''The Stork Club'' is a 1945 American musical comedy film directed by

Hal Walker Hal Walker (March 20, 1896 – July 3, 1972) was an American film director. He was known for doing some of the earliest Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis films such as '' At War with the Army'' and '' Sailor Beware'' and some with the team of Bing Cr ...

and starring

Betty Hutton Betty Hutton (born Elizabeth June Thornburg; February 26, 1921 – March 11, 2007) was an American stage, film, and television actress, comedian, dancer, and singer. Early life and education Hutton was born Elizabeth June Thornburg on February 2 ...

Plot summary

Judy Peabody (Betty Hutton) is a hat-check girl at New York's popular Stork Club nightclub. Her dreams are for her bandleader boyfriend Danny (

Don DeFore Donald John DeFore (August 25, 1913 – December 22, 1993) was an American actor. He is best known for his roles in the sitcom ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet'' from 1952 to 1957 and the sitcom ''Hazel'' from 1961 to 1965, the former of w ...

) to return home from the Marines, and to sing with his band. While sunbathing on a dock, Judy saves an elderly man ( Barry Fitzgerald) from drowning. She assumes from his disheveled appearance and folksy demeanor that he is poor, and calls him "Pop". She gives him her name and tells him where she works, and encourages him to contact her if he ever needs help again. Unbeknownst to her, the man is the wealthy Jerry Bates, whom his lawyer Curtis (

Robert Benchley Robert Charles Benchley (September 15, 1889 – November 21, 1945) was an American humorist best known for his work as a newspaper columnist and film actor. From his beginnings at ''The Harvard Lampoon'' while attending Harvard University, thro ...

) refers to as "J.B." Bates instructs Curtis to anonymously reward Judy with everything her heart desires. Curtis sends a letter to Judy at the Stork Club, informing her she now has a new luxury apartment, and a line of credit at a prestigious department store, with no strings attached. Bates, donning shabby clothes to conceal his wealth, visits Judy at the club. Assuming he is unemployed, she convinces the maitre d' to hire him as a busboy, a position Bates quickly sabotages. Bates returns to the club to see Judy receive the letter. She promptly goes on a shopping spree, buying dresses and furs without knowing her benefactor's identity. Assuming Bates is homeless, Judy offers him a room in her new apartment—and Bates, who has formed a fatherly attachment to her, and whose wife has recently left him, accepts. Danny arrives home with plans to form a new band of top-flight musicians. He is excited to see Judy, until he sees her luxurious apartment and clothes and suspects she has become a "kept woman" in his absence. When he sees Bates at Judy's apartment, he believes his suspicions have been confirmed and breaks up with her. When Danny finds out Judy has rented the other apartment on her floor for his band, he becomes cool to her. Judy continues to invest in Danny's band by buying new clothes for them using Bates' money. Bates is upset and wants to rein in her spending and asks his lawyer Curtis to tell her who he is. Curtis refuses, but Bates catches Curtis in the hallway to tell Curtis he works for him. Curtis begins to tell him he won't lose much, about $200,000 to $300,000, and not to mention the Gift Tax of 30% of any gift over $3,000. Bates replies, "Coolidge. Oh, for a Coolidge" harking back to days of the Roaring Twenties when President Calvin Coolidge cut both taxes and federal spending to boost America's economy. Danny meets with an agent but has trouble finding work for his new band. Judy phones Sherman Billingsley (

Bill Goodwin William Nettles Goodwin (July 28, 1910 – May 9, 1958),Palm Spr ...

), the Stork Club's powerful but generous owner, and posing as gossip columnist

Walter Winchell Walter Winchell (April 7, 1897 – February 20, 1972) was a syndicated American newspaper gossip columnist and radio news commentator. Originally a vaudeville performer, Winchell began his newspaper career as a Broadway reporter, critic and co ...

, tells him about a fantastic new band he must hear. Billingsley arrives at the apartment, where Danny's tuxedoed band and Judy perform brilliantly for him. Billingsley offers them a job at the club, then tells Judy: "By the way, I'd know your voice anywhere—and I was having lunch with Winchell when you called." When Judy meets Bates's estranged wife, she finally learns that Bates is responsible for her new riches. Seeking to return his kindness, she engineers a reconciliation between them. Meanwhile, Danny confronts Curtis and learns the truth about Judy's benefactor. Realizing she has been true to him, Danny apologizes to her—on the bandstand, during a song—and they are reunited.

