Girls is a novel published in 1942 by Samuel Hopkins Adams. In 1946 it was adapted for an MGM musical film starring Judy Garland....
by Samuel Hopkins Adams
Samuel Hopkins Adams
Samuel Hopkins Adams was an American writer, best known for his investigative journalism.-Biography:Adams was born in Dunkirk, New York...
about Fred Harvey's famous Harvey House
Harvey House
Harvey House may refer to:*One of many hotels of the Fred Harvey Company in the U.S. west, which include :*La Posada Hotel and Gardens, in Winslow, Arizona, a contributing property in NRHP-listed La Posada Historic District, in Navajo County...
restaurants. Directed by George Sidney
George Sidney
George Sidney was an American film director and film producer who worked primarily at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.-Career:...
, the film stars Judy Garland
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
, John Hodiak
John Hodiak
John Hodiak was an American actor who worked in radio and film.-Early life:He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of Walter Hodiak and Anna Pogorzelec . He was of Ukrainian and Polish descent...
, Angela Lansbury
Angela Lansbury
Angela Brigid Lansbury CBE is an English actress and singer in theatre, television and motion pictures, whose career has spanned eight decades and earned her more performance Tony Awards than any other individual , with five wins...
, Virginia O'Brien
Virginia O'Brien
Virginia Lee O'Brien was a popular American actress, singer, and radio personality known for her comedic roles in MGM musicals of the 1940s.-Life and career:...
, 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:...
, and Marjorie Main
Marjorie Main
Marjorie Main was an American character actress, mainly at MGM, perhaps best known for her role as Ma Kettle in a series of ten Ma and Pa Kettle movies.-Early life and career:...
. It won an Academy Award
Academy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
for Best Song for "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
"On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe" is a popular song which refers to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. It was written for the 1946 film, The Harvey Girls, where it was sung by Judy Garland. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song that year.The music was written by Harry...
", written by Johnny Mercer
Johnny Mercer
John Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others...
and Harry Warren
Harry Warren
Harry Warren was an American composer and lyricist. Warren was the first major American songwriter to write primarily for film. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song eleven times and won three Oscars for composing "Lullaby of Broadway", "You'll Never Know" and "On the Atchison,...
. The film was a product of the Arthur Freed
Arthur Freed
Arthur Freed was born Arthur Grossman in Charleston, South Carolina. He was a Jewish American lyricist and a Hollywood film producer.- Biography :Freed began his career as a song-plugger and pianist in Chicago...
unit at MGM.
Plot
A group of "Harvey Girls", new waitresses for Fred Harvey's pioneering chain of Harvey HouseHarvey House
Harvey House may refer to:*One of many hotels of the Fred Harvey Company in the U.S. west, which include :*La Posada Hotel and Gardens, in Winslow, Arizona, a contributing property in NRHP-listed La Posada Historic District, in Navajo County...
restaurants, travels on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad to the western town of Sandrock. On the trip, they meet Susan Bradley (Judy Garland
Judy Garland
Judy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
) who is traveling to the same town to marry the man whose beautiful letters she received when she answered a "lonely hearts" ad. Unfortunately, when she gets there, the man turns out to be an "old coot" who doesn't match up at all to her expectations – but he also doesn't want to get married as much as she doesn't want to marry him, so they agree to call it off. When she learns that the letters were written as a joke by someone else, the owner of the local saloon, Ned Trent (John Hodiak
John Hodiak
John Hodiak was an American actor who worked in radio and film.-Early life:He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of Walter Hodiak and Anna Pogorzelec . He was of Ukrainian and Polish descent...
), she confronts him and tells him off, in the process endearing herself to him.
Susan joins the Harvey Girls, and is soon their leader in fighting against the attempts by Trent's business partner, Judge Sam Purvis (Preston Foster
Preston Foster
Preston Foster was an American stage and film actor, and singer. Foster entered films in 1929 after appearing as a Broadway stage actor. He was appearing in Broadway plays as late as October 1931 when he acted in a play titled Two Seconds starring Edward J. Pawley...
), to scare them off and the animosity of the dance hall girls/prostitutes, led by Em (Angela Lansbury
Angela Lansbury
Angela Brigid Lansbury CBE is an English actress and singer in theatre, television and motion pictures, whose career has spanned eight decades and earned her more performance Tony Awards than any other individual , with five wins...
