William Morrow Movies

Singer Bing Crosby's formal television debut (ignoring a few scattered cameo appearances in the late '40s) was an event considered worthy of a TV Guide cover story. Rather than appear in a "live" spectacular, Crosby chose instead to headline a modest filmed half-hour special, produced at the same studios used by The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. Though Rosemary Clooney had been slated for an appearance, by the time the program went before the cameras, the guest stars had been narrowed down to Jack Benny and relative newcomer Sheree North. It might come as a surprise to contemporary viewers that Bob Hope did not appear on Crosby's inaugural TV show, but remember that Hope was under contract to NBC, and Crosby's program was beamed out by CBS (as indicated by the stage curtain seen during most of the proceedings, which was festooned with replications of the CBS "eye" logo). As for the special itself, Crosby performs a monologue, trades quips with Benny, and sings such tunes as "It Had to Be You" (accompanied by pianist Buddy Cole), "I Love Paris," "Changing Partners," and, accompanied by the Cass Country Boys, Perry Botkin, and a talented troupe of dancers, "Y'All Come." Sheree North, who spends much of the time playing the character of Jack Benny's girlfriend "Crystal Fogg," struts her stuff in a wild rock & roll jitterbug, not dissimilar to the dance she performed in the Martin and Lewis feature film Living It Up. Currently available prints of The Bing Crosby Show include the opening and closing General Electric commercials. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Tales of Manhattan is a sumptuous multipart film centered around a formal tailcoat. The coat is specially designed for stage actor Charles Boyer, who wears it during a rendezvous with his lady friend (Rita Hayworth). The lady's husband (Thomas Mitchell) shoots Boyer, thus the tailcoat is damaged merchandise and sold at a discount to a bridegroom (Cesar Romero). When the groom's peccadillos catch up to him, the bride (Ginger Rogers) chooses to marry the best man (Henry Fonda) instead, and the coat is shipped off to a second hand store. It is purchased by a would-be composer (Charles Laughton), who wears it the night that he is to conduct his first symphony; alas, the coat is too tight and tears apart, nearly ruining the conductor's debut. Stitched back together, the coat is donated to a skid row mission, wherein the kindly proprietor gives the coat to a down and out drunkard (Edward G. Robinson) so that the shabby gentleman can attend his 25th college reunion. Later on, the coat is stolen by a crook (J. Carroll Naish) in order to gain entrance to a fancy charity ball. The crook holds up the ball and stuffs the loot in the pockets of the coat, but while escaping in an airplane he loses the outer garment. The coat floats down to an impoverished African American shanty community; a farmer (Paul Robeson) decides to distribute the "money from heaven" amongst his needy neighbors. At the end, the tattered coat adorns the shoulders of a scarecrow. Tales of Manhattan is one of the best "portmanteau" dramas turned out by Hollywood; it was directed by French expatriate Julien Duvivier, a past master of the multi-story technique. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

To fully appreciate Buck Benny Rides Again, one must have some familiarity with Jack Benny's radio programs of the 1939-40 season. During this period, Jack's broadcast costars included bandleader Phil Harris, announcer Don Wilson, singer Dennis Day and comedians Eddie "Rochester" Anderson and Andy Devine. All five supporting players appear in this film, all playing "themselves" just as Benny does. Falling in love with aspiring singer Joan Cameron (Ellen Drew), Jack vows to go out of his way to impress her. When he learns that Joan is headed for a western dude ranch, he poses as "Buck" Benny, a rootin'-tootin'-shootin' 100% genuine cowboy. In truth, both Jack and his valet Rochester are terrified at the Wide Open Spaces, certain that they'll be scalped by Indians at the first opportunity, but through a series of silly coincidences Benny manages to convince Joan that he's an honest-to-goodness frontiersman. The plot thickens when a pair of modern-day desperadoes (Ward Bond and Morris Ankrum) plot to rob the dude ranch's safe, but our hero saves both the day and his girlfriend, with the unsolicited but very welcome assistance of his pet polar bear Carmichael (the same bruin who allegedly ate the gas man on Jack's radio show). Benny fans will get an extra kick out of seeing his legendary Maxwell in all its sputtering, backfiring glory, while old-time radio aficionados will enjoy hearing the voices of Mary Livingstone (Mrs. Benny) and Jack's "friendly enemy" Fred Allen. Frank Loesser's musical score includes such hit-parade favorites as "Say It (Over and Over Again)" and "My! My!", the latter sung by Rochester to his sweetie Josephine (Theresa Harris). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi