''Say One For Me'' is a 1959 American

comedy Comedy is a genre of dramatic works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. Origins Comedy originated in ancient Greec ...

musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), 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 serv ...

directed by

Frank Tashlin Frank Tashlin (born Francis Fredrick von Taschlein, February 19, 1913 – May 5, 1972), also known as Tish Tash and Frank Tash, was an American animator and filmmaker. He was best known for his work on the ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' ...

and starring

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...

Debbie Reynolds Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer and entrepreneur. Her acting career spanned almost 70 years. Reynolds performed on stage and television and in films into her 80s. She was nom ...

and

Robert Wagner Robert John Wagner Jr. (born February 10, 1930) is an American actor. He is known for starring in the television shows ''It Takes a Thief (1968 TV series), It Takes a Thief'' (1968–1970), ''Switch (American TV series), Switch'' (1975–1978), ...

Stella Stevens Stella Stevens (born Estelle Caro Eggleston; October 1, 1938 – February 17, 2023) was an American actress. She was the mother of actor Andrew Stevens. Stevens began her acting career in 1959 in the film ''Say One for Me'', winning the Golden ...

made her film debut in ''Say One for Me'' and received the

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...

in 1960 for New Star of the Year-Actress for this film.

Plot

In the middle of New York's theater district sits Father Conroy's parish, where entertainers often attend his services. His parishioners include Holly LeMaise, whose dad Harry was an old vaudevillian. Holly takes a job as a showgirl in a nightclub to pay the medical bills when her father falls ill. The featured entertainer at the club is Tony Vincent, a playboy whose romantic advances Holly wards off. But soon she develops feelings for him. Father Conroy befriends the former songwriter Phil Stanley, whose alcoholism and hard times have left him playing piano in Tony's act. The priest annoys Tony by seemingly interfering with Holly's personal life and now Phil's as well. Tony lands a job at a Miami hotel and tries to manipulate Holly into going along. As a charity event, Father Conroy organizes a big show that will be on nationwide TV. Tony, having lost the Miami job, desperately wants to perform on it. To prove his true intent to Holly, the priest offers to book Tony on television provided he tells Holly their relationship is over. Holly is shocked when he accepts. When it's his turn to sing, Tony's guilty conscience gives him a change of heart. He gives up his time on the TV show to Phil, who has written a new song. Father Conroy is pleased, and soon finds himself officiating at Holly's and Tony's wedding.

Cast

as Father Conroy *

as Holly LeMaise aka Conroy *

as Tony Vincent *

Ray Walston Herman Ray Walston (November 2, 1914 – January 1, 2001) was an American actor. He started his career on Broadway theatre, Broadway earning the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance as Mr. Applegate in ''Damn Yankees'' (1956 ...

as Phil Stanley *

Les Tremayne Lester Tremayne (16 April 1913 – 19 December 2003) was a British-born American actor who performed in Vaudeville, film, theatre, radio and television. Early life Tremayne was born in Balham, London. He moved with his family at the age o ...

as Harry LeMaise *

Connie Gilchrist Rose Constance Gilchrist (July 17, 1895 – March 3, 1985) was an American stage, film, and television actress. Among her screen credits are roles in the Hollywood productions '' Cry 'Havoc (1943), '' A Letter to Three Wives'' (1949), ''L ...

as Mary *

Frank McHugh Francis Curry McHugh (May 23, 1898 – September 11, 1981) was an American stage, radio, film and television actor. Early years Born in Homestead, Pennsylvania, of Irish descent, McHugh came from a theatrical family. His parents, Edward A ...

as Jim Dugan *

Joe Besser Joe Besser (born Jessel Besser, August 12, 1907 – March 1, 1988) was an American actor and comedian known for his impish humor and wimpy characters. He is best known for his brief stint as a member of The Three Stooges in movie short subject ...

as Joe Greb * Alena Murray as Sunny *

as Chorine * Nina Shipman as Fay Flagg * Sebastian Cabot as Monsignor Francis Stratford * Judy Harriet as June January aka Dawn Easter

Premiere performances

Filmed in CinemaScope between December 1958 and February 1959, the film had several "premiere" performances in June 1959. On June 19, 1959, ''Say One for Me'' had its premiere at Buffalo, New York. The event formed part of fund raising activities for Buffalo Boy's Town run by Father Kelliher. There was also a gala benefit premier at the

Pantages Theatre (Hollywood) Hollywood Pantages Theatre, formerly known as RKO Pantages Theatre and Fox-Pantages Theatre, also known as The Pantages, is a live theater and former movie theater located at 6233 Hollywood Boulevard, near Hollywood and Vine, in the Hollywood, ...

on Hollywood Boulevard on the same day with the proceeds going to the Daniel Freeman Hospital, Inglewood and the Jesuit Scholasticata. In addition on June 20, the Fox Theater in El Centro, Southern California, showed the film and personal appearances were made by Bing Crosby, Robert Wagner,

Natalie Wood Natalie Wood (née Zacharenko; July 20, 1938 – November 29, 1981) was an American actress. She began acting at age four and co-starred at age eight in ''Miracle on 34th Street'' (1947). As a teenager, she was nominated for an Academy Award f ...

