Sunny Side of the Street (1951)

70-71 mins | Musical | September 1951

Director:

Richard Quine

Producer:

Jonie Taps

Cinematographer:

Ellis W. Carter

Editor:

Jerome Thoms

Production Designer:

Walter Holscher

Production Company:

Columbia Pictures Corp.
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HISTORY

Although not credited onscreen, The Rhythmaires, Frankie Laine's backup vocalists, appear with "Ted" when he sings in a commercial on Laine's variety show. According to a Sep 1950 DV news item, June Hutton was being considered for a role, but her appearance in the film has not been confirmed. Information from reviews and film credits indicate the film was shot in color, but the print viewed was in black and white. ...

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Although not credited onscreen, The Rhythmaires, Frankie Laine's backup vocalists, appear with "Ted" when he sings in a commercial on Laine's variety show. According to a Sep 1950 DV news item, June Hutton was being considered for a role, but her appearance in the film has not been confirmed. Information from reviews and film credits indicate the film was shot in color, but the print viewed was in black and white.

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SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Box Office
8 Sep 1951
---
Daily Variety
26 Sep 1950
---
Daily Variety
29 Aug 1951
p. 3
Film Daily
29 Aug 1951
p. 7
Hollywood Reporter
5 Jan 1951
p. 10
Hollywood Reporter
19 Jan 1951
p. 12
Hollywood Reporter
29 Aug 1951
p. 4
Motion Picture Herald Product Digest
1 Sep 1951
pp. 998-99
Variety
29 Aug 1951
p. 20
CAST
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
PRODUCTION COMPANY
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTORS
Asst dir
PRODUCER
Prod
WRITERS
Scr
PHOTOGRAPHY
Dir of photog
ART DIRECTOR
Art dir
FILM EDITOR
Film ed
SET DECORATOR
Set dec
MUSIC
Mus rec
Mus adv
Mus dir
SOUND
Sd tech
SOURCES
SONGS
"On the Sunny Side of the Street," words by Dorothy Field, music by Jimmy McHugh; "Torno a Sorrento," words by G. B. de Curtis, music by Ernesto de Curtis; "Pennies from Heaven," words by John Burke, music by Arthur Johnston; "Let's Fall in Love" and "I Get a Kick Out of You," words and music by Cole Porter; "Too Marvelous for Words," words Johnny Mercer, music by Richard A. Whiting; "I'm Going to Live Till I Die," words and music by Walter Kent, Mann Curtis and Al Hoffman; "I May Be Wrong, But I Think You're Wonderful," words by Harry Ruskin, music by Henry Sullivan; "I Hadn't Anyone Till You," words and music by Ray Noble; "Love of a Gypsy," composers undetermined.
SONGWRITERS/COMPOSERS
+
DETAILS
Release Date:
September 1951
Production Date:
8 Jan--24 Jan 1951
Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Columbia Pictures Corp.
27 August 1951
LP1129
Physical Properties:
Sound
Western Electric Recording
Color
SuperCinecolor
Duration(in mins):
70-71
Country:
United States
Language:
English
PCA No:
15086
SYNOPSIS

New tour guide Ted Mason leads his first tour of KXIW television studio with a group of school girls, who are enthralled with singer Frankie Laine, who is recording his variety show on one of the sound stages. Distracted by a young troublemaker, Ted loses control of the group, which then uses the opportunity to break in on Frankie's taping. Information clerk Betty Holloway helps Ted reorganize the tour, but is unable to prevent his firing by studio head John "J. R." Stevens. On his way out of the studio, Ted runs into old friend Gloria Pelley and her wealthy father Cyrus, head of the Pelley peanut brittle company, and Ted promises to meet Gloria later. In hopes of securing the Pelley company sponsorship, Stevens and his two top writers, Dave Gibson and Al Little, have the Pelleys watch singer Toni Arden tape a number for her television show, but Gloria, whose opinion influences her father, dismisses Toni, claiming she prefers male singers. After hearing about Ted's firing, Betty finds him and learns that he only took the tour guide job to try to get a break as a singer. Feeling guilty over Ted's discharge, Betty promises to arrange an audition for him. That afternoon, Betty introduces Ted to Frankie, who agrees to listen to him sing. After Ted's impressive tryout, Frankie advises him to alter his stiff radio broadcast style and learn to present himself to the television camera. Betty becomes Ted's unofficial agent when she has his song cut into a record, which she intends to distribute around town. Betty then takes Ted to a small club to have him watch the natural ...

