''Harmony Lane'' is a 1935 low-budget American film directed by

Joseph Santley Joseph Mansfield Santley (born Joseph Ishmael Mansfield, January 10, 1890 – August 8, 1971) was an American actor, singer, dancer, writer, director, and producer of musical theatre, musical theatre, theatrical plays motion pictures and tel ...

, based upon the life of

Stephen Foster Stephen Collins Foster (July 4, 1826January 13, 1864), known as "the father of American music", was an American composer known primarily for his parlour music, parlour and Folk music, folk music during the Romantic music, Romantic period. He wr ...

, released by

Mascot Pictures Mascot Pictures Corporation was an American film company of the 1920s and 1930s, best known for producing and distributing film serials and B-westerns. Mascot was formed in 1927 by film producer Nat Levine. In 1935, it merged with several ot ...

. This was the first sound film based on the life of the famous composer. Two others would follow, both in color: '' Swanee River'' (1939) (the most elaborate and largest budgeted of the three), and ''

I Dream of Jeannie ''I Dream of Jeannie'' is an American Fantasy television, fantasy sitcom television series created by Sidney Sheldon and starring Barbara Eden as a beautiful but guileless 2,000-year-old Jinn, genie and Larry Hagman as an astronaut with whom s ...

'' (1952).

Plot summary

The life and loves of composer Stephen Foster, from his early success through his decline, degradation, and death from (assumed) alcoholism.

Cast

Douglass Montgomery Robert Douglass Montgomery (also credited as Kent Douglass; October 29, 1909 – July 23, 1966) was an American film actor. Early years The son of Chester Montgomery, a jeweler, and Leona Smith, Montgomery graduated from Los Angeles High ...

as Stephen Foster *

Evelyn Venable Evelyn Venable (October 18, 1913 – November 15, 1993) was an American actress perhaps best known for her role as Grazia in the 1934 film '' Death Takes a Holiday''. In addition to acting in around two dozen films during the 1930s and 1940s ...

as Susan Pentland *

Adrienne Ames Adrienne Ames (born Ruth Adrienne McClure; August 3, 1907 – May 31, 1947) was an American film actress. Early in her career she was known as Adrienne Truex. Early years Ames was born in Fort Worth, Texas, one of six children of Samuel Hugh Mc ...

as Jane McDowell *

Joseph Cawthorn Joseph Bridger Cawthorn (March 29, 1868 – January 21, 1949) was an American stage and film comic actor. Biography Born on March 29, 1868, in New York City to a minstrel-show family, Cawthorn started out in show business as a child, debu ...

as Professor Henry Kleber *

William Frawley William Clement Frawley (February 26, 1887 – March 3, 1966) was an American vaudevillian and actor best known for playing landlord Fred Mertz in the sitcom ''I Love Lucy.'' Frawley also played "Bub" O'Casey during the first five seasons of t ...

as Edwin P. 'Ed' Christy * David Torrence as Mr. Pentland *

Gilbert Emery Gilbert Emery Bensley Pottle (June 11, 1875 – October 28, 1945), known professionally as Gilbert Emery, was an American actor who appeared in over 80 movies from 1921 to his death in 1945. He was also a playwright, author of seven Broadway pla ...

as Mr. Foster * Lloyd Hughes as Andrew Robinson * Al Herman as Tambo *

Cora Sue Collins Cora Susan Collins (April 19, 1927 – April 27, 2025) was an American child actress who appeared in films during the Golden Years of Hollywood. Although she did not make the transition to a film career in adulthood, she appeared in 47 films in ...

as Marian Foster * James Bush as Morrison Foster *

Edith Craig Edith Ailsa Geraldine Craig ( Edith Godwin; 9 December 1869 – 27 March 1947), known as Edy Craig, was a prolific theatre director, producer, costume designer and early pioneer of the women's suffrage movement in England. She was the daughte ...

as Henrietta Foster *

Florence Roberts Florence Roberts (March 16, 1861/1864 – June 6, 1940(photo included) was an American actress of the stage and in motion pictures. Stock company actress Born in New York City, she began acting onstage there. Her career began at the Brooklyn ...

as Mrs. Foster *Ferdinand Munier as Mr. Pond *

Clarence Muse Clarence Muse (October 14, 1889 – October 13, 1979) was an American actor, screenwriter, director, singer, and composer. He was the first African American to appear in a starring role in a major studio film, 1929's '' Hearts in Dixie''. ...

as Old Joe

Soundtrack

Oh! Susanna, Lou'siana Belle, The Old Folks at Home, My Old Kentucky Home, Old Black Joe, Why No One to Love, Beautiful Dreamer. All written by Stephen Foster

External links

* * * 1935 films 1930s romantic musical films American biographical films American black-and-white films American romantic musical films Films about composers Mascot Pictures films Cultural depictions of Stephen Foster 1930s war romance films Films produced by Nat Levine Films set in the 19th century 1930s historical films American historical films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films English-language romantic musical films English-language war films English-language historical films {{romantic-musical-film-stub