), who is in love with Trent and sees Susan as a rival. Trent comes to see the value of the Harvey House and other trappings of civilization, and tells Purvis to leave them alone, but Purvis continues with his campaign of intimidation, finally burning down the restaurant. Trent offers his saloon as a replacement, and Em and the dance hall girls leave town. Susan, thinking that Trent is leaving too, gets on the train, but Em, seeing that Susan loves Trent so much she's willing to give up everything for him, stops the train and points out Trent riding towards them on his horse. The film ends with their wedding in the desert, surrounded by the Harvey Girls.
Cast
- Judy GarlandJudy GarlandJudy Garland was an American actress and singer. Through a career that spanned 45 of her 47 years and for her renowned contralto voice, she attained international stardom as an actress in musical and dramatic roles, as a recording artist and on the concert stage...
as Susan Bradley - John HodiakJohn HodiakJohn Hodiak was an American actor who worked in radio and film.-Early life:He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of Walter Hodiak and Anna Pogorzelec . He was of Ukrainian and Polish descent...
as Ned Trent - 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 Chris Maule - Angela LansburyAngela LansburyAngela Brigid Lansbury CBE is an English actress and singer in theatre, television and motion pictures, whose career has spanned eight decades and earned her more performance Tony Awards than any other individual , with five wins...
as Em - Preston FosterPreston FosterPreston Foster was an American stage and film actor, and singer. Foster entered films in 1929 after appearing as a Broadway stage actor. He was appearing in Broadway plays as late as October 1931 when he acted in a play titled Two Seconds starring Edward J. Pawley...
as Judge Sam Purvis - Virginia O'BrienVirginia O'BrienVirginia Lee O'Brien was a popular American actress, singer, and radio personality known for her comedic roles in MGM musicals of the 1940s.-Life and career:...
as Alma - Kenny Baker as Terry O'Hara
- Marjorie MainMarjorie MainMarjorie Main was an American character actress, mainly at MGM, perhaps best known for her role as Ma Kettle in a series of ten Ma and Pa Kettle movies.-Early life and career:...
as Sonora Cassidy - Chill WillsChill WillsChill Theodore Wills was an American film actor, and a singer in the Avalon Boys Quartet.-Biography:Wills was born in Seagoville, Texas in 1902. He was a performer from early childhood, forming and leading the Avalon Boys singing group in the 1930s...
as H.H. Hartsey - Selena RoyleSelena RoyleSelena Royle was an American stage, television and film actress.-Early life and career:Born in New York City, Royle's parents were playwright Edwin Milton Royle and actress Selena Fetter . She had an older sister Josephine Fetter Royle . She turned to acting despite the objections of her parents...
as Miss Bliss - Cyd CharisseCyd CharisseCyd Charisse was an American actress and dancer.After recovering from polio as a child, and studying ballet, Charisse entered films in the 1940s...
as Deborah Andrews - Ruth Brady as Ethel
- Jack LambertJack Lambert (actor)Jack Lambert was an American character actor born in Yonkers, New York specializing in playing movie tough guys and heavies. Best known for playing the psychotic cat-loving, iron-hooked Steve "the Claw" Michael in Dick Tracy's Dilemma.Following a stint on Broadway, Lambert moved to Hollywood and...
as Marty Peters - Edward EarleEdward EarleEdward Earle was a Canadian film actor. He appeared in almost 400 films between 1914 and 1956.He was born in Toronto and died in Los Angeles, California, aged 90.-Selected filmography:* The Purple Dress...
as Jed Adams - Morris AnkrumMorris AnkrumMorris Ankrum was an American radio, television and film character actor.-Early life:Born Morris Nussbaum in Danville, Illinois, Ankrum originally began a career in academics. After graduating from USC with a law degree, he went on to an associate professorship in economics at the University of...
as Rev. Claggett - Stephen McNallyStephen McNallyStephen McNally was an American actor remembered mostly for his appearances in many westerns and action films. He was an attorney in the late 1930s before pursuing a career in acting.-Career:...
as "Goldust" McClean - Virginia Rees as Singing voice for Angela Lansbury
- Marion Doenges as Singing voice for Cyd Charisse
Cast notes
- This was the first speaking role on film for Cyd Charisse.
- Byron Harvey Jr., the grandson of Fred Harvey who was at the time of filming the president of the Fred Harvey CompanyFred Harvey CompanyThe origin of the Fred Harvey Company can be traced to the 1875 opening of two railroad eating houses located at Wallace, Kansas and Hugo, Colorado on the Kansas Pacific Railway. These cafés were opened by Fred Harvey, then a freight agent for the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad...
, had an uncredited role as a train conductor.
