This week’s mystery was the 1953 Twentieth Century-Fox picture Call Me Madam, with Ethel Merman, Donald O’Connor, Vera-Ellen, George Sanders, Billy De Wolfe, Helmut Dantine, Walter Slezak, Steven Geray, Ludwig Stossel, Lilia Skala, Charles Dingle, Emory Parnell and Percy Helton.
Screenplay by Arthur Sheekman.
Based on the musical comedy Call Me Madam.
Book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse.
Produced on the stage by Leland Hayward.
Music and lyrics by Irving Berlin.
Dances and musical numbers staged by Robert Alton.
Color by Technicolor. Technicolor consultant Leonard Doss.
Musical direction by Alfred Newman.
Photography by Leon Shamroy.
Art direction by Lyle Wheeler and John De Cuir.
Set decorations by Walter M. Scott.
Edited by Robert Simpson.
Costumes designed by Irene Sharaff.
Vocal direction by Ken Darby.
Orchestration by Herbert Spencer and Earle Hagen.
Makeup by Ben Nye.
Photographic effects by Ray Kellogg.
Sound by Bernard Freericks and Roger Heman.
Assistant director Hal Klein.
Produced by Sol C. Siegel.
Directed by Walter Lang.
Further information on Call Me Madam is available from the AFI Catalog.
Call Me Madam is available on DVD from Critics’ Choice Video.
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After two weeks of downbeat boxing pictures, I figured everybody needed a palate cleanser, so why not a bright, 1950s Twentieth Century-Fox musical, one that hasn’t been seen all that often (it’s only aired a few times on TCM as far as I can tell). Plus it has Emory Parnell (IYKYK). It’s a fun musical with the enormous Ocarina Dance number and George Sanders sings (or is dubbed), which is a first for me and was a first for him.
I’m guessing that because Call Me Madam originated with Ethel Merman on Broadway, that Bosley Crowther will like it but sniff that it’s not as good as the stage version.
He loved it! With a rare exclamation mark from Bosley! (The New York Times, March 26, 1953):
Whatever pleasure Ethel Merman bestowed in Call Me Madam on the stage — and the evidence is that it was plenty as she played it on Broadway 644 times — may be counted a minor fraction of the pleasure she is sure to convey as the boss-lady of this gay fandango in repeating it on the screen. For the sleek Technicolored movie version of the popular musical comedy, which Twentieth Century-Fox has put together and which opened at the Roxy yesterday, is an admirable duplication of the show as presented on the stage. And, in it, the wonderful Miss Merman is better than ever — in spades!
For Monday, we have some mysterious women.
Update: These are singing telephone operators, from left, Elizabeth Allan (or more likely Allen), Hanna Axmann-Rezzori and Imogene Lynn.
For Tuesday, we have two mysterious gents.
Update: This is Charles Dingle, left, and Emory Parnell.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (mystery movie and Monday’s mysterious women).
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have these mysterious chaps.
Update: This is Walter Slezak, left, doing the bit where he pulls his scalp forward, and Steven Geray.
And these mysterious chaps.
Update: This is Billy De Wolfe, left, and Olan Soule.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Tuesday’s mysterious fellows), Anne Papineau (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Greg (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mysterious chaps), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mysterious fellows), Blackwing Jenny (Tuesday’s mysterious cousin), B.J. Merholz (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mysterious fellows) and L.C. (mystery movie and mysterious cast). Adding Sheila (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mysterious fellows), whom I missed last night.
For “Aha Thursday,” we have this mysterious couple.
Update: This is Helmut Dantine and Vera-Ellen.
Brain Trust roll call: Benito (Tuesday’s mysterious gent No. 1), Mary Mallory (Wednesday’s mysterious guests and a bit of a correction to the cast list), Suznchaz (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Chrisbo (Wednesday’s mysterious gent No. 1), Roget-L.A. (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mysterious gents), Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Boebert (Wednesday’s mysterious guest No. 3), Blackwing Jenny (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery guests Nos. 1 and 3), Incredibleinman (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Anne Papineau (Wednesday’s mystery fellows), and P.J. Hall (mystery movie).
