Orchestra Wives(1942).

Orchestra Wives(1942). Cast: Ann Rutherford and George Montgomery, Lynn Bari, Carole Landis, Cesar Romero, Virginia Gilmore, Mary Beth Hughes and The Nicholas Brothers. The film was the second and last film to feature The Glenn Miller Orchestra. Maureen O'Hara and Linda Darnell both declined the female lead.

Connie Ward marries Bill Abbott, a trumpet player in Gene Morrison's swing band. She soon finds herself having trouble with the other band member's wives. She is also worried by the flirtation between Abbott and Jaynie, the band's female singer.

When Ward decides to walk out on Abbott, the troubles among the musicians and their wives, come to a head and band leader Morrison, is forced to break up the orchestra. Ward and the band's pianist Sinjin then work together to reunite the band, which also produces a reconciliation between Ward and Abbot.

Orchestra Wives features many wonderful songs by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren, who were also responsible for the songs featured in Miller's first film, Sun Valley Serenade (1941). The main production number is "I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo".



"Chattanooga Choo-Choo", from the first film that features a vocals and sax by Tex Beneke, backup singing by the Modernaires, and the dance sequence by the Nicholas Brothers.



Other songs include: "People Like You and Me", "Bugle Call Rag"..



and the romantic ballads "At Last"..



"Serenade in Blue"...



The film score uses "At Last" as a musical motif that is played throughout the movie.

Glenn Miller's theme song "Moonlight Serenade" from 1939 also appears over the opening credits.

"Boom Shot", an instrumental composed by Glenn Miller and Billy May for the movie, also is played in the movie, first on the jukebox in the soda shop, then when Ann Rutherford and Harry Morgan are shown dancing.

Three future stars have uncredited appearances: Jackie Gleason plays the band's bass player, Ben Beck, and in the soda fountain scene, Harry Morgan is the soda-jerk Cully Anderson, who also dates Connie Ward (Ann Rutherford).



In her movie debut, Dale Evans plays Ann Rutherford's friend Hazel. Pat Friday dubbed Lynn Bari's singing, as she had done in Sun Valley Serenade. George Montgomery's on-screen trumpet playing was performed on the soundtrack by Johnny Best.

I love this movie and the glamorous fashions of the day. The plot showcases the toe tapping music and singing. Also, what fun it is to see Jackie Gleason playing the bass. This wonderful movie seems to be almost unknown, yet it should be on the top of the list of every Glenn Miller fan.

Ann Rutherford began her film career in starring roles in Waterfront Lady for Mascot Pictures in 1935.

Mascot merged with Republic Pictures and Rutherford soon became a popular leading lady of Westerns with Gene Autry and John Wayne.

Afterward, she was placed under contract with MGM, where she performed in films: A Christmas Carol (1938) and Pride and Prejudice (1940).

She was loaned to Selznick International to perform as, Carreen O'Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939).

From 1937 until 1942, she played Polly Benedict in the Andy Hardy series.

She also performed in a series of mystery/comedies with Red Skelton, Whistling in the Dark (1941), Whistling in Dixie (1942), and Whistling in Brooklyn (1943).

In Washington Melodrama (1941). She left MGM to freelance in the early 1940's, starring in such films as Orchestra Wives (1942), Two O'Clock Courage (1945) and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947).

In Memory: Ann Rutherford. (November 2, 1917 – June 11, 2012).

Ann Rutherford's parents were, John Rutherford, a former New York Metropolitan Opera tenor, and Lucille Mansfield, a silent film actress.  After moving to San Francisco, her parents separated and Lucille Mansfield moved to Los Angeles with Ann Rutherford and her sister Judith. While roller skating home from middle school in Hollywood, Rutherford would stop by the radio studios to listen to voice actors perform. After being criticized by her English teacher, Rutherford falsified an acting history and applied for work at radio station KFAC. Where she landed, a part in a radio serial drama.

Rutherford was married twice. On December 31, 1942, she married David May II, the grandson of the founder of the May Company department stores.  They had a girl, Gloria May, in 1943. On June 6, 1953, Rutherford and May were divorced in a court in Juarez, Mexico. On October 7, 1953, in New York City, Rutherford married actor/producer William Dozier, the creator of the Batman (1966-68) TV series. Dozier died in Santa Monica of a stroke on April 23, 1991.

In 1935, Rutherford began her Hollywood film career in the starring role of Joan O'Brien in the dramatic film, Waterfront Lady. Rutherford, soon established herself as a popular leading lady of Western films, costarring with actors Gene Autry and John Wayne.

In 1937, Rutherford left Republic and signed a film contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios. At MGM, Rutherford performed as the Spirit of Christmas Past in, A Christmas Carol (1938) and Lydia Bennet, in Pride and Prejudice (1940) .

In 1938, MGM loaned Rutherford to Selznick International Pictures to appear as Carreen O'Hara, the sister of Scarlet O'Hara, in the film Gone with the Wind (1939). MGM boss Louis Mayer, originally refused to  loan her out because, he considered the role too minor, but Rutherford really wanted the part and changed his mind.

From 1937 until 1942, Rutherford portrayed Polly Benedict, in the MGM Andy Hardy comedy film series with actor Mickey Rooney. Her first film in this series was You're Only Young Once (1937) and the last was Andy Hardy's Double Life (1942).

Rutherford also played Carol Lambert, comedian Red Skelton's screen girlfriend, for MGM in a series of mystery/comedies; Whistling in the Dark (1941), Whistling in Dixie (1942), and Whistling in Brooklyn (1943). In the early 1940s, Rutherford left MGM to perform in films: Orchestra Wives (1942) with 20th Century Fox. Movie clip below.



Also the films, Two O'Clock Courage (1945) with RKO Radio Pictures, and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947), also with RKO.

In 1950, Rutherford was the heroine of a novel, Ann Rutherford and the Key to Nightmare Hall, where "the heroine has the same name and appearance as the actress but there was no connection .

In 1972, Rutherford returned to MGM to make the film They Only Kill Their Masters. The film was shot on the old Andy Hardy set.

In the 1970s, Rutherford made two guest appearances on television as Aggie Harrison, the mother of Suzanne Pleshette's character Emily Hartley on The Bob Newhart Show.

Rutherford died on June 11, 2012 at her home in Beverly Hills, California, following declining health due to heart problems.  She is survived by her daughter, Gloria May, her companion of twenty years, Al Morley, a stepdaughter, Deborah Dozier Potter, and two grandsons.

Happy Birthday Ann Rutherford (1920 - present)

A very Happy Birthday to Ann Rutherford, who turns 90 today. Ann Rutherford was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on November 2, 1920. The daughter of a former Metropolitan Opera singer, John Rutherford and her actress mother, Lillian Mansfield, was destined for show business.

She appeared in a lot of films during the early 30's but really didn't have success until cast as Polly Benedict, in the long running Andy Hardy film series.

She appeared in 12 of those films. She also gained prominent recognition when cast as Scarlett O'Hara's sister Carreen in Gone With The Wind.

Ann had a long career which spanned over 40 years. A talented and very beautiful actress, Happy birthday Ann.