''I Dream of Jeanie'' is a 1952 American

historical History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...

musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as brea ...

based on the songs and life of

Stephen Foster Stephen Collins Foster (July 4, 1826January 13, 1864), known also as "the father of American music", was an American composer known primarily for his parlour and minstrel music during the Romantic period. He wrote more than 200 songs, inc ...

who wrote the 1854 song "

Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair" is a parlor song by Stephen Foster (1826–1864). It was published by Firth, Pond & Co. of New York in 1854. Foster wrote the song with his estranged wife Jane McDowell in mind. The lyrics allude to a permane ...

" from which the title is taken. The film was directed by

Allan Dwan Allan Dwan (born Joseph Aloysius Dwan; April 3, 1885 – December 28, 1981) was a pioneering Canadian-born American motion picture director, producer, and screenwriter. Early life Born Joseph Aloysius Dwan in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Dwan, wa ...

for

Republic Pictures Republic Pictures Corporation (currently held under Melange Pictures, LLC) was an American motion picture production-distribution corporation in operation from 1935 to 1967, that was based in Los Angeles. It had studio facilities in Studio City a ...

and was shot in

Trucolor Trucolor was a color motion picture process used and owned by the Consolidated Film Industries division of Republic Pictures. It was introduced as a replacement for Consolidated's own Magnacolor process. Republic used Trucolor mostly for its We ...

. The film is also known as ''I Dream of Jeanie (with the Light Brown Hair)''.Film title card.
I Dream of Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair (1952)
, Internet Archive. Retrieved August 20, 2011.

Plot summary

In 1849 the song ''

Oh, Susannah "Oh! Susanna" is a minstrel song by Stephen Foster (1826–1864), first published in 1848. It is among the most popular American songs ever written. Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all tim ...

'' is a nationwide hit—but bookkeeper Stephen Foster has given his work to several music houses without charge and without credit. His refined true love Inez McDowell, a classically trained singer, despises popular music, especially Stephen's songs. Foster's world changes when Edwin P. Christy sets him straight on the music business and launches his career as an author of the songs the Christy Minstrels use in their shows.

Cast

* Ray Middleton as Edwin P. Christy *

Bill Shirley William Jesse Shirley (July 6, 1921 – August 27, 1989) was an American actor and tenor/lyric baritone singer who later became a Broadway theatre producer. He is perhaps best known as the speaking and singing voice of Prince Phillip in Walt Disn ...

*Muriel Lawrence as Inez McDowell *Eileen Christy as Jeanie McDowell *

Rex Allen Rex Elvie Allen (December 31, 1920 – December 17, 1999), known as "the Arizona Cowboy", was an American film and television actor, singer and songwriter; he was also the narrator of many Disney nature and Western productions. For his contribut ...

as Mr Tambo / Rex Allen / Narrator *

Lynn Bari Lynn Bari (born Marjorie Schuyler Fisher, December 18, 1919 – November 20, 1989) was a film actress who specialized in playing sultry, statuesque man-killers in roughly 150 films for 20th Century Fox, from the early 1930s through the 1940s. ...

as Mrs. McDowell *

Dick Simmons Richard Simmons (August 19, 1913 – January 11, 2003) was an American actor. Early life Simmons was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and his family later moved across the Mississippi River to Minneapolis. There, he attended West Side High Sc ...

as Dunning Foster *Scott Elliott as Milford Wilson *

Andrew Tombes Andrew Tombes (29 June 1885 – 17 March 1976) was an American comedian and character actor. Biography The son of a grocer, originally from Ashtabula, Ohio, Tombes was educated at Phillips Exeter Academy. Early in his career, he worked as a v ...

as R.E. Howard *

James Dobson James Clayton Dobson Jr. (born April 21, 1936) is an American evangelical Christian author, psychologist, and founder of Focus on the Family (FOTF), which he led from 1977 until 2010. In the 1980s he was ranked as one of the most influentia ...

as Spike *

Percy Helton Percy Alfred Helton (January 31, 1894 – September 11, 1971) was an American stage, film, and television actor. He was one of the most familiar faces and voices in Hollywood of the 1950s. Career A Manhattan native, Helton began acting ...

as Mr. Horker *Glen Turnbull as Glenn Turnbull / Speciality Dancer *

Louise Beavers Louise Beavers (March 8, 1902 – October 26, 1962) was an American film and television actress. From the 1920s until 1960, she appeared in dozens of films and two hit television shows. She was most often cast in the roles of a maid, servant ...

as Mammy * James Kirkwood as Doctor *

Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer Carl Dean Switzer (August 7, 1927 – January 21, 1959) was an American singer, child actor, dog breeder, and guide. He was best known for his role as Alfalfa in the short subjects series ''Our Gang''. Switzer began his career as a child ac ...

as Freddie *Fred Moultrie as Chitlin

Soundtrack

* Ray Middleton - "

Oh! Susanna "Oh! Susanna" is a minstrel song by Stephen Foster (1826–1864), first published in 1848. It is among the most popular American songs ever written. Members of the Western Writers of America chose it as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all tim ...

" (Written by

) * Bill Shirley, Ray Middleton and Eileen Christy - "

" (Written by Stephen Foster) * Muriel Lawrence - "On Wings of Song" (Written by

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), born and widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions include sy ...

) * Muriel Lawrence - "Lo, Hear the Gentle Lark" (Music by H.R. Bishop, words by

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

from '' Venus and Adonis'') * Ray Middleton - "Nelly Bly" (Written by Stephen Foster) * Ray Middleton - "

My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night "My Old Kentucky Home, Good-Night!" is a sentimental ballad written by Stephen Foster, probably composed in 1852. It was published in January 1853 by Firth, Pond, & Co. of New York. Foster was likely inspired by Harriet Beecher Stowe's anti-s ...

" (Written by Stephen Foster) * Ray Middleton and Company - "Ring de Banjo" (Written by Stephen Foster) * Ray Middleton - "Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)" (Written by Stephen Foster) * Bill Shirley - "Beautiful Dreamer" (Written by Stephen Foster) * "Rex Allen" - "Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming" (Written by Stephen Foster) * Danced by Glen Turnbull - "Gwine to Rune All Night (De Camptown Races)" (Written by Stephen Foster) * Ray Middleton and Company - "Queen of Mirth" (Written by Stephen Foster) * Eileen Christy - "Haunting My Dreams at Night" (Written by Stephen Foster) * Muriel Lawrence and Eileen Christy - "You Must Wear a Dainty Ribbon in Your Hair" (Written by Stephen Foster) * "Old Black Joe" (Written by Stephen Foster) * Ray Middleton - "Glendy Burke" (Written by Stephen Foster) * Bill Shirley and Eileen Christy - "I Can Still See Her in My Dreams" (Written by Stephen Foster) * "Old Dog Tray" (Written by Stephen Foster)

References

External links

*
''I Dream of Jeanie'' at Internet Archive
1952 films American historical comedy-drama films American musical comedy-drama films 1950s historical comedy-drama films 1950s musical comedy-drama films Republic Pictures films Films directed by Allan Dwan Films about composers Cultural depictions of Stephen Foster Films set in the 19th century 1950s historical musical films American historical musical films Trucolor films 1952 comedy films 1952 drama films 1950s English-language films 1950s American films {{historic-musical-film-stub