For Friday, we have a mysterious couple.
Update: This is Vera-Ellen and Donald O’Connor.
And this mysterious couple.
Update: This is Ethel Merman and George Sanders.
Brain Trust roll call: Roget-L.A. (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mysterious guests), Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mystery guests), Benito (Thursday’s enigmatic woman) and Thom and Megan (mystery movie and all mystery guests).
ladailymirror.com 
CALL ME MADAM. Imogene Lynn, Hanna Axmann-Rezzori, and Elizabeth Allan.
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Charles Dingle and Emory Parnell.
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Monday’s mysterious singing telephone operators: Elizabeth Allen, Imogene Lynn and Hanna Amman-Rezzori. On Tuesday, mysterious senators Charles Dingle and Emory Parnell, in “Call Me Madam.”
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Charles Dingle and Emory Parnell on Tuesday makes the movie Call Me Madam, 1953.
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Imogene Lynn, Hanna Axman-Rezzori, Elizabeth Allan in CALL ME MADAM (1953).
Today: Charles Dingle, Emory Parnell.
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Charles Dingle, Emory Parnell in CALL ME MADAM.
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My cousin Emory Parnell and another gentleman whose voice I can hear but name I have none.
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Charles Dingle and Emory Parnell soliciting a madam.
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Call Me Madam (1953) w/Ethel Merman, Donald O’Connor, Vera-Ellen, George Sanders, Emory Parnell, Charles Dingle, Billy DeWolfe, Imogene Lynn, Elizabeth Allan…
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Charles Dingle and Emory Parnell, ‘Call Me Madam’?
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Charles Dingle, aka the nasty bro in THE LITTLE FOXES, today
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Walter Slezak, Stephen Geray, Billy de Wolfe, and Leon Belasco. Mike H. and I realized there is a mistake with the cast list. This Elizabeth should be Allen, not Allan. Allan returned to England in the late 1930s and had appeare in starring or important support roles, not as extra. Elizabeth Allen’s first credit is not listed until a few years later but this is the kind of role she would have done to move up in the cast lists.
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“Call Me Madame” 1953 musical, with Elizabeth Allan and Imogene Lynn as telephone operators, Charles Dingle, Ludwig Stossel, Walter Sleazak, Billy DeWolfe, Olan Soule…where’s Emory Parnell?
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Hmmm… is the first gent Walter Slezak?
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For Wednesday we have Walter Slezak, Steven Geray, Billy De Wolfe, and Olan Soule in Call Me Madam (1953)
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Walter Slezak, Steven Geray, Billy DeWolfe and Olan Soule.
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Billy De Wolfe on Wed? Tea for Two?
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Walter Slezak and Billy de Wolf-Call Me Madam!
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Today we have Walter Slezak, Steven Geray, Olan Soule and Billy De Wolfe, making this “Call Me Madam.”
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On Wednesday, Walter Slezak and Steven Geray, plus Billy De Wolfe and Olan Soule.
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This looks like Call Me Madam
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Helmut Dantine and Vera-Ellen in Call Me Madam (1953)
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Helmut Dantine and Vera Ellen.
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On Thursday, Helmut Dantine and Vera Ellen
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I spy Vera-Ellen in CALL ME MADAM
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I forgot to put this in. Monday’s guests are Elizabeth Allen, Imogene Lynne, and Betty Stevens. Tuesday’s guests are Emory Parnell and Charles Dingle. Wednesday’s guests are Walter Slezak and Steve Geray, and Billy De Wolfe and Olan Soule. Thursday’s guests are Vera-Ellen and Helmut Dantine.
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Thursday. Helmut Dantine and Vera=Ellen, today Vera-Ellen and Donald O’Connor, Ethel Merman and George Sanders.
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Vera Ellen, Donald O’Connor, Ethel Merman and George Sanders.
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Olan Soule, aka Perry Mason’s court reporter, also did a tv ad for prune juice beloved by mst3k and rifftrax fans
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