Three for the Show
Encyclopedia
Three for the Show is a 1955 musical
comedy
remake
of Too Many Husbands
. It starred actress Betty Grable
in her last musical
, opposite Jack Lemmon
, Gower Champion
and Marge Champion
.
Julie soon finds that she is legally married to both Marty and Vernon. She soon realises that she must choose who she wants to be with, if only to avoid being branded a bigamist. But Julie loves the idea of having two husbands and so she decides to try to live with them both, to the annoyance and disapproval of Marty and Vernon who both know that her idea will not work out.
Meanwhile, Julie's close friend Gwen (Marge Champion) has a secret crush on Marty and hopes to get with him, if only Julie could make her up mind as to who she wants. After a long serious decision and a talk with them both, Julie decides that she is more in love with Marty and she ditches Vernon, who has now fallen for Gwen.
Marty: No, phone one of us!
Marty: I could see you alright. I remember you were staring at me.
Julie: I wasn't staring at you. I was staring at those lovely hamburgers!
Julie: So I'm legally married to Marty and I'm legally married to Vernon?
Col. Harold: Of course, you'll have to decide which one you want more.
Julie: Why?
Words and Music by Gene Austin and Ray Bergere.
Performed by Betty Grable.
Words and Music by Hoagy Carmichael and Harold Adamson.
Performed by Betty Grable, Gower Champion, and Jack Lemmon.
The song had been written by Carmichael for Marilyn Monroe
in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes; a film that had originally been offered to Betty Grable, however Darryl F. Zanuck ordered the song removed from the film.
Words and Music by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin.
Performed by Betty Grable and Jack Lemmon.
also performed in the finale by Betty Grable, Jack Lemmon, Marge Champion and Gower Champion.
Words and Music by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin.
Performed by Marge Champion and Gower Champion during the opening titles.
Later sung by Marge Champion.
Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter (uncredited).
Performed by Betty Grable, Marge Champion and Gower Champion.
Words and Music by Lester Lee and Ned Washington.
Performed by Marge Champion.
Music by Aleksandr Borodin (uncredited).
Used as introductory music for "Which One".
Words and Music by Bob Russell and Lester Lee.
Performed by Betty Grable.
from the opera "William Tell" by Gioacchino Rossini.
Danced to by Gower Champion in the Two Husbands fantasy.
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...
comedy
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
remake
Remake
A remake is a piece of media based primarily on an earlier work of the same medium.-Film:The term "remake" is generally used in reference to a movie which uses an earlier movie as the main source material, rather than in reference to a second, later movie based on the same source...
of Too Many Husbands
Too Many Husbands
Too Many Husbands is a 1940 romantic comedy film about a woman who loses her husband in a boating accident and remarries, only to have her first spouse reappear. The film stars Jean Arthur, Fred MacMurray and Melvyn Douglas, and is based on the 1919 play "Home and Beauty" by W. Somerset Maugham...
. It starred actress Betty Grable
Betty Grable
Elizabeth Ruth "Betty" Grable was an American actress, dancer and singer.Her iconic bathing suit photo made her the number-one pin-up girl of the World War II era. It was later included in the LIFE magazine project "100 Photos that Changed the World"...
in her last musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
, opposite Jack Lemmon
Jack Lemmon
John Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III was an American actor and musician. He starred in more than 60 films including Some Like It Hot, The Apartment, Mister Roberts , Days of Wine and Roses, The Great Race, Irma la Douce, The Odd Couple, Save the Tiger John Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III (February 8, 1925June...
, Gower Champion
Gower Champion
Gower Carlyle Champion was an American actor, theatre director, choreographer, and dancer.-Early years:Champion was born in Geneva, Illinois, the son of John W. Champion and Beatrice Carlisle. He was raised in Los Angeles, California, where he graduated from Fairfax High School...
and Marge Champion
Marge Champion
Marge Champion is an American dancer, choreographer, and pedagogue. In addition, she also worked in film and appeared in a number of television variety shows.-Early years:...
.
Cast
- Betty GrableBetty GrableElizabeth Ruth "Betty" Grable was an American actress, dancer and singer.Her iconic bathing suit photo made her the number-one pin-up girl of the World War II era. It was later included in the LIFE magazine project "100 Photos that Changed the World"...
as Julie Lowndes - Jack LemmonJack LemmonJohn Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III was an American actor and musician. He starred in more than 60 films including Some Like It Hot, The Apartment, Mister Roberts , Days of Wine and Roses, The Great Race, Irma la Douce, The Odd Couple, Save the Tiger John Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III (February 8, 1925June...
as Martin 'Marty' Stewart - Gower ChampionGower ChampionGower Carlyle Champion was an American actor, theatre director, choreographer, and dancer.-Early years:Champion was born in Geneva, Illinois, the son of John W. Champion and Beatrice Carlisle. He was raised in Los Angeles, California, where he graduated from Fairfax High School...
as Vernon Lowndes - Marge ChampionMarge ChampionMarge Champion is an American dancer, choreographer, and pedagogue. In addition, she also worked in film and appeared in a number of television variety shows.-Early years:...
