Wabash Avenue (film)

Wabash Avenue
Wabash Avenue
Directed by	Henry Koster
Written by	Charles Lederer; Harry Tugend
Produced by	William Perlberg
Starring	Betty Grable; Victor Mature
Cinematography	Arthur E. Arling
Edited by	Robert L. Simpson
Music by	Cyril J. Mockridge
Color process	Technicolor
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release dates	March 31, 1950 (Chicago, Illinois);
Running time	92 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$2,050,000 (US rentals)

Wabash Avenue is a 1950 American musical film directed by Henry Koster and starring Betty Grable. The film was a remake of Grable's earlier hit 1943 film Coney Island.

Plot

Ruby Summers (Betty Grable) is a burlesque queen in a successful dance hall in 1892 Chicago. The owner of the dance hall Mike (Phil Harris) has cheated his ex-partner Andy Clark (Victor Mature) out of a half interest in the business. Andy schemes to potentially ruin Mike and also hopes to make Ruby a classy entertainer, as well as his own girl.

Cast

Betty Grable as Ruby Summers
Victor Mature as Andy Clark
Phil Harris as Mike Stanley
Reginald Gardiner as English Eddie
James Barton as Harrigan
Barry Kelley as Bouncer
Margaret Hamilton as Tillie Hutch
Jacqueline Dalya as Cleo
Robin Raymond as Jennie
Hal K. Dawson as Healy
Dorothy Neumann as Reformer
Alexander Pope as Charlie Saxe
Henry Kulky as Joe Barton
Marie Bryant as Elsa
Collette Lyons as Beulah
George Beranger as Wax Museum Attendant

Background

Wabash Avenue, named from a major Chicago street, was reportedly conceived as a biopic of Chicago songwriter Gus Kahn. Negotiations dissolved but exhibitors had been promised that title so 20th Century Fox hastily substituted a rewrite of its 1943 Coney Island. (The Kahn biopic was made at Warner Bros. in 1951 as I'll See You in My Dreams, with Danny Thomas as Kahn.)

The film became a vehicle for Betty Grable with Richard Widmark and Paul Douglas to co-star. The setting was to be the 1893 Chicago Exposition.^[3] Eventually Widmark was replaced by Victor Mature.^[4] Eventually Paul Douglas dropped out and was replaced by Phil Harris.

Filming started on 9 May 1949.^[5] It was the first in a three-picture contract Koster had with Fox.^[6]

The film featured five new numbers in addition to some old favourites. 87 sets were constructed included a recreation of Wabash Avenue.^[7]^[8]

Grable enjoyed working with director Henry Koster so much she insisted he direct her next film, My Blue Heaven.^[9]

Awards

Wabash Avenue also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for the number Wilhelmina.

References

^ 'The Top Box Office Hits of 1950', Variety, January 3, 1951
^ Aubrey Solomon, Twentieth Century-Fox: A Corporate and Financial History Rowman & Littlefield, 2002 p 223
^ THOMAS F. BRADY (Jan 31, 1949). "METRO BUYS STORY FOR MISS HEPBURN: Studio Plans to Co-Star Actress and Tracy in Kanin-Gordon Comedy, 'Man and Wife'". New York Times. p. 14.
^ THOMAS F. BRADY (Mar 22, 1949). "M'CREA GETS LEAD IN METRO PICTURE: To Play Clergyman in 'Stars in My Crown,' Based on Novel -- Fitts Doing Scenario". New York Times. p. 31.
^ "Of Local Origin". New York Times. May 10, 1949. p. 29.
^ THOMAS F. BRADY (Mar 29, 1949). "BRYAN FOY IN DEAL WITH WARNER BROS.: Will Join Studio as Producer After Completing Eagle-Lion Films -- Has 3-Year Pact". New York Times. p. 31.
^ "Letter From Hollywood". Christian Science Monitor. June 17, 1949. p. 5.
^ "HOLLYWOOD GLAMORIZES OLD. Wendt, Lloyd". Chicago Daily Tribune. July 24, 1949. p. C4.
^ "GRABLE TO APPEAR IN 'BLUE HEAVEN': Star Ends Hold-Out Against the Fox Studios -- Koster Will Direct as She Preferred". New York Times. Oct 19, 1949. p. 37.

External links

Wabash Avenue at IMDb
Wabash Avenue at AllMovie
Wabash Avenue at the TCM Movie Database
Wabash Avenue at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
Wabash Ave film clip on YouTube

[1] 'The Top Box Office Hits of 1950', Variety, January 3, 1951

[2] Aubrey Solomon, Twentieth Century-Fox: A Corporate and Financial History Rowman & Littlefield, 2002 p 223

[3] THOMAS F. BRADY (Jan 31, 1949). "METRO BUYS STORY FOR MISS HEPBURN: Studio Plans to Co-Star Actress and Tracy in Kanin-Gordon Comedy, 'Man and Wife'". New York Times. p. 14.

[4] THOMAS F. BRADY (Mar 22, 1949). "M'CREA GETS LEAD IN METRO PICTURE: To Play Clergyman in 'Stars in My Crown,' Based on Novel -- Fitts Doing Scenario". New York Times. p. 31.

[5] "Of Local Origin". New York Times. May 10, 1949. p. 29.

[6] THOMAS F. BRADY (Mar 29, 1949). "BRYAN FOY IN DEAL WITH WARNER BROS.: Will Join Studio as Producer After Completing Eagle-Lion Films -- Has 3-Year Pact". New York Times. p. 31.

[7] "Letter From Hollywood". Christian Science Monitor. June 17, 1949. p. 5.

[8] "HOLLYWOOD GLAMORIZES OLD. Wendt, Lloyd". Chicago Daily Tribune. July 24, 1949. p. C4.

[9] "GRABLE TO APPEAR IN 'BLUE HEAVEN': Star Ends Hold-Out Against the Fox Studios -- Koster Will Direct as She Preferred". New York Times. Oct 19, 1949. p. 37.

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