Cast

(in credits order) *

as Judy Peabody * Barry Fitzgerald as Jerry B. "J.B."/"Pop" Bates *

as Sgt. Danny Wilton *

as Tom P. Curtis *

Bill Goodwin William Nettles Goodwin (July 28, 1910 – May 9, 1958),Palm Spr ...

as Sherman Billingsley *

Iris Adrian Iris Adrian Hostetter (May 29, 1912 – September 17, 1994) was an American stage, film actress and dancer. Life and career Adrian was an only child, born in Los Angeles, California, to Florence (née Van Every) and Adrian Earl Hostetter, who ...

as Gwen *

Mikhail Rasumny Mikhail Rasumny (May 13, 1884, in Odessa, Russian empire – February 17, 1956, in United States) was a Soviet and American film actor. Biography Rasumny was born in Odessa, son of the famous cantor Ephraim Zalman (Solomon) Razumny, who was chie ...

as Mr. Coretti * Mary Young as Mrs. Edith Bates * Andy Russell as Jimmy 'Jim' Jones (partial remaining cast, in alphabetic order) *

Jean Acker Jean Acker (born Harriet Ackers; October 23, 1892 – August 16, 1978) was an American actress with a career dating from the silent film era through the 1950s. She was perhaps best known as the estranged wife of silent film star Rudolph Valenti ...

as Dress Saleslady (uncredited) *

Sam Ash Sam Ash (born Samuel Ashkynase) was a violinist, teacher, and entrepreneur, best known as the founder of the Sam Ash Music Store. Life and career Early life Ashkynase was born to Moishe and Mottle Ashkynase in a small town in Austria-Hungary ...

as Ringsider (uncredited) *

Mae Busch Mae Busch (born Annie May Busch; 18 June 1891 – 20 April 1946) was an Australian-born actress who worked in both silent and sound films in early Hollywood. In the latter part of her career she appeared in many Laurel and Hardy comedies, frequ ...

as Vera (uncredited) * Anthony Caruso Joe – Fisherman (uncredited) * Charles Coleman as MacFiske (uncredited) *

Catherine Craig Catherine Craig (born Catherine Jewel Feltus; January 18, 1915 – January 14, 2004), sometimes credited as Kay Craig, was an American actress. Early years Catherine Jewel Feltus was born in Bloomington, Indiana, where she was a member of Phi ...

as Louella Parsons (uncredited) * Franklyn Farnum as Nightclub Diner (uncredited) *

William Haade William Haade (March 2, 1903 – November 15, 1966) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 250 films between 1937 and 1957. He was born in New York City and died in Los Angeles, California. Haade was a construction boss until ...

as Army Sergeant Dancing with Judy (uncredited) *

Noel Neill Noel Darleen Neill (November 25, 1920 – July 3, 2016) was an American actress. She played Lois Lane in the film serials ''Superman'' (1948) and '' Atom Man vs. Superman'' (1950), as well as the 1950s television series '' Adventures of Superman ...

as Jacqueline Billingsley (uncredited) * William Newell as Higgins – Judy's Chauffeur (uncredited) *

Elaine Riley Elaine Riley (January 15, 1917 – December 7, 2015) was an American film and television actress. Early years The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A.B. Riley, Riley was born in East Liverpool, Ohio, on January 15, 1917. She won the Miss East Liverpool ...

as Deb (uncredited) *

Grady Sutton Grady Harwell Sutton (April 5, 1906 – September 17, 1995) was an American film and television character actor from the 1920s to the 1970s. He appeared in more than 180 films. Early years Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Sutton was raised ...

as Peter – Salesman (uncredited) * Pierre Watkin as Mr. Gray (uncredited) * Audrey Young as Jenny (uncredited)

Soundtrack

* Andy Russell – "Love Me" (Music by Jule Styne, Lyrics by

Sammy Cahn Samuel Cohen (June 18, 1913 – January 15, 1993), known professionally as Sammy Cahn, was an American lyricist, songwriter, and musician. He is best known for his romantic lyrics to films and Broadway songs, as well as stand-alone songs premi ...

) *

– "Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief" (Music by

Hoagy Carmichael Hoagland Howard Carmichael (November 22, 1899 – December 27, 1981) was an American musician, composer, songwriter, actor and lawyer. Carmichael was one of the most successful Tin Pan Alley songwriters of the 1930s, and was among the first ...

, Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster) * Betty Hutton and Andy Russell – "If I Had A Dozen Hearts" (Music by

Harry Revel Harry Revel ( Glaser; 21 December 1905 – 3 November 1958) was a British-born American composer, mostly of musical theatre, working with various lyricists, notably Mack Gordon. He is also seen as a pioneer of " space age pop". Early life and c ...

, Lyrics by Paul Francis Webster) * Betty Hutton – "I'm a Square in the Social Circle" (Music and lyrics by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans) * Betty Hutton – "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree" (Music by

Egbert Van Alstyne Egbert Anson Van Alstyne (March 4, 1878 – July 9, 1951) was an American songwriter and pianist. Van Alstyne was the composer of a number of popular and ragtime tunes of the early 20th century. Biography Van Alstyne was born in Marengo, Il ...

, Lyrics by Harry Williams) * The band – "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree" * Barry Fitzgerald and Mary Young – "In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree"

References

External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Stork Club, The 1945 films 1945 romantic comedy films 1945 musical comedy films Films directed by Hal Walker Films scored by Robert Emmett Dolan American black-and-white films Paramount Pictures films American romantic musical films 1940s romantic musical films American musical comedy films American romantic comedy films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films