Week-End at the Waldorf
Encyclopedia
Week-End at the Waldorf is a 1945
American
comedy drama film
directed by Robert Z. Leonard
. The screenplay by Samuel and Bella Spewack
is based on Guy Bolton
's adaptation of the Vicki Baum
novel Menschen im Hotel, which was filmed as Grand Hotel
in 1932.
's famed Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
. Among them are lonely screen star Irene Malvern, in town with her maid Anna for a childhood friend's wedding and the premiere of her latest movie; war correspondent
Chip Collyer, mistaken for a jewel thief by Irene but playing along to catch her attention; flyer Capt. James Hollis, wounded in World War II
and facing perilous surgery in three days; wealthy shyster
Martin X. Edley, who is trying to sign the Bey
of Aribajan to a shady oil deal; Oliver Webson, a cub reporter for Collier's Weekly
hoping to expose Edley; and bride-to-be Cynthia Drew, whose upcoming wedding is endangered by her belief her fiancé Bob is in love with Irene Malvern. Also on the scene are Bunny Smith, the hotel's stenographer/notary public
, who hopes to escape her low income roots by marrying Edley, and reporter Randy Morton, who loiters in the lobby hoping to stumble upon a scoop
for his newspaper.
In the opening scene, Randy Morton describes a typical Friday afternoon at the Waldorf. A newlywed couple discover there are no rooms available, and are given use of an apartment by a Mr. Jesup, who is going away for the weekend. Edley finds Jesup in the lobby and tries to involve him in a deal with the Bey of Aribajan, a wealthy oil shiek. Jesup refuses, but Edley knows that Jesup will be gone all weekend and has until Monday morning to get the Bey to sign a contract based on Jesup's presumed involvement.
Chip Collyer, a war correspondent, arrives for several days of rest. He had attended a long string of formal dinners and receptions and was going to hide in his apartment until he flew back to Europe on Monday morning. Before the war Collyer had foiled one of Edley's schemes; Edley sees him in the hallway and is sure that Collyer is there to stop the deal with the Bey.
Irene Malvern, a film star, is in town for a friend's wedding and the premiere of her new movie. She is tired of constantly working, and is unhappy that after this weekend she will be taking a four day train ride to California and immediately starting on her next picture.
Edley, Collyer, Malvern, and the Bey of Aribajan are all staying on the 39th Floor of the Waldorf Towers, in large apartments with terraces.
Hotel stenographer Bunny Smith is called to the suite of Dr. Robert Campbell, who has just examined Captain James Hollis, an airman with a piece of shrapnel dangerously close to his heart. Dr. Campbell dictates a letter to a doctor at Walter Reed
, saying that Hollis has an even chance at surviving an operation scheduled for the following Tuesday, but he needs the will to live.
Hollis leaves the bedroom of Dr. Campbell's suite directly into the hall, never seeing Bunny Smith. On the way to the elevator he drops sheet music written by a fellow crew member who was killed on the mission that wounded Hollis. A room service waiter delivers it to house band leader Xavier Cugat
. Hollis visits Cugat to retrieve it. Hollis tells Cugat that he is taking it to his late friend's mother; Cugat plays the piece and suggests that he perform it on his radio show the following night at the Starlight Roof, the nightclub on the 18th floor of the hotel.
Hollis visits the hotel stenographer's office and asks Bunny to type up his will. They talk, and she realizes that he is the man that Dr. Campbell had written about. He asks her to join him at dinner at the Starlight Roof to hear his friend's song performed.
Chip Collyer is approached by Webson hoping for help on the Edley story. Collyer suggests talking to the Bey of Aribajan regarding the proposed deal, and demonstrates how to sneak into the Bey's apartment by hiding in a maid's cart. Collyer finds himself trapped in the cart when the maid returns, and enters Irene Malvern's apartment to avoid being seen by Edley and his assistant.
Irene Malvern's door was open because she had requested someone from hotel security to take her jewelry to the hotel safe and station a guard outside. Earlier, her maid had admitted becoming involved with a man who intended to steal Irene's jewelry. The maid insisted that he was a good man in a difficult situation, so Irene agreed to meet him and see if this was true. When she discovers Collyer hiding in the room she assumes he is the jewel thief; he tries to deny it. She catches him pocketing a gold table lighter, and he recites a line from Grand Hotel
in which the Baron returns the ballerina's jewels. Irene is confused. (Before she learns his name she refers to him as "The Baron".) She takes pity on him and tries to dispel the guard outside, who will not leave because he is also guarding the Bey next door. She allows him to sleep in the living room.
