Best Foot Forward is the 1943 American film version of the hit 1941 Broadway musical comedy. The film was released by MGM, directed by Edward Buzzell, and starring Lucille Ball, William Gaxton, Virginia Weidler, Chill Wills, June Allyson, Gloria DeHaven, and Nancy Walker. Edward Buzzell (13 November 1900, Brooklyn, New York - 11 January 1985, Los Angeles, California) was a director for MGM who directed many of their films in the late 1930s, including Honolulu (1939), the Marx Brothers films At the Circus (1939) and Go West (1940), the musicals Best Foot Forward (1943... Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an iconic American comedienne, film, television, stage and radio actress, glamour girl and star of the landmark sitcoms I Love Lucy, The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show and Heres Lucy. ... William Gaxton William Gaxton (born Arturo Antonio Gaxiola on December 2, 1893, in San Francisco, California; died February 2, 1963, in New York, New York) was a star of vaudeville, film, and theatre. ... Virginia Weidler (March 21, 1926 – July 1, 1968) was an American child actor, popular in Hollywood films during the 1930s and 1940s. ... MGM redirects here. ... is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The year 1943 in film involved some significant events. ... For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The year 1943 in film involved some significant events. ... For other uses, see 1941 (disambiguation). ... For other uses of Broadway, see Broadway. ... Musical theater (or theatre) is a form of theater combining music, songs, dance, and spoken dialogue. ... MGM logo Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer or MGM, is a large media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of cinema and television programs. ... Edward Buzzell (13 November 1900, Brooklyn, New York - 11 January 1985, Los Angeles, California) was a director for MGM who directed many of their films in the late 1930s, including Honolulu (1939), the Marx Brothers films At the Circus (1939) and Go West (1940), the musicals Best Foot Forward (1943... Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an iconic American comedienne, film, television, stage and radio actress, glamour girl and star of the landmark sitcoms I Love Lucy, The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show and Heres Lucy. ... William Gaxton William Gaxton (born Arturo Antonio Gaxiola on December 2, 1893, in San Francisco, California; died February 2, 1963, in New York, New York) was a star of vaudeville, film, and theatre. ... Virginia Weidler (March 21, 1926 – July 1, 1968) was an American child actor, popular in Hollywood films during the 1930s and 1940s. ... Chill Theodore Wills (July 18, 1903 in Seagoville, Texas – December 15, 1978) was a movie actor and singer in the Avalon Boys Quartet. ... June Allyson (October 7, 1917 – July 8, 2006) was an American film and television actress, popular in the 1940s and 1950s. ... Gloria DeHaven Gloria DeHaven (born July 23, 1925, in Los Angeles, California) is an American actress. ... Nancy Walker as Rosie the Waitress Nancy Walker (May 10, 1922 – March 25, 1992) was an American actress. ...

Plot

The story centers around Lucille Ball who plays herself against an unlikely backdrop, namely, a military academy full of frisky boys. Ball is the reluctant guest of a diminutive cadet, Bud Hooper (Dix), who wrote her a mash note and invitation to be his date at a school prom.

Ball's publicity man, Jack O'Riley (Gaxton), seizes upon the situation as a perfect PR stunt and convinces her to travel 3,000 miles to join Hooper at Winsocki Military Academy's dance. When Ball actually shows up, mayhem ensues. Hooper, who never dreamed she would accept, has to disinvite his girlfriend, Helen (Weidler), and ask Ball to pretend to be Helen, lest the actress herself not pass muster with the institution's screening committee. The media itself often stage stunts for movies and television shows. ...

Helen fights back while Hooper tries to keep Ball from the clutches of other cadets who want to steal her for their dates of their own. Meanwhile, Harry James and his orchestra perform various songs, including "The Flight of the Bumblebee". The cast also sing and dance their way through such numbers as "Buckle Down, Winsocki" (the tune co-opted in the 1960s for "Buckle Up for Safety"), "Three Men on a Date", "Alive and Kickin'", "The Barrelhouse, The Boogie-Woogie and the Blues", and "What Do You Think I Am?" Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was a popular United States musician and band leader, and a well-known trumpet virtuoso. ... Flight of the Bumblebee by Rimsky-Korsakov is considered a sign of mastery of the violin. ...

Cast

• Lucille Ball as Herself
• William Gaxton as Jack O'Riley
• Tommy Dix as Bud Hooper
• Virginia Weidler as Helen Schlesinger
• Nancy Walker as Nancy
• June Allyson as Ethel
• Chill Wills as Chester Short
• Gloria DeHaven as Minerva
• Henry O'Neill as Major Reeber
• Sara Haden as Miss Talbert
• Donald MacBride as Captain Bradd
• Darwood "Waldo" Kaye as Killer
• Morris Ankrum as Colonel Harkrider
• Kenny Bowers as Dutch Miller
• Bob Stebbins as Greenie
• Jack Jordan as Hunk
• Beverly Tyler as Miss Delaware
• Nana Bryant as Mrs. Dalrymple
• Harry James and His Music Makers as Themselves

Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an iconic American comedienne, film, television, stage and radio actress, glamour girl and star of the landmark sitcoms I Love Lucy, The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour, The Lucy Show and Heres Lucy. ... William Gaxton William Gaxton (born Arturo Antonio Gaxiola on December 2, 1893, in San Francisco, California; died February 2, 1963, in New York, New York) was a star of vaudeville, film, and theatre. ... Virginia Weidler (March 21, 1926 – July 1, 1968) was an American child actor, popular in Hollywood films during the 1930s and 1940s. ... Nancy Walker as Rosie the Waitress Nancy Walker (May 10, 1922 – March 25, 1992) was an American actress. ... June Allyson (October 7, 1917 – July 8, 2006) was an American film and television actress, popular in the 1940s and 1950s. ... Chill Theodore Wills (July 18, 1903 in Seagoville, Texas – December 15, 1978) was a movie actor and singer in the Avalon Boys Quartet. ... Gloria DeHaven Gloria DeHaven (born July 23, 1925, in Los Angeles, California) is an American actress. ... Henry ONeill (August 10, 1891-May 18, 1961) was a film character actor known for playing grey-haired fathers, lawyers and such during the 1930s and 1940s. ... Sara Haden was a character actress in Hollywood films of the 1930s through the 1950s. ... [[1]]Darwood Kaye (Darwood Kenneth Smith) (September 8, 1929 - May 15, 2002) was an American former child actor, most notable for his semi-regular role as the snooty rich kid Waldo in the Our Gang short subjects series from 1937 to 1940. ... Morris Ankrum (August 27, 1896 – September 2, 1964) was an American radio, television and film character actor. ... Harry Haag James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983) was a popular United States musician and band leader, and a well-known trumpet virtuoso. ...

References

External links

• Best Foot Forward at the Internet Broadway Database
• Best Foot Forward at the Internet Broadway Database
• Best Foot Forward at the Internet Movie Database
• Best Foot Forward at Allmovie
• Best Foot Forward at Rotten Tomatoes