Swing It Soldier (1941)

66 mins | Comedy | 7 November 1941

Director:

Harold Young

Cinematographer:

Elwood Bredell

Editor:

Ted Kent

Production Designer:

Jack Otterson

Production Company:

Universal Pictures Company, Inc.
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HISTORY

The working title of this film was Radio Revels of 1942. In addition to the above-mentioned songs, the viewed print contained one unidentified musical number. The order of the cast differs significantly from the opening to the end credits. Universal press materials state that this was singer Susan Miller's first feature film. The film includes many famous radio performers, including Don Wilson of The Jack Benny Show; Blanche Stewart and Elvia Allman, who reprised their roles as "Brenda" and "Cobina" from Bob Hope's show; Irving Lee, "Señor Lee" of the George Burns and Gracie Allen show; and Hanley Stafford from Fannie Brice's show. ...

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The working title of this film was Radio Revels of 1942. In addition to the above-mentioned songs, the viewed print contained one unidentified musical number. The order of the cast differs significantly from the opening to the end credits. Universal press materials state that this was singer Susan Miller's first feature film. The film includes many famous radio performers, including Don Wilson of The Jack Benny Show; Blanche Stewart and Elvia Allman, who reprised their roles as "Brenda" and "Cobina" from Bob Hope's show; Irving Lee, "Señor Lee" of the George Burns and Gracie Allen show; and Hanley Stafford from Fannie Brice's show.

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SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Box Office
1 Nov 1941
---
Daily Variety
27 Oct 1941
p. 3
Hollywood Reporter
2 May 1941
p. 4
Hollywood Reporter
8 May 1941
p. 7
Hollywood Reporter
9 May 1941
p. 25
Hollywood Reporter
27 Oct 1941
p. 3
Motion Picture Herald Product Digest
1 Nov 1941
pp. 341-42
Variety
29 Oct 1941
p. 9
CAST
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
"Host of the Airwaves"
"Hello, Again!"
"Bob Hope's Girl Friends"
"Radio's Big Bad Daddy"
"Rudy Vallee's Protege"
"Burns and Allen's 'No' Man"
+

PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTORS
Asst dir
PRODUCER
Assoc prod
WRITERS
Orig scr, Orig scr
Arthur V. Jones
Orig scr, Orig scr
PHOTOGRAPHY
Dir of photog
ART DIRECTORS
Art dir
FILM EDITOR
Ted Kent
Film ed
SET DECORATOR
R. A. Gausman
Set dec
COSTUMES
Gowns
MUSIC
Mus dir
SOUND
Harold Bumbaugh
[Sd] tech
DANCE
Reginald Le Borg
Mus numbers dir by
PRODUCTION MISC
Unit pub wrt
SOURCES
SONGS
"Annie Laurie," words by William Douglas, music by Lady John Scott; "My Melancholy Baby," words by George Norton, music by Ernie Burnett; "Got Love" and "Rug Cuttin' Romeo," words by Everett Carter, music by Milton Rosen; "I'm Gonna Swing My Way Up to Heaven," words by Eddie Cherkose, music by Jacques Press; "Play, Fiddle, Play," words by Jack Lawrence, music by Emery Deutsch and Arthur Altman; "Daisy Bell," words and music by Harry Dacre; "Two Hearts That Pass in the Night," words by Forman Brown, music by Ernesto Lecuona; "Mama Don't Allow It," words and music by Charles Davenport.
SONGWRITERS/COMPOSERS
+
DETAILS
Alternate Title:
Radio Revels of 1942
Release Date:
7 November 1941
Production Date:
8 May--mid May 1941
Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Universal Pictures Co., inc.
13 October 1941
LP10771
Physical Properties:
Sound
Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording
Black and White
Duration(in mins):
66
Length(in feet):
5,940
Length(in reels):
7
Country:
United States
SYNOPSIS

Bill Waters and Jerry Trainor are tent-mate draftees in the United States Army. Every night, Bill listens to a radio singer known simply as "The Lovely Lady of Song," waiting for her to end her show with her trademark sign-off, "Goodnight, Bill." The anonymous singer is Evelyn Loring Waters, Bill's wife, who is pregnant. The pregnancy is a secret, as Bill wishes to remain in the Army and Evelyn fears that she would lose her job if her condition was known. With the help of advertising executive Brad Saunders, Evelyn convinces her twin sister Patricia to take her job on the radio while she has her baby. Meanwhile, Jerry is released from the Army and he promises Bill he will look after his wife when he returns to civilian life and the radio business. Jerry arrives at the station, unaware that the real Evelyn is in a maternity home. Neither Patricia nor Brad are aware of Jerry's predicament, and they soon come to regard him as an idiot. Jerry continues in his solemn quest, trying to make Pat drink buttermilk or go to bed early. His persistence soon creates an intense rivalry between himself and Brad, for they also share responsiblities at the same advertising agency. Brad works to get Pat her own show, a new breakfast food program that his boss, Maxwellton, is trying to acquire. As hard as Brad works on Pat's behalf, however, Jerry works just as hard to slow her down, as he is worried that "Evelyn" is overworking herself. In an attempt to sabotage her audition, Jerry tells Pat that his boss loves the song ...

More Less

Bill Waters and Jerry Trainor are tent-mate draftees in the United States Army. Every night, Bill listens to a radio singer known simply as "The Lovely Lady of Song," waiting for her to end her show with her trademark sign-off, "Goodnight, Bill." The anonymous singer is Evelyn Loring Waters, Bill's wife, who is pregnant. The pregnancy is a secret, as Bill wishes to remain in the Army and Evelyn fears that she would lose her job if her condition was known. With the help of advertising executive Brad Saunders, Evelyn convinces her twin sister Patricia to take her job on the radio while she has her baby. Meanwhile, Jerry is released from the Army and he promises Bill he will look after his wife when he returns to civilian life and the radio business. Jerry arrives at the station, unaware that the real Evelyn is in a maternity home. Neither Patricia nor Brad are aware of Jerry's predicament, and they soon come to regard him as an idiot. Jerry continues in his solemn quest, trying to make Pat drink buttermilk or go to bed early. His persistence soon creates an intense rivalry between himself and Brad, for they also share responsiblities at the same advertising agency. Brad works to get Pat her own show, a new breakfast food program that his boss, Maxwellton, is trying to acquire. As hard as Brad works on Pat's behalf, however, Jerry works just as hard to slow her down, as he is worried that "Evelyn" is overworking herself. In an attempt to sabotage her audition, Jerry tells Pat that his boss loves the song "Annie Laurie." In actuality, Maxwellton hates it. Her chief rival for the job, nightclub singer Clementine, overhears their conversion, and as soon as she starts to sing the number, Maxwellton goes wild and ends the audition. Just as Jerry and Brad are about to exchange blows again, Evelyn goes into labor. Jerry rushes to the hospital, where he sees the twins together for the first time. In learning the truth, Jerry realizes that Pat is single and that he is in love with her. Jerry then jumps into action and convinces Maxwellton to hire Pat for the new show. With everything resolved, Jerry and Pat leave to get married.

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Legend
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement Award

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