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New tour guide Ted Mason leads his first tour of KXIW television studio with a group of school girls, who are enthralled with singer Frankie Laine, who is recording his variety show on one of the sound stages. Distracted by a young troublemaker, Ted loses control of the group, which then uses the opportunity to break in on Frankie's taping. Information clerk Betty Holloway helps Ted reorganize the tour, but is unable to prevent his firing by studio head John "J. R." Stevens. On his way out of the studio, Ted runs into old friend Gloria Pelley and her wealthy father Cyrus, head of the Pelley peanut brittle company, and Ted promises to meet Gloria later. In hopes of securing the Pelley company sponsorship, Stevens and his two top writers, Dave Gibson and Al Little, have the Pelleys watch singer Toni Arden tape a number for her television show, but Gloria, whose opinion influences her father, dismisses Toni, claiming she prefers male singers. After hearing about Ted's firing, Betty finds him and learns that he only took the tour guide job to try to get a break as a singer. Feeling guilty over Ted's discharge, Betty promises to arrange an audition for him. That afternoon, Betty introduces Ted to Frankie, who agrees to listen to him sing. After Ted's impressive tryout, Frankie advises him to alter his stiff radio broadcast style and learn to present himself to the television camera. Betty becomes Ted's unofficial agent when she has his song cut into a record, which she intends to distribute around town. Betty then takes Ted to a small club to have him watch the natural poise of singers Billy Daniels and Benny Payne, but Ted remains uncertain of his ability to change. Betty presents a copy of Ted's record to Stevens, who distractedly promises to listen, but instead frets over Dave and Al's inability to lure the Pelleys into a contract. When Betty learns that one of Frankie's back-up singers is ill, she pleads with Frankie to let Ted fill in. At that evening's taping, Ted joins a quartet in performing a commercial, and afterward, Frankie recommends him for another commercial the following night on Toni's show. The next day Gloria runs into Ted and lightly upbraids him for not calling her, to Betty's annoyance. That night, Frankie appears as a guest on Toni's show, then Ted sings solo on a beer commercial. Meanwhile, Stevens dejectedly informs Dave and Al that the Pelleys have decided to sign with the Acme Network. After watching Ted's commercial, however, Dave and Al excitedly tell Stevens they can build a show around Ted that the Pelleys are sure to support. Stevens summons Ted, and Dave questions him about his relationship with Gloria. Learning that the two were high school sweethearts, Dave and Al have Ted telephone Gloria for a date to help them launch their idea for a TV series. Ted initially resists, unwilling to break a date with Betty, but Dave convinces him that he has spoken with Betty and received her approval. That night Ted escorts Gloria to the prestigious Embassy Club, unaware that Betty is waiting for him at her apartment. After Betty's roommate Mary arrives at the Embassy with a date and spots Ted with Gloria, she learns that Gloria and Ted have known each other since childhood and suspects they are renewing old ties. Meanwhile, Frankie appears at the club in his regular show, then introduces Ted, to Gloria's delight. When Cyrus, who has come as a guest of Stevens, asks his daughter for her opinion of Ted, she enthusiastically tells him to sign Ted and KXIW. The next day, Ted arrives at the studio with Gloria to sign his contract, but is disturbed when Betty gives him the cold shoulder. Discovering that Mary has told Betty about his night out with Gloria, Ted insists that he believed she was aware of their date and that it was solely for business, but Betty remains indignant. When Ted follows Betty onto a soundstage, Frankie follows, as does Gloria, and the two overhear Ted's declaration of love for Betty and his offer to give up the contract if that will please her. Gloria intervenes to admit that while she finds Ted attractive, she has no serious feelings for him. Gloria departs with Frankie as Ted and Betty make up. The following week, Ted launches his new Pelley-sponsored show, with Frankie as his special guest, while Betty watches proudly from the audience.

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

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