Second Chorus

1940 MusicComedy 84 minutes Directed by H. C. Potter

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About Second Chorus

Danny O'Neill and Hank Taylor play trumpet in a college band, the Perennials, and keep failing their exams so they can stay in school. Ellen Miller is made the band's manager. Both men chase her and try to get the other one fired. The fight lands them, separately, near Artie Shaw's orchestra. Ellen ends with Danny, and the two drive off.

Cast & crew

More about Second Chorus

H. C. Potter directed. Boris Morros produced it independently for Paramount, with Robert Stillman as associate producer and Fred Astaire uncredited in that job. Elaine Ryan and Ian McLellan Hunter wrote the screenplay from a story by Frank Cavett. Johnny Mercer contributed. Theodor Sparkuhl photographed it. Paramount released it in the United States on 3 December 1940.

Themes

  • Rivals who will not graduate
  • A manager both of them want
  • A swing band as the prize
  • trumpet
  • college band
  • Artie Shaw
  • failed exams
  • dance
  • band manager

Making

Astaire's conducting dance was built on Shaw's working band, not on a studio orchestra dressed as one.

Look

Theodor Sparkuhl shot the college-band numbers and Astaire's dance in front of Shaw's orchestra.

Music

Artie Shaw plays and leads the band. Songs include "Love of My Life" (Mercer and Shaw) and "Poor Mr. Chisholm" (Mercer and Bernie Hanighen). Hal Borne is also credited with music.

Preservation

The copyright expired in 1968. The film is in the public domain in the United States.

Notes

  • Fred Astaire plays Danny, Burgess Meredith plays Hank, and Paulette Goddard plays Ellen. Artie Shaw plays himself. Charles Butterworth plays Mr. Chisholm.
  • Love of My Life," by Johnny Mercer and Artie Shaw, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song. The score was nominated for Best Score, Adaptation or Treatment. Neither won.
  • In a 1968 interview Astaire called it "the worst film I ever made." He had taken the part for the chance to dance-conduct Shaw's band.
  • The copyright lapsed in 1968. The film is in the public domain in the United States.
  • Other numbers include Shaw's "Concerto for Clarinet" and "Poor Mr. Chisholm," by Mercer and Bernie Hanighen.

Scenes

  • Danny and Hank keep failing exams so the Perennials will not lose them.
  • Astaire dance-conducts Artie Shaw's orchestra.

Also available

  • Internet Archive (second_chorus)
  • Wikimedia Commons