Production
The Harvey Girls was originally conceived by MGM as a dramatic vehicle for Lana TurnerLana Turner
Lana Turner was an American actress.Discovered and signed to a film contract by MGM at the age of sixteen, Turner first attracted attention in They Won't Forget . She played featured roles, often as the ingenue, in such films as Love Finds Andy Hardy...
, but Roger Edens
Roger Edens
Roger Edens was a Hollywood composer, arranger and associate producer, and is considered one of the major creative figures in Arthur Freed's musical film production unit at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during the "golden era of Hollywood".-Early career and work with Judy Garland:Edens was born in...
of the Arthur Freed unit decided after seeing the musical Oklahoma that the story should be reworked as MGM's western musical with Judy Garland as its star. Unfortunately, Garland wanted to work with Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
on Yolanda and the Thief
Yolanda and the Thief
Yolanda and the Thief is a 1945 MGM musical-comedy film set in a fictional Latin American country, and stars Fred Astaire, Lucille Bremer, Frank Morgan, Ludwig Stossel and Mildred Natwick, with music by Harry Warren and lyrics by Arthur Freed...
, which was being directed by her husband at the time, Vincente Minelli, and was not interested in the part. Edens managed to convince her that the part in Yolanda wasn't big enough for her, and promised that Harvey Girls would be specifically created to showcase her talents.
Ann Sothern
Ann Sothern
Ann Sothern was an American film and television actress whose career spanned six decades.-Early life and career:...
and Lucille Ball
Lucille Ball
Lucille Désirée Ball was an American comedian, film, television, stage and radio actress, model, film and television executive, and star of the sitcoms I Love Lucy, The Lucy–Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show, Here's Lucy and Life With Lucy...
were supposed to have parts in the film at one point, and Edward Arnold
Edward Arnold (actor)
Edward Arnold was an American actor. He was born on the Lower East Side of New York City as Gunther Edward Arnold Schneider, the son of German immigrants Carl Schneider and Elizabeth Ohse.-Acting career:...
was scheduled to play Judge Purvis.
The Harvey Girls filmed from 12 January through 4 June 1945, a rather long production period. Studio filming was at MGM's Culver City studios, and location shooting took place at the Iverson Ranch in Victorville
Victorville, California
Victorville is a city located in the Victor Valley of southwestern San Bernardino County, California. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 census, the city had a population of 115,903, up from 64,030 at the 2000 census.-Geography and climate:...
, at Chatsworth near Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, in Las Vegas, New Mexico
Las Vegas, New Mexico
Las Vegas is a city in San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States. Once two separate municipalities both named Las Vegas, west Las Vegas and east Las Vegas , divided by the Gallinas River, retain distinct characters and separate, rival school districts. The population was 14,565 at the 2000...
at the Castaneda Harvey House (a National and State Historic Landmark of New Mexico), and in Monument Valley
Monument Valley
Monument Valley is a region of the Colorado Plateau characterized by a cluster of vast sandstone buttes, the largest reaching above the valley floor. It is located on the northern border of Arizona with southern Utah , near the Four Corners area...
.
Although Angela Lansbury was a fine singer in her own right, her voice was considered unsuitable for the character she played, a low-down saloon singer, and as a result all of her singing in the film was dubbed by Virginia Rees. Cyd Charisse, who had her first speaking role in the film, also had her singing dubbed, by Marion Doenges.
Virginia O'Brien, a comic actress known for her deadpan style of singing, was pregnant at the time The Harvey Girls was filmed, and as a result some of her scripted scenes with Ray Bolger were never filmed, because her condition was becoming difficult to hide, while others that were filmed were cut from the final print. This accounts for O'Brien's and Bolger's characters more or less disappearing from the film after O'Brien sings "Wild Wild West". Bolger was burnt by steam during the filming of "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Sante Fe".
The Harvey Girls had its American release on 18 January 1946.
Production Credits
- Art Direction - William Ferrari and Cedric GibbonsCedric GibbonsAustin Cedric Gibbons was an Irish American art director who was one of the most important and influential in the field in the history of American film. He also made a great impact on motion picture theater architecture through the 1930s to 1950s, the period considered the golden-era of theater...
- Set Decoration - Mildred Griffiths and Edwin B. Willis
- Costume Design - Irene Gibbons, Helen RoseHelen RoseHelen Rose was an American costume designer and clothing designer who spent the bulk of her career with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer-Career:...
