Birth of the Blues

Birth of the Blues

Strike Up The Band ! * Here comes happiness . . . in a merry medley of romance . . . and rhythm !

1941 en 87 minutes

Rating: 5.5

Plot

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.

Trailer

Trailer's not available.

Cast

Bing Crosby

Bing Crosby

Jeff Lambert

Mary Martin

Mary Martin

Betty Lou Cobb

Brian Donlevy

Brian Donlevy

Memphis

Carolyn Lee

Carolyn Lee

Aunt Phoebe Cobb

Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson

Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson

Louey

J. Carrol Naish

J. Carrol Naish

Blackie

Warren Hymer

Warren Hymer

Limpy

Horace McMahon

Horace McMahon

Wolf

Ruby Elzy

Ruby Elzy

Ruby

Jack Teagarden

Jack Teagarden

Pepper

Danny Beck

Danny Beck

Deek

Harry Barris

Harry Barris

Suds

Perry Botkin Sr.

Perry Botkin Sr.

Leo

Minor Watson

Minor Watson

Henri Lambert

Harry Rosenthal

Harry Rosenthal

Piano Player

Donald Kerr

Donald Kerr

Skeeter, Barbershop Musician

Barbara Pepper

Barbara Pepper

Maizie

Cecil Kellaway

Cecil Kellaway

Granet

Ronnie Cosby

Ronnie Cosby

Jeff as a Boy

Ted Lewis

Ted Lewis

Self (archive footage)

Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington

Self (archive footage)

Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong

Self (archive footage)

Tommy Dorsey

Tommy Dorsey

Self (archive footage)

Jimmy Dorsey

Jimmy Dorsey

Self (archive footage)

Benny Goodman

Benny Goodman

Self (archive footage)

Paul Whiteman

Paul Whiteman

Self (archive footage)

Roscoe Ates

Roscoe Ates

Cab Driver (uncredited)

Charles Lane

Charles Lane

Wilbur - Bijou Theater Manager (uncredited)

Mantan Moreland

Mantan Moreland

Black Trumpet Player (uncredited)

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