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Birth of the Blues
1941, Nov 07
1h 27m
Jeff grows up near Basin Street in New Orleans, playing his clarinet with the dock workers. He puts together a band, the Basin Street Hot-Shots, which includes a cornet player, Memphis. They struggle to get their jazz music accepted by the cafe society of the city. Betty Lou joins their band as a singer and gets Louie to show her how to do scat singing. Memphis and Jeff both fall in love with Betty Lou.
Directed by
Victor Schertzinger
Written by
Walter DeLeon
Tommy Dorsey
Self (archive footage)
Ronnie Cosby
Jeff as a Boy
Paul Whiteman
Self (archive footage)
Benny Goodman
Self (archive footage)
Brian Donlevy
Memphis
Charles Lane
Wilbur - Bijou Theater Manager (uncredited)
Bing Crosby
Jeff Lambert
Mary Martin
Betty Lou Cobb
Barbara Pepper
Maizie
Mantan Moreland
Black Trumpet Player (uncredited)
Cecil Kellaway
Granet
Roscoe Ates
Cab Driver (uncredited)
J. Carrol Naish
Blackie
Louis Armstrong
Self (archive footage)
Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson
Louey
Harry Barris
Suds
Warren Hymer
Limpy
Donald Kerr
Skeeter, Barbershop Musician
Duke Ellington
Self (archive footage)
Horace McMahon
Wolf
Minor Watson
Henri Lambert
Carolyn Lee
Aunt Phoebe Cobb
Jimmy Dorsey
Self (archive footage)
Harry Rosenthal
Piano Player
Ruby Elzy
Ruby
Jack Teagarden
Pepper
Danny Beck
Deek
Ted Lewis
Self (archive footage)
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