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MusicComedyRomance

Second Chorus

- They're the tip-tops in toe-taps!

Danny O'Neill and Hank Taylor are rival trumpeters with the Perennials, a college band, and both men are still attending college by failing their exams seven years in a row. In the midst of a performance, Danny spies Ellen Miller who ends up being made band manager. Both men compete for her affections while trying to get the other one fired.

Release Date : 1941-01-03

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Paramount Pictures

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Fred Astaire

Character Name : Danny O'Neill

Original Name : Fred Astaire

Gender : Male

Paulette Goddard

Character Name : Ellen Miller

Original Name : Paulette Goddard

Gender : Female

Artie Shaw

Character Name : Himself

Original Name : Artie Shaw

Gender : Male

Charles Butterworth

Character Name : J. Lester Chisholm

Original Name : Charles Butterworth

Gender : Male

Burgess Meredith

Character Name : Hank Taylor

Original Name : Burgess Meredith

Gender : Male

Frank Melton

Character Name : Stu

Original Name : Frank Melton

Gender : Male

Jimmy Conlin

Character Name : Mr. Dunn

Original Name : Jimmy Conlin

Gender : Male

Don Brodie

Character Name : Clerk

Original Name : Don Brodie

Gender : Male

Marjorie Kane

Character Name : Secretary

Original Name : Marjorie Kane

Gender : Female

Joan Barclay

Character Name : Receptionist

Original Name : Joan Barclay

Gender : Female

Willa Pearl Curtis

Character Name : Scrubwoman

Original Name : Willa Pearl Curtis

Gender : Male

Phil Arnold

Character Name : Shaw's First Manager (uncredited)

Original Name : Phil Arnold

Gender : Male

Bobby Barber

Character Name : Room Service Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Bobby Barber

Gender : Male

Bus Bassey

Character Name : Tenor Sax Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Bus Bassey

Gender : Male

William Benedict

Character Name : Ticket Taker (uncredited)

Original Name : William Benedict

Gender : Male

Vernon Brown

Character Name : Trombone Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Vernon Brown

Gender : Male

Billy Butterfield

Character Name : Trumpet Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Billy Butterfield

Gender : Male

Romaine Callender

Character Name : Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Romaine Callender

Gender : Male

Jack Cathcart

Character Name : Trumpet Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Cathcart

Gender : Male

Heinie Conklin

Character Name : Reporter (uncredited)

Original Name : Heinie Conklin

Gender : Male

Gordon De Main

Character Name : Elevator Passenger (uncredited)

Original Name : Gordon De Main

Gender : Male

Jud De Naut

Character Name : Bass Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Jud De Naut

Gender : Male

Nick Fatool

Character Name : Drummer (uncredited)

Original Name : Nick Fatool

Gender : Male

Jack Gordon

Character Name : Stagehand (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Gordon

Gender : Male

Johnny Guarnieri

Character Name : Piano Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Johnny Guarnieri

Gender : Male

Ben Hall

Character Name : Western Union Boy (uncredited)

Original Name : Ben Hall

Gender : Male

Alton Hendrickson

Character Name : Guitar Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Alton Hendrickson

Gender : Male

Jack Jenney

Character Name : Trombone Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Jack Jenney

Gender : Male

Jerry Jerome

Character Name : Tenor Sax Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Jerry Jerome

Gender : Male

Adia Kuznetzoff

Character Name : Boris (uncredited)

Original Name : Adia Kuznetzoff

Gender : Male

Lillian Lawrence

Character Name : Spinster (uncredited)

Original Name : Lillian Lawrence

Gender : Female

Alexander Leftwich

Character Name : Elevator Passenger (uncredited)

Original Name : Alexander Leftwich

Gender : Male

Ben Lessy

Character Name : Shaw's Second Manager (uncredited)

Original Name : Ben Lessy

Gender : Male

Joseph Marievsky

Character Name : Ivan (uncredited)

Original Name : Joseph Marievsky

Gender : Male

Charles R. Moore

Character Name : Sam - Elevator Operator (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles R. Moore

Gender : Male

Buddy Morrow

Character Name : Musician (uncredited)

Original Name : Buddy Morrow

Gender : Male

Spec O'Donnell

Character Name : Disappointed Fan at Stage Door (uncredited)

Original Name : Spec O'Donnell

Gender : Male

Hermes Pan

Character Name : College Clarinetist (uncredited)

Original Name : Hermes Pan

Gender : Male

Neely Plumb

Character Name : Alto Sax Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Neely Plumb

Gender : Male

Albert Pollet

Character Name : Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Albert Pollet

Gender : Male

June Preston

Character Name : Little Blonde Girl Dancing (uncredited)

Original Name : June Preston

Gender : Female

Fred Rapport

Character Name : Headwaiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Fred Rapport

Gender : Male

Les Robinson

Character Name : Alto Sax Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Les Robinson

Gender : Male

Charles Smith

Character Name : College Boy with Zinc Oxide on His Nose (uncredited)

Original Name : Charles Smith

Gender : Male

Mary Stewart

Character Name : Dancer / Singer (uncredited)

Original Name : Mary Stewart

Gender : Female

Leonard Sues

Character Name : Trumpet Player (uncredited)

Original Name : Leonard Sues

Gender : Male

Edward Thomas

Character Name : Waiter (uncredited)

Original Name : Edward Thomas

Gender : Male

Michael Visaroff

Character Name : Sergei (uncredited)

Original Name : Michael Visaroff

Gender : Male

George Wendt

Character Name : Trumpet Player (uncredited)

Original Name : George Wendt

Gender : Male

Poppy Wilde

Character Name : Night Club Patron (uncredited)

Original Name : Poppy Wilde

Gender : Female

Allen Wood

Character Name : Messenger (uncredited)

Original Name : Allen Wood

Gender : Male

Reviews

C

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2025-02-15

This has some good ingredients but somehow the sum of the parts just misfires as even some lively Artie Shaw-led numbers just fizzle out. It doesn’t really help that there’s not much chemistry between Fred Astaire’s “Danny” and either his partner in crime “Hank” (Burgess Meredith) or their old pal/manager “Ellen” (Paulette Goddard). The two men have been exploiting the college band gravy train for almost a decade but have now finally been forced into the outside world to fend for themselves. They both play the trumpet and guess what… Artie is looking for a trumpeter! What he is also looking for is someone to take on the management of his popular orchestra and so the seeds are sewn for some song and dance comedy as the two men vie for both her and a job! It’s not a bad film, it’s just flat. The routines are all just a little pedestrian and even Johnny Mercer’s usually reliable pen can’t breathe much life into “Dig It” or “Would You Want to be…?”. There are a few decent moments as Shaw’s band manages to get toes a-tapping, and we are reminded that Astaire was no slouch on the piano, but even given it was made as the war was looming larger in the USA, this is all just a bit derivative and sloppily edited. It just goes to show that even the best and most accomplished stars can’t make an engaging double-act out of a sow’s ear.