''Sound Off'' is a 1952 American

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Richard Quine Richard Quine (November 12, 1920June 10, 1989) was an American director, actor, and singer. He began acting as a child in radio, vaudeville, and stage productions before being signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in his early twenties. When his acting ...

and starring

Mickey Rooney Mickey Rooney (born Ninnian Joseph Yule Jr.; other pseudonym Mickey Maguire; September 23, 1920 – April 6, 2014) was an American actor. In a career spanning nearly nine decades, he appeared in more than 300 films and was among the last survivi ...

, Anne James, John Archer and Gordon Jones. The film was shot in August 1951 in SuperCinecolor for

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., Trade name, doing business as Columbia Pictures, is an American film Production company, production and Film distributor, distribution company that is the flagship unit of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group ...

. This was the first of a three-picture contract between Rooney and producer Jonie Taps for Columbia, in which Rooney was paid $75,000 for each picture. It is also the first collaboration between

Blake Edwards Blake Edwards (born William Blake Crump; July 26, 1922 – December 15, 2010) was an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Edwards began his career in the 1940s as an actor, but he soon began writing screenplays and radio scripts ...

and Dick Crockett. The same team next collaborated with Rooney in the Navy in '' All Ashore'' made the following year. The three worked together again on Rooney's television series ''The Mickey Rooney Show''/''Hey, Mulligan'' in 1954–55. Their final film in the Columbia contract was the black and white crime drama '' Drive a Crooked Road''. The film's title comes from the

military cadence A military cadence or cadence call is a call-and-response work song sung by military personnel while running or marching. They are counterparts of the military march. Military cadences often take their rhythms from the work being done, much like ...

by Willie Lee DuckworthBoyd, Bill, ''Fat, Dumb, and Happy Down in Georgia'', Mercer University Press, 1999, p. 201. that was a major 1951 chart hit for

Vaughn Monroe Vaughn Wilton Monroe (October 7, 1911 – May 21, 1973) was an American baritone singer, trumpeter and big band leader who was most popular in the 1940s and 1950s. He has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for recording and another f ...

Plot

An obnoxious

nightclub A nightclub or dance club is a club that is open at night, usually for drinking, dancing and other entertainment. Nightclubs often have a Bar (establishment), bar and discotheque (usually simply known as disco) with a dance floor, laser lighti ...

comedian A comedian (feminine comedienne) or comic is a person who seeks to entertainment, entertain an audience by making them laughter, laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting foolishly (as in slapstick), or employing prop c ...

Ciro's Ciro's (later known as Ciro's Le Disc) was a nightclub on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, California owned by William Wilkerson. Opened in 1940, Ciro's became a popular nightspot for celebrities. The nightclub closed in 1960 and was reopen ...

is drafted into the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

during the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

. At his arrival at his

basic training Military recruit training, commonly known as basic training or boot camp, refers to the initial instruction of new military personnel. It is a physically and psychologically intensive process, which resocializes its subjects for the unique dema ...

he meets a WAC Lieutenant and romantically pursues her. His activities irritate his

drill sergeant A drill instructor is a non-commissioned officer in the armed forces, fire department, or police forces with specific duties that vary by country. Foot drill, military step, and marching are typically taught by drill instructors. Australia Aust ...

and the entire army when he goes AWOL (Absent Without Official Leave) for her. He is imprisoned and sentenced to thirty days hard labour that turns him into a soldier. Then he is shipped overseas to join the Special Services.

Cast

as Mike Donnelly * Anne James as Lt. Rafferty * John Archer as Maj. Whitlock * Gordon Jones as Sgt. Crockett * Sammy White as Joey Kirby *

Wally Cassell Wally Cassell (March 3, 1912 – April 2, 2015) was an Italian-born American character actor and businessman. Early years Wally Cassell was born as Oswaldo Silvestri Trippilini Rolando Vincenza Castellano. (A 1951 newspaper article gives C ...

as Tony Baccigalupi *

Paul Bryar Paul Bryar (born Gabriel Paul Barrere; February 21, 1910 – August 30, 1985) was an American actor. In a career spanning nearly half a century, he appeared in numerous films and television series. Career Bryar appeared in nearly 220 fil ...

as George - Headwaiter * Helen Ford as Mrs. Rafferty * Mary Lou Geer as Evelyn Ames *

Marshall Reed Marshall Jewel Reed (May 28, 1917 – April 15, 1980) was an American actor who appeared in over 200 films between 1943 and 1978. He was born in Englewood, Colorado. Early years Reed's parents were Walter George Reed and Ruth Dustin. By a ...

as Capt. Fred Karger *

Arthur Space Charles Arthur Space (October 12, 1908 – January 13, 1983) was an American film, television and stage actor. Today's audiences know him as the eccentric inventor opposite Laurel and Hardy in '' The Big Noise'' (1944), and as veterinarian Doc W ...

as Barney Fisher * Sue Casey as Showgirl * Rosalee Calvert as Showgirl * Joanne Jordan as Showgirl *

Joan Shawlee Joan Shawlee ( Fulton; March 5, 1926 – March 22, 1987) was an American film and television actress. She is known for her recurring role as Fiona "Pickles" Sorrell in '' The Dick Van Dyke Show'', a career-defining turn in Billy Wilder's comed ...

as Showgirl * Diana Mumby as Showgirl * Emil Sitka as Waiter * Ruth Warren as Billy's Mother * Boyd "Red" Morgan as Red, Military Policeman *

Harry Lauter Herman Arthur "Harry" Lauter (June 19, 1914 – October 30, 1990)

as Laughing Corporal

References

External links

* 1952 films 1950s English-language films Films directed by Richard Quine Military comedy films 1952 comedy films Columbia Pictures films Cinecolor films American comedy films 1950s American films {{1950s-US-comedy-film-stub