The next morning Malvern slips in to the living room unnoticed and looks in Collyer's billfold at his military identification. She confirms that Mr. Collyer is a guest at the hotel and confronts him. He insists, correctly, that it was she who created the misunderstanding and encouraged him to stay. Cynthia Drew, an heiress marrying Dr. Campbell, a childhood friend of Malvern's, comes to Malvern's apartment and tells her that the wedding will be cancelled because she is sure that Malvern still has feelings for her fiancé. Irene is only able to convince Cynthia that this is not true by introducing her "husband," Chip Collyer.
Cynthia tells her mother, and several friends, about the "secret" marriage between the film star and the famous war correspondent. Mrs. Drew tells Randy Morton, the newspaper columnist. Collyer attends the wedding using Webson's invitation as a member of the press, but is seated next to his "wife."
Edley has Bunny come to his apartment to dictate a proposed contract for his deal with the Bey. He tells her that if the deal goes through he will be moving to New York and wants to hire her as his private and social secretary. He tells her to attend dinner at the Starlight Roof with himself, the Bey, and other parties to the deal. While he does not indicate any romantic interest in Bunny, he clearly becomes jealous when she tells him she has a date. He orders her to cancel it or the job offer is withdrawn.
Hollis is seated at a table at the Starlight Roof. He orders an elaborate and expensive dinner before a note is delivered from Bunny, giving her regrets. After a performance by Xavier Cugat ("Guadalajara"), he sees Bunny enter with the Bey's party. Cugat then introduces singer Bob Graham, who performs Hollis' friend's song, "And There You Are."
Bunny excuses herself and goes to Hollis to apologize for having to accept Edley's invitation. They go out to the terrace to talk. Hollis tells her about his hometown of Jasmine, California; she tells him about her unhappy life on Tenth Avenue. She reveals that Edley's job offer is a way out of poverty, and she doesn't have any romantic interest in him. They kiss, and Edley's assistant comes out to tell her that Edley is looking for her.
Irene Malvern and her manager leave the hotel to go to the premiere of her new film. After the premiere, Collyer has let himself into Malvern's room; Morton broke the story in the paper that day and no one doubts that they are married. He presents her with several law books to verify his claim that being introduced as one's spouse creates a common-law marriage (this was more likely to stand up to a legal claim in 1945; today common-law marriages are not recognized in most states).
Malvern's manager speaks to Collyer and persuade him to sign a statement denying the existence of the marriage. His insistence on the phrase "we're not even pals" annoys Malvern and her manager. The manager extols the virtues of being an unmarried person with complete control over one's actions, which causes Malvern, already unhappy with her constant working, to realize that being alone is a miserable existence. Collyer comes to see her and they make up.
Monday morning the various parties prepare to leave the hotel. The main headline on the newspaper is Webson's story about Edley's fraudulent oil deal. Edley rushes to the Bey's apartment as the Bey's luggage is being taken out. Jesup has returned and has spoken to the Bey, clarifying the situation. The Bey is revealed to speak perfect English; he was known to speak Arabic and French, but until this final scene he would only speak to Edley through an English translator.
Bunny Smith races through the hotel lobby trying to find Captain Hollis before he leaves for his surgery in Washington. She finds him just inside the Park Avenue doors of the hotel and says that she wants to come with him, not only to Washington but also to Jasmine. (It is unclear if she knows that the collapse of Edley's deal means that his job offer is withdrawn, but she did still have the position at the Waldorf.)
Irene Malvern is about to take a four-day train ride to California. She receives a call from Chip Collyer, who is at the airport. She surprises her manager by eagerly taking the call, then rushing to the roof to wave a handkerchief at Collyer's passing plane. We last see Collyer lighting a cigarette with Malvern's gold monogrammed lighter.
A minor plot line concerned Randy Morton's pregnant Scottish Terrier, Suzie. During the opening scene he struggles to find a Bide-a-Wee to take her in; in the final scene Morton returns with Suzie and three puppies.
The film was released in early October 1945, a month after the official end of World War II
, but there are several references indicating that during the weekend of the story the war is still ongoing. Chip Collyer describes Edley's deal to Webson as being bad because it will become effective "after the war is over," meaning that "Nazi or Jap money" could get Aribajan's oil reserves. Captain Hollis expects that if his surgery is successful he will return to California, but this is due to a medical discharge and not the end of the war.
Robert Benchley
, who played Randy Morton, died a month after the release of this film.
Waldorf-Astoria management wanted the film shot in color in order to show the hotel at its best advantage, a demand that almost led MGM
executives to switch the locale to San Francisco and change the title to Palace in the Sky.
Mrs. Lucius Boomer, wife of the president of the Waldorf-Astoria Corporation, served as a technical advisor on the film, as did Ted Saucier, who handled public relations
for the property. Some interiors and exteriors of the hotel were filmed on location, but the lobby, Starlight Roof, guest rooms, and other public spaces were recreated on the backlot of the MGM Studios in Culver City, California
.
The film's theme song, "And There You Are," was written by Sammy Fain
and Ted Koehler
.
The film grossed $4,366,000 and ranked #7 at the box office in 1945.
noted there is "never a dull moment in this weekend."
1945 in film
The year 1945 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Paramount Studios releases theatrical short cartoon titled The Friendly Ghost, featuring a ghost named Casper.* With Rossellini's Roma Città aperta, Italian neorealist cinema begins....
American
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
comedy drama film
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
directed by Robert Z. Leonard
Robert Z. Leonard
Robert Zigler Leonard was an American film director, actor, producer and screenwriter.He was born in Chicago, Illinois...
. The screenplay by Samuel and Bella Spewack
Samuel and Bella Spewack
Samuel and Bella Spewack were a husband-and-wife writing team.Samuel, who also directed many of their plays, was born in the Ukraine...
is based on Guy Bolton
Guy Bolton
Guy Reginald Bolton was a British-American playwright and writer of musical comedies. Born in England and educated in France and the U.S., he trained as an architect but turned to writing. Bolton preferred working in collaboration with others, principally the English writers P. G...
's adaptation of the Vicki Baum
Vicki Baum
Hedwig Baum was an Austrian writer. She is known for Menschen im Hotel , one of her first international successes....
novel Menschen im Hotel, which was filmed as Grand Hotel
Grand Hotel (film)
Grand Hotel is a 1932 American drama film directed by Edmund Goulding. The screenplay by William A. Drake and Béla Balázs is based on the 1930 play of the same title by Drake, who had adapted it from the 1929 novel Menschen im Hotel by Vicki Baum...
in 1932.
Plot
The film focuses on various guests staying at New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's famed Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
The Waldorf-Astoria is a luxury hotel in New York. It has been housed in two historic landmark buildings in New York City. The first, designed by architect Henry J. Hardenbergh, was on the Fifth Avenue site of the Empire State Building. The present building at 301 Park Avenue in Manhattan is a...
. Among them are lonely screen star Irene Malvern, in town with her maid Anna for a childhood friend's wedding and the premiere of her latest movie; war correspondent
War correspondent
A war correspondent is a journalist who covers stories firsthand from a war zone. In the 19th century they were also called Special Correspondents.-Methods:...
Chip Collyer, mistaken for a jewel thief by Irene but playing along to catch her attention; flyer Capt. James Hollis, wounded in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and facing perilous surgery in three days; wealthy shyster
Shyster
A shyster is a slang word for someone who acts in a disreputable, unethical, or unscrupulous way, especially in the practice of law, politics or business.-Etymology:The etymology of the word is not generally agreed upon...
Martin X. Edley, who is trying to sign the Bey
Bey
Bey is a title for chieftain, traditionally applied to the leaders of small tribal groups. Accoding to some sources, the word "Bey" is of Turkish language In historical accounts, many Turkish, other Turkic and Persian leaders are titled Bey, Beg, Bek, Bay, Baig or Beigh. They are all the same word...
of Aribajan to a shady oil deal; Oliver Webson, a cub reporter for Collier's Weekly
Collier's Weekly
Collier's Weekly was an American magazine founded by Peter Fenelon Collier and published from 1888 to 1957. With the passage of decades, the title was shortened to Collier's....
hoping to expose Edley; and bride-to-be Cynthia Drew, whose upcoming wedding is endangered by her belief her fiancé Bob is in love with Irene Malvern. Also on the scene are Bunny Smith, the hotel's stenographer/notary public
Notary public
A notary public in the common law world is a public officer constituted by law to serve the public in non-contentious matters usually concerned with estates, deeds, powers-of-attorney, and foreign and international business...