, and Ricardo Montalbán. This was part of a benefit for Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and parish in El Centro, organized by Father Victor Salandini, and $7000 was raised. On June 29, 1959, a 30th anniversary celebration took place at the Fox Theater in

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

(opened June 28, 1929) with a special advance screening of ''Say One for Me''.

Reception

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' was not impressed. "Basic idea in Robert O’Brien’s story probably had potentialities. It’s a “Going My Way” sort of affair with Bing Crosby again as a priest with his target shifted from juvenile roughnecks to show business delinquents. But something went wrong in the development; the entertainment values are short of impressive and the boxoffice will have to depend on Crosby and Debbie Reynolds as the marquee names...Crosby turns in a curiously inhibited performance. He plays the role tight, not at all like the free-wheeling, leisurely-paced Crosby of yore, but the voice is still there..."

Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though some ...

of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' had some kind words. "...It is a pleasant show-world entertainment, this obvious “Say One for Me,” full of pretty girls with shapely legs, a few song numbers (two sung by Bing) and religious images. Robert O’Brien has contributed a screen play that is loaded with slang. Broadway gags that are easily comprehended and not too much clerical sentiment....As for Bing—well, he's just about as usual, a little less lively, perhaps, a little older looking, but still casual and sincere. He'll never make Monsignor. He'll always be a parish priest, whenever he turns his collar backward, because you always sense a sport shirt underneath." ''The Hollywood Citizen News'' review was direct in its appraisal. "A pleasant, if sometimes monotonous, photodrama with music . . . For visual appeal, this new 20th. Century-Fox film, in color and CinemaScope, is a world-beater. . . A handsome production from start to finish, it misses only in the departments of story, direction and acting, three important categories, nonetheless." The film was a surprise success, doing good business everywhere it opened, opening at number one at the US box office.

Musical numbers

All the songs were written by

Jimmy Van Heusen James Van Heusen (born Edward Chester Babcock; January 26, 1913 – February 6, 1990) was an American composer. He wrote songs for films, television, and theater, and won an Emmy and four Academy Award for Best Original Song, Academy Awards for ...

(music) and

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 premie ...

(lyrics).

Lionel Newman Lionel Newman (January 4, 1916 – February 3, 1989) was an American conductor, pianist, and film and television composer. He won the Academy Award for Best Score of a Musical Picture for '' Hello Dolly!'' with Lennie Hayton in 1969. He ...

conducted the musical backing for the film and he was nominated for an Oscar for "Best Scoring of a Musical Picture" but was unsuccessful. *"Say One for Me" - Sung by Bing Crosby and Debbie Reynolds *"You Can't Love Them All" - Sung by Debbie Reynolds and Robert Wagner *"You Can't Love Them All" (reprise 1) - Danced by Robert Wagner and Chorus Girls *"The Girl Most Likely To Succeed" - Sung and Danced by Debbie Reynolds and Robert Wagner *"You Can't Love Them All" (reprise 2) - Performed by Orchestra and Chorus *"I Couldn't Care Less" - Sung by Bing Crosby *"Cha Cha Choo Choo" - Sung and Danced by Debbie Reynolds, Robert Wagner and Chorus Girls *"The Night That Rock And Roll Died" - Danced by Robert Wagner *"The Secret of Christmas" - Played on a piano and Sung by Ray Walston *"Say One for Me" (reprise) - Sung by Bing Crosby *"The Night That Rock And Roll Died" - Sung by Judy Harriet (dubbed by Rosemary June) (In an interview at Disney's D23 Expo 2015 on August 16, 2015, performer Judy Harriet confirmed that her voice was not dubbed in the song; but that it was her own performance that appears on screen) *"The Secret of Christmas" (reprise) - Sung by Bing Crosby, Debbie Reynolds, Robert Wagner and Chorus. A

soundtrack album A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television show. The first such album to be commercially released was Walt Disney's ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs ( ...

was issued by

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American reco ...

References

External links

* * * {{Frank Tashlin 1959 films Films directed by Frank Tashlin Films scored by Lionel Newman Films about Catholic priests CinemaScope films 1950s English-language films American musical films 1959 musical films 20th Century Fox films 1950s American films English-language musical films