Johnny Doughboy

Johnny Doughboy (1942)

JANE'S GOT A HEAVY DATE...WITH THE ARMY!

As sixteen year old Ann Winters begins a relationship with an older actor to further her career, lookalike fan Penelope Ryan is recruited by a group of former child stars to perform in a USO show.

Date of release
1942-12-31
TMDB
5.6 / 10 (8)
Runtime
1h 3m
Genres
Comedy, Music
Director
John H. Auer

Casting

Interesting facts

  • Awards: 0 · Nominations: 1

Johnny Doughboy is a 1942 American black-and-white musical comedy film directed by John H. Auer for Republic Pictures. It stars Jane Withers in a dual role as a 16-year-old actress who is sick of playing juvenile roles, and her lookalike fan who is persuaded by a group of "has-been" child stars to perform with them in a U.S. troop show. The film features cameos by ex-child stars Bobby Breen, Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, George "Spanky" McFarland, Baby Sandy, and others. It received an Academy Award nomination for Best Musical Score.

Production

Johnny Doughboy is based on an original story by Frederick Kohner; Lawrence Kimble adapted the screenplay.

This was Jane Withers' first film after completing her seven-year contract with 20th Century Fox. It was also Withers's third screen pairing with Etta McDaniel, sister of actress Hattie McDaniel and a former vaudevillian. According to The Hollywood Reporter, actor Henry Wilcoxon announced he would donate his fee for the film to the United States Coast Guard Relief.

The fictional "20 Minus Club" is depicted as an organization for once famous child stars. The "members" (all of whom portray themselves) really were Hollywood "has-beens", and this was the last time some of them appeared on screen.

Breen performs "Ave Maria" by Franz Schubert in one musical segment. Songs performed in the film's grand finale "victory chorus" include:

"It Takes a Guy Like I", "You Do My Eyes a Favor", "Baby's a Big Girl Now", "All Done, All Through", "Give the Kids a Chance", "The Victory Caravan" — music and lyrics by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn

Read on Wikipedia · Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Data from Wikidata.

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