, who hopes to escape her low income roots by marrying Edley, and reporter Randy Morton, who loiters in the lobby hoping to stumble upon a scoop
Scoop (term)
Scoop is an informal term used in journalism. The word connotes originality, importance, surprise or excitement, secrecy and exclusivity.Stories likely considered to be scoops are important news, likely to interest or concern many people. A scoop is typically a new story, or a new aspect to an...
for his newspaper.
In the opening scene, Randy Morton describes a typical Friday afternoon at the Waldorf. A newlywed couple discover there are no rooms available, and are given use of an apartment by a Mr. Jesup, who is going away for the weekend. Edley finds Jesup in the lobby and tries to involve him in a deal with the Bey of Aribajan, a wealthy oil shiek. Jesup refuses, but Edley knows that Jesup will be gone all weekend and has until Monday morning to get the Bey to sign a contract based on Jesup's presumed involvement.
Chip Collyer, a war correspondent, arrives for several days of rest. He had attended a long string of formal dinners and receptions and was going to hide in his apartment until he flew back to Europe on Monday morning. Before the war Collyer had foiled one of Edley's schemes; Edley sees him in the hallway and is sure that Collyer is there to stop the deal with the Bey.
Irene Malvern, a film star, is in town for a friend's wedding and the premiere of her new movie. She is tired of constantly working, and is unhappy that after this weekend she will be taking a four day train ride to California and immediately starting on her next picture.
Edley, Collyer, Malvern, and the Bey of Aribajan are all staying on the 39th Floor of the Waldorf Towers, in large apartments with terraces.
Hotel stenographer Bunny Smith is called to the suite of Dr. Robert Campbell, who has just examined Captain James Hollis, an airman with a piece of shrapnel dangerously close to his heart. Dr. Campbell dictates a letter to a doctor at Walter Reed
Walter Reed Army Medical Center
The Walter Reed Army Medical Center was the United States Army's flagship medical center until 2011. Located on 113 acres in Washington, D.C., it served more than 150,000 active and retired personnel from all branches of the military...
, saying that Hollis has an even chance at surviving an operation scheduled for the following Tuesday, but he needs the will to live.
Hollis leaves the bedroom of Dr. Campbell's suite directly into the hall, never seeing Bunny Smith. On the way to the elevator he drops sheet music written by a fellow crew member who was killed on the mission that wounded Hollis. A room service waiter delivers it to house band leader Xavier Cugat
Xavier Cugat
Xavier Cugat was a Spanish-American bandleader who spent his formative years in Havana, Cuba. A trained violinist and arranger, he was a key personality in the spread of Latin music in United States popular music. He was also a cartoonist and a successful businessman...
. Hollis visits Cugat to retrieve it. Hollis tells Cugat that he is taking it to his late friend's mother; Cugat plays the piece and suggests that he perform it on his radio show the following night at the Starlight Roof, the nightclub on the 18th floor of the hotel.
Hollis visits the hotel stenographer's office and asks Bunny to type up his will. They talk, and she realizes that he is the man that Dr. Campbell had written about. He asks her to join him at dinner at the Starlight Roof to hear his friend's song performed.
Chip Collyer is approached by Webson hoping for help on the Edley story. Collyer suggests talking to the Bey of Aribajan regarding the proposed deal, and demonstrates how to sneak into the Bey's apartment by hiding in a maid's cart. Collyer finds himself trapped in the cart when the maid returns, and enters Irene Malvern's apartment to avoid being seen by Edley and his assistant.
Irene Malvern's door was open because she had requested someone from hotel security to take her jewelry to the hotel safe and station a guard outside. Earlier, her maid had admitted becoming involved with a man who intended to steal Irene's jewelry. The maid insisted that he was a good man in a difficult situation, so Irene agreed to meet him and see if this was true. When she discovers Collyer hiding in the room she assumes he is the jewel thief; he tries to deny it. She catches him pocketing a gold table lighter, and he recites a line from Grand Hotel
Grand Hotel (film)
Grand Hotel is a 1932 American drama film directed by Edmund Goulding. The screenplay by William A. Drake and Béla Balázs is based on the 1930 play of the same title by Drake, who had adapted it from the 1929 novel Menschen im Hotel by Vicki Baum...
in which the Baron returns the ballerina's jewels. Irene is confused. (Before she learns his name she refers to him as "The Baron".) She takes pity on him and tries to dispel the guard outside, who will not leave because he is also guarding the Bey next door. She allows him to sleep in the living room.
