Lady Be Good
Eleanor Powell
Directed by	Norman Z. McLeod
Produced by	Arthur Freed
Written by	Jack McGowan Kay Van Riper John McClain
Starring	Eleanor Powell Robert Young Ann Sothern
Music by	Roger Edens Jerome Kern Oscar Hammerstein II George and Ira Gershwin
Cinematography	George J. Folsey Oliver T. Marsh
Editing by	Fredrick Y. Smith
Distributed by	MGM
Release date(s)	September 1, 1941 (U.S. release)
Running time	112 min
Language	English
IMDb profile

Lady Be Good is the title of an MGM musical film which was released in 1941. Norman Z. McLeod (b. ... Arthur Freed (September 9, 1894 - April 12, 1973) was born Arthur Grossman in Charleston, South Carolina. ... Eleanor Powell, left, in Broadway Melody of 1938. ... Robert Young (February 22, 1907 - July 21, 1998) was a popular American actor, who was the son of an Irish immigrant father and an American-born mother. ... Ann Sothern Ann Sothern (January 22, 1909 – March 15, 2001) was an American film actress. ... Roger Edens (9 November 1905, Hillsboro, Texas, -- 13 July 1970, Hollywood) was a Hollywood composer, arranger and associate producer, and is considered one of the major creative figures in Arthur Freeds musical film production unit at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during the golden era. ... Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American popular composer. ... For work done with Richard Rodgers, see Rodgers and Hammerstein Oscar Hammerstein II (July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was a New-York born writer, producer, and (usually uncredited) director of musicals for almost forty years. ... George and Ira Gershwin were brothers George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin who became famous as songwriters. ... George J. Folsey (1898-1988) was an American cinematographer. ... MGM logo Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer or MGM, is a large media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of cinema and television programs. ... September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years). ... See also: 1940 in film 1941 1942 in film 1940s in film years in film film // Events Top grossing films Sergeant York Buck Privates, starring Abbott and Costello Tobacco Road Academy Awards Best Picture: How Green Was My Valley - 20th Century-Fox Best Actor: Gary Cooper - Sergeant York Best Actress... MGM logo Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer or MGM, is a large media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of cinema and television programs. ... The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ...

The film starred dancer Eleanor Powell along with Ann Sothern, Robert Young, Lionel Barrymore, and Red Skelton. It was directed by Norman Z. McLeod and produced by Arthur Freed. This was the first of several films Powell made with Skelton. Eleanor Powell, left, in Broadway Melody of 1938. ... Ann Sothern Ann Sothern (January 22, 1909 – March 15, 2001) was an American film actress. ... Robert Young (February 22, 1907 - July 21, 1998) was a popular American actor, who was the son of an Irish immigrant father and an American-born mother. ... Lionel Barrymore Herbert Lionel Blyth (April 28, 1878 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – November 15, 1954 in Van Nuys, California) was an American actor of stage, radio and film. ... Richard Bernard Red Skelton (July 18, 1913 – September 17, 1997) was an American comedian whose greatest impact — in a career which began as a teen circus clown and graduated to vaudeville, Broadway, MGM films, and radio — began when he reached television stardom with The Red Skelton Show (NBC, 1951–1952... Norman Z. McLeod (b. ... Arthur Freed (September 9, 1894 - April 12, 1973) was born Arthur Grossman in Charleston, South Carolina. ...

Although Powell received top billing, the main stars of the film are Sothern and Young who play a divorced songwriting team who (with a little help from Powell's character) realize they are still in love. The film takes its title and theme song ("Oh, Lady be Good!") from the 1924 George and Ira Gershwin Broadway musical, Lady Be Good, but otherwise has no connection to the play. According to film historian Robert Osborne in his introduction to a broadcast of the film on Turner Classic Movies in August 2006, the film was devised as a vehicle to launch Sothern as a musical star at MGM, however since she and Young were known primarily as light comic stars, Powell was brought in for a supporting role but given the top billing in order to attract audiences. Oh, Lady be Good! is a 1924 (see 1924 in music) song by George and Ira Gershwin. ... George Gershwin photograph by Edward Steichen in 1927. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Broadway theatre[1] is often considered the highest professional form of theatre in the United States. ... Lady Be Good (title sometimes presented with an exclamation point) is the title of a Broadway musical play that was written by Guy Bolton, Fred Thompson, featured music by George and Ira Gershwin. ... Robert Joline Osborne is an American actor and film historian best known for his work as the host of the Turner Classic Movies network since its inception in 1994. ... Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is a cable television channel featuring commercial-free classic movies, mostly from the Turner Entertainment and Warner Bros. ...

This film's most notable sequence involves an epic tap dance routine by Powell to the melody of Gershwin's "Fascinating Rhythm" (another song taken from the play). This musical number was later featured in two films in the That's Entertainment! documentary series -- in one of the films (That's Entertainment! III), behind-the-scenes footage was shown, revealing how this scene was accomplished. In order to allow Powell to dance between a series of pianos without interruption, pieces of the set had to be quietly removed off-camera as she worked her way across the stage. This musical sequence was directed by Busby Berkeley. Another sequence features Powell doing a dance routine with a dog that she herself trained for the number. 2004 DVD release Thats Entertainment! is a 1974 documentary film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to celebrate its 50th anniversary. ... 2004 DVD release Thats Entertainment! is a 1974 documentary released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to celebrate its 50th anniversary. ... Kaleidoscopic Choreography from Footlight Parade, 1933 Busby Berkeley (November 29, 1895–March 14, 1976), born William Berkeley Enos in Los Angeles, California, was a highly influential Hollywood movie director and musical choreographer. ...

The film won an Academy Award for Best Song for "The Last Time I Saw Paris" which was composed by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II. Although he never won an Oscar for any of his movie performances, the comedian Bob Hope received two honorary Oscars for his contributions to cinema. ... Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American popular composer. ... For work done with Richard Rodgers, see Rodgers and Hammerstein Oscar Hammerstein II (July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was a New-York born writer, producer, and (usually uncredited) director of musicals for almost forty years. ...

External links

• Lady Be Good at the Internet Movie Database