as Gwen Howard - Myron McCormickMyron McCormickMyron McCormick was an American actor of stage, radio and film.McCormick was born as Walter Myron McCormick in Albany, Indiana....
as Mike Hudson - Paul HarveyPaul Harvey (actor)Paul Harvey was an American actor who appeared in at least 177 films.-Selected filmography:*They Shall Have Music *Behind the News *Moonlight Masquerade *Spellbound...
as Col. Harold J. Wharton - Robert BiceRobert BiceRobert Bice , was an American television and film actor. Bice was born in Dallas, Texas, United States.-Career:Bice appeared in 199 films and television programs between 1943 and 1967...
as Sgt. Charlie O'Hallihan - Charlotte Lawrence as Miss Williams
Plot
Singing-and-dancing stage star Julie (Betty Grable) is told that husband Marty (Jack Lemmon) is reported missing in action during Korea. After a long waiting period, she makes plans to marry Vernon (Gower Champion), who is Marty's best friend. After the marriage, Marty (who crashed but survived on an island) turns up at one of Julie's shows. Upon discovering Julie's new marriage, Marty demands his rights as her first husband.Julie soon finds that she is legally married to both Marty and Vernon. She soon realises that she must choose who she wants to be with, if only to avoid being branded a bigamist. But Julie loves the idea of having two husbands and so she decides to try to live with them both, to the annoyance and disapproval of Marty and Vernon who both know that her idea will not work out.
Meanwhile, Julie's close friend Gwen (Marge Champion) has a secret crush on Marty and hopes to get with him, if only Julie could make her up mind as to who she wants. After a long serious decision and a talk with them both, Julie decides that she is more in love with Marty and she ditches Vernon, who has now fallen for Gwen.
Memorable quotes
Vernon: Phone us when you've made up your mind.Marty: No, phone one of us!
Marty: I could see you alright. I remember you were staring at me.
Julie: I wasn't staring at you. I was staring at those lovely hamburgers!
Julie: So I'm legally married to Marty and I'm legally married to Vernon?
Col. Harold: Of course, you'll have to decide which one you want more.
Julie: Why?
Soundtrack
- How Come You Do Me Like You Do?How Come You Do Me Like You Do?"How Come You Do Me Like You Do?" is a song written by vaudeville comedy duo Gene Austin and Roy Bergere in 1924. It has later been covered by many artists, and is considered a jazz standard....
Words and Music by Gene Austin and Ray Bergere.
Performed by Betty Grable.
- Down Boy
Words and Music by Hoagy Carmichael and Harold Adamson.
Performed by Betty Grable, Gower Champion, and Jack Lemmon.
The song had been written by Carmichael for Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes; a film that had originally been offered to Betty Grable, however Darryl F. Zanuck ordered the song removed from the film.
- I've Got A Crush On You
Words and Music by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin.
Performed by Betty Grable and Jack Lemmon.
also performed in the finale by Betty Grable, Jack Lemmon, Marge Champion and Gower Champion.
- Someone to Watch Over Me
Words and Music by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin.
Performed by Marge Champion and Gower Champion during the opening titles.
Later sung by Marge Champion.
- Just One of Those Things
Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter (uncredited).
Performed by Betty Grable, Marge Champion and Gower Champion.
- Which One
Words and Music by Lester Lee and Ned Washington.
Performed by Marge Champion.
- Polovetsian DancesPolovetsian DancesThe Polovtsian Dances are perhaps the best known selections from Alexander Borodin's opera Prince Igor . They are often played as a stand-alone concert piece. Borodin was the original composer, but the opera was left unfinished at his death and was subsequently completed by Nikolai...
Music by Aleksandr Borodin (uncredited).
Used as introductory music for "Which One".
- I've Been Kissed Before
Words and Music by Bob Russell and Lester Lee.
Performed by Betty Grable.
- Finale from 'William Tell Overture
from the opera "William Tell" by Gioacchino Rossini.
Danced to by Gower Champion in the Two Husbands fantasy.
Miscellany
- The film's working title was "The Pleasure Is All Mine".
- This was Jack LemmonJack LemmonJohn Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III was an American actor and musician. He starred in more than 60 films including Some Like It Hot, The Apartment, Mister Roberts , Days of Wine and Roses, The Great Race, Irma la Douce, The Odd Couple, Save the Tiger John Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III (February 8, 1925June...
's first color film. It was also Lemmon's first musical. He went on to make another two more musicals. - This was Betty Grable's last musical after Marilyn Monroe became the 'Top Blonde' in Hollywood.
- The dance numbers were choreographed by Betty Grable and Jack ColeJack ColeJack Cole may refer to:*Jack Cole *Jack Cole *Jack Cole *Jack Isadore Cole , founder of the Coles chain and Coles notes...
. - Mercury RecordsMercury RecordsMercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
issued a 10-inch LP of the soundtrack, which would be the only contemporary soundtrack album released from a Betty GrableBetty GrableElizabeth Ruth "Betty" Grable was an American actress, dancer and singer.Her iconic bathing suit photo made her the number-one pin-up girl of the World War II era. It was later included in the LIFE magazine project "100 Photos that Changed the World"...
film.