The next morning Malvern slips in to the living room unnoticed and looks in Collyer's billfold at his military identification. She confirms that Mr. Collyer is a guest at the hotel and confronts him. He insists, correctly, that it was she who created the misunderstanding and encouraged him to stay. Cynthia Drew, an heiress marrying Dr. Campbell, a childhood friend of Malvern's, comes to Malvern's apartment and tells her that the wedding will be cancelled because she is sure that Malvern still has feelings for her fiancé. Irene is only able to convince Cynthia that this is not true by introducing her "husband," Chip Collyer.
Cynthia tells her mother, and several friends, about the "secret" marriage between the film star and the famous war correspondent. Mrs. Drew tells Randy Morton, the newspaper columnist. Collyer attends the wedding using Webson's invitation as a member of the press, but is seated next to his "wife."
Edley has Bunny come to his apartment to dictate a proposed contract for his deal with the Bey. He tells her that if the deal goes through he will be moving to New York and wants to hire her as his private and social secretary. He tells her to attend dinner at the Starlight Roof with himself, the Bey, and other parties to the deal. While he does not indicate any romantic interest in Bunny, he clearly becomes jealous when she tells him she has a date. He orders her to cancel it or the job offer is withdrawn.
Hollis is seated at a table at the Starlight Roof. He orders an elaborate and expensive dinner before a note is delivered from Bunny, giving her regrets. After a performance by Xavier Cugat ("Guadalajara"), he sees Bunny enter with the Bey's party. Cugat then introduces singer Bob Graham, who performs Hollis' friend's song, "And There You Are."
Bunny excuses herself and goes to Hollis to apologize for having to accept Edley's invitation. They go out to the terrace to talk. Hollis tells her about his hometown of Jasmine, California; she tells him about her unhappy life on Tenth Avenue. She reveals that Edley's job offer is a way out of poverty, and she doesn't have any romantic interest in him. They kiss, and Edley's assistant comes out to tell her that Edley is looking for her.
Irene Malvern and her manager leave the hotel to go to the premiere of her new film. After the premiere, Collyer has let himself into Malvern's room; Morton broke the story in the paper that day and no one doubts that they are married. He presents her with several law books to verify his claim that being introduced as one's spouse creates a common-law marriage (this was more likely to stand up to a legal claim in 1945; today common-law marriages are not recognized in most states).
Malvern's manager speaks to Collyer and persuade him to sign a statement denying the existence of the marriage. His insistence on the phrase "we're not even pals" annoys Malvern and her manager. The manager extols the virtues of being an unmarried person with complete control over one's actions, which causes Malvern, already unhappy with her constant working, to realize that being alone is a miserable existence. Collyer comes to see her and they make up.
Monday morning the various parties prepare to leave the hotel. The main headline on the newspaper is Webson's story about Edley's fraudulent oil deal. Edley rushes to the Bey's apartment as the Bey's luggage is being taken out. Jesup has returned and has spoken to the Bey, clarifying the situation. The Bey is revealed to speak perfect English; he was known to speak Arabic and French, but until this final scene he would only speak to Edley through an English translator.
Bunny Smith races through the hotel lobby trying to find Captain Hollis before he leaves for his surgery in Washington. She finds him just inside the Park Avenue doors of the hotel and says that she wants to come with him, not only to Washington but also to Jasmine. (It is unclear if she knows that the collapse of Edley's deal means that his job offer is withdrawn, but she did still have the position at the Waldorf.)
Irene Malvern is about to take a four-day train ride to California. She receives a call from Chip Collyer, who is at the airport. She surprises her manager by eagerly taking the call, then rushing to the roof to wave a handkerchief at Collyer's passing plane. We last see Collyer lighting a cigarette with Malvern's gold monogrammed lighter.
A minor plot line concerned Randy Morton's pregnant Scottish Terrier, Suzie. During the opening scene he struggles to find a Bide-a-Wee to take her in; in the final scene Morton returns with Suzie and three puppies.
The film was released in early October 1945, a month after the official end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, but there are several references indicating that during the weekend of the story the war is still ongoing. Chip Collyer describes Edley's deal to Webson as being bad because it will become effective "after the war is over," meaning that "Nazi or Jap money" could get Aribajan's oil reserves. Captain Hollis expects that if his surgery is successful he will return to California, but this is due to a medical discharge and not the end of the war.
Robert Benchley
Robert Benchley
Robert Charles Benchley was an American humorist best known for his work as a newspaper columnist and film actor...