, VallesArlington VallesBorn as Fred Valles, this Hollywood costume designer took the more grandiose name Arlington Valles as his professional handle, eventually jettisoning the "Arlington" part completely. He first provided costumes for the 1938 version of A Christmas Carol... - Makeup Artist - Dorothy Ponedel
- Production Manager - Dave Friedman
- Assistant Director - George Rhein
- Sound Director - Douglas ShearerDouglas ShearerDouglas G. Shearer was a Canadian-born pioneer sound designer and recording director who played a key role in the advancement of sound technology for motion pictures.-Early life and career:...
- Special Effects - Warren Newcombe
- Choreographer - Robert AltonRobert AltonRobert Alton was an American dancer and choreographer, a major figure in dance choreography of Broadway and Hollywood musicals from the 1930s through to the early 1950s...
- Musical director - Lennie HaytonLennie HaytonLeonard George "Lennie" Hayton was an American Jewish composer, conductor and arranger. His trademark was the wearing of a captain’s hat, which he always wore at a rakish angle....
- Orchestrator - Conrad SalingerConrad SalingerConrad Salinger was an American arranger, orchestrator and composer, who studied classical composition at the Paris Conservatoire. He is credited with orchestrating nine productions on Broadway from 1931 to 1938, and over seventy-five motion pictures from 1931 to 1962...
Songs
The songs in The Harvey Girls were all written by Harry WarrenHarry Warren
Harry Warren was an American composer and lyricist. Warren was the first major American songwriter to write primarily for film. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song eleven times and won three Oscars for composing "Lullaby of Broadway", "You'll Never Know" and "On the Atchison,...
(music) and Johnny Mercer
Johnny Mercer
John Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was an American lyricist, songwriter and singer. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music. He was also a popular singer who recorded his own songs as well as those written by others...
:
- "In the Valley (Where the Evening Sun Goes Down)"
- "Wait and See"
- "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa FeOn the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe"On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe" is a popular song which refers to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. It was written for the 1946 film, The Harvey Girls, where it was sung by Judy Garland. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song that year.The music was written by Harry...
" - "Oh, You Kid"
- "It's a Great Big World"
- "Swing Your Partner Round and Round"
- "The Wild, Wild West"
- "The Train Must Be Fed"
By far the biggest hit from the score of The Harvey Girls was "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
"On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe" is a popular song which refers to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. It was written for the 1946 film, The Harvey Girls, where it was sung by Judy Garland. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song that year.The music was written by Harry...
". MGM released the song to record companies even before shooting was finished on the film, and it became an instant hit dominating the airwaves through the summer and fall of 1945, with versions by Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
with Six Hits and a Miss, Judy Garland and the Merry Macs, the Tommy Dorsey
Tommy Dorsey
Thomas Francis "Tommy" Dorsey, Jr. was an American jazz trombonist, trumpeter, composer, and bandleader of the Big Band era. He was known as "The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing", due to his smooth-toned trombone playing. He was the younger brother of bandleader Jimmy Dorsey...
Orchestra with the Sentimentalists, and, the most popular, Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers. Mercer's version entered the Billboard charts on 5 July 1945, and stayed on it for 16 weeks, including seven straight weeks as #1 between 28 July and 8 September. Crosby's entered the charts on 19 July and stayed ten weeks, going as high as #4, while Dorsey's came on on 2 August and stayed for six weeks, peaking at #6. Garland's hit the Billboard #10 position on 20 September. The song was also number 1 on Your Hit Parade
Your Hit Parade
Your Hit Parade, is an American radio and television music program that was broadcast from 1935 to 1955 on radio, and seen from 1950 to 1959 on television. It was sponsored by American Tobacco's Lucky Strike cigarettes. During this 24-year run, the show had 19 orchestra leaders and 52 singers or...
for eight weeks running.
In shooting the number for the film, Garland reportedly did the entire song up to the tempo change in one take, twice.
Cut from the film were three other songs written by Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer for it: "March of the Doagies," "Hayride" and "My Intuition." "Doagies" was a production number featuring Judy Garland, and "My Intuition" was a duet for Garland and John Hodiak. Both of those number were filmed, while "Hayride", a duet for Garland and Ray Bolger was prerecorded but not filmed.
Awards
"On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa FeOn the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe
"On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe" is a popular song which refers to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. It was written for the 1946 film, The Harvey Girls, where it was sung by Judy Garland. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song that year.The music was written by Harry...
" won an Academy Award for Best Original Song
Academy Award for Best Original Song
The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . It is presented to the songwriters who have composed the best original song written specifically for a film...
for Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer. In addition, Lennie Hayton
Lennie Hayton
Leonard George "Lennie" Hayton was an American Jewish composer, conductor and arranger. His trademark was the wearing of a captain’s hat, which he always wore at a rakish angle....
's score was nominated for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture, but did not win.