, who played Randy Morton, died a month after the release of this film.
Production
The film pays homage to its source by including a scene in which Chip Collyer recreates a scene from the 1930 play based on the Vicki Baum novel, and Irene Malvern identifies it as an excerpt from Grand Hotel.Waldorf-Astoria management wanted the film shot in color in order to show the hotel at its best advantage, a demand that almost led MGM
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...
executives to switch the locale to San Francisco and change the title to Palace in the Sky.
Mrs. Lucius Boomer, wife of the president of the Waldorf-Astoria Corporation, served as a technical advisor on the film, as did Ted Saucier, who handled public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
for the property. Some interiors and exteriors of the hotel were filmed on location, but the lobby, Starlight Roof, guest rooms, and other public spaces were recreated on the backlot of the MGM Studios in Culver City, California
Culver City, California
Culver City is a city in western Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 38,883, up from 38,816 at the 2000 census. It is mostly surrounded by the city of Los Angeles, but also shares a border with unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Culver...
.
The film's theme song, "And There You Are," was written by Sammy Fain
Sammy Fain
Sammy Fain was an American composer of popular music.-Biography:Sammy Fain was born in New York City. In 1923, Fain appeared with Artie Dunn in a short film directed by Lee De Forest filmed in DeForest's Phonofilm sound-on-film process. In 1925, Fain left the Fain-Dunn act to devote himself to...
and Ted Koehler
Ted Koehler
Ted L. Koehler was an American lyricist.-Life and career:Koehler was born in Washington, D.C. He started out as a photo-engraver but was attracted to the music business, where he started out as a theater pianist for silent films. He moved on to write for vaudeville shows and Broadway, and he also...
.
The film grossed $4,366,000 and ranked #7 at the box office in 1945.
Cast
- Ginger RogersGinger RogersGinger Rogers was an American actress, dancer, and singer who appeared in film, and on stage, radio, and television throughout much of the 20th century....
..... Irene Malvern - Walter PidgeonWalter PidgeonWalter Davis Pidgeon was a Canadian actor, who starred in many motion pictures, including Mrs...
..... Chip Collyer - Van JohnsonVan JohnsonVan Johnson was an American film and television actor and dancer who was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios during and after World War II....
..... Capt. James Hollis - Lana TurnerLana TurnerLana 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...
..... Bunny Smith - Edward ArnoldEdward 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:...
..... Martin X. Edley - Keenan WynnKeenan WynnKeenan Wynn was an American character actor. His bristling mustache and expressive face were his stock in trade, and though he rarely had a lead role, he got prominent billing in most of his film and TV parts....
..... Oliver Webson - Robert BenchleyRobert BenchleyRobert Charles Benchley was an American humorist best known for his work as a newspaper columnist and film actor...
..... Randy Morton - Leon AmesLeon Ames (actor)Leon Ames was an American film and television actor. He is best remembered for playing fatherly figures in such films as Meet Me in St. Louis , as Judy Garland's father, and in Little Women ....
..... Henry Burton - Phyllis ThaxterPhyllis Thaxter-Early life and career:Born Phyllis St. Felix Thaxter, she was the daughter of Maine Supreme Court Justice Sidney Thaxter and his wife, a former actress. Thaxter worked on Broadway in the 1930s and signed an MGM contract in 1944...
..... Cynthia Drew - Warner AndersonWarner AndersonWarner Anderson was an American actor. He had a small part in a film in 1915. He had supporting parts in several films through the years....
..... Dr. Bob Campbell - Rosemary DeCampRosemary DeCampRosemary DeCamp was an American radio, film and television actress.DeCamp first came to fame in November 1937, when she took the role of Judy Price, the secretary of Dr. Christian in the long-running radio series of the same name. She made her film debut in Cheers for Miss Bishop and appeared in...
..... Anna - George ZuccoGeorge ZuccoGeorge Desylla Zucco was an English character actor who appeared, almost always in supporting roles, in 96 films during a career spanning two decades, from 1931 to 1951. He is fondly remembered for his roles in classic horror films.-Early life:Zucco was born in Manchester, England...
..... Bey of Aribajan - Xavier CugatXavier CugatXavier Cugat was a Spanish-American bandleader who spent his formative years in Havana, Cuba. A trained violinist and arranger, he was a key personality in the spread of Latin music in United States popular music. He was also a cartoonist and a successful businessman...
..... Himself
Critical reception
VarietyVariety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
noted there is "never a dull moment in this weekend."