This week’s mystery movie was the 1942 Paramount film Star Spangled Rhythm, with Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Fred MacMurray, Franchot Tone, Ray Milland, Victor Moore, Dorothy Lamour, Paulette Goddard, Vera Zorina, Mary Martin, Dick Powell, Betty Hutton, Eddie Bracken, Veronica Lake, Alan Ladd, Rochester, William Bendix, Jerry Colonna, MacDonald Carey, Walter Abel, Susan Hayward, Marjorie Reynolds, Betty Rhodes, Dona Drake, Lynne Overman, Gary Crosby, Johnnie Johnston, Gil Lamb, Cass Daley, Ernest Truex, Katherine Dunham, Arthur Treacher, Walter Catlett, Sterling Holloway, the Golden Gate Quartette, Walter Dare Wahl and Company, Cecil B. DeMille, Preston Sturges and Ralph Murphy.
Original screenplay by Harry Tugend.
Lyrics by Johnny Mercer.
Music by Harold Arlen.
Sketches by George Kaufman, Arthur Ross, Melvin Frank and Norman Panama.
Musical director Robert Emmett Dolan.
Musical assistant Arthur Franklin.
Vocal arrangements by Joseph J. Lilley.
Dances staged by Danny Dare.
Miss Zorina’s dance staged by George Balanchine.
Photography by Leo Tover and Theodor Sparkuhl.
Edited by Paul Weatherwax.
Art direction by Hans Dreier and Ernest Fegte.
Costumes by Edith Head.
Makeup by Wally Westmore.
Sound by Harry Mills and John Cope.
Set decorations by Steve Seymour.
Directed by George Marshall.
Further information about Star Spangled Rhythm is available from the AFI Catalog.
Star Spangled Rhythm is available on DVD from Critics’ Choice Video.
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I picked Star Spangled Rhythm by going through the trades, figuring it was an ideal mystery movie because it has so many famous faces. (Apologies for skipping Preston Sturges – and the That Old Black Magic sequence, which made me think of Spike Jones). The numbers are great, like a USO show on film, ably handled by George Marshall, which makes him an even more curious choice to direct The Blue Dahlia.
I’m going to guess that by 1942 Bosley Crowther was in a sufficiently patriotic mood to heartily endorse this sprawling, flag-waving, morale-boosting film. How could he hate it, right?
He liked it – well, more or less. (The New York Times, December 31, 1942):
That quaint old Paramount custom of producing an annual all-star variety show, which was allowed to lapse into the past tense after The Big Broadcast of 1938, has been hopefully revived with new vigor and a few new faces too in Star Spangled Rhythm, which came yesterday to the Paramount Theatre on the New Year’s bill. Half of the contract players on the studio’s lot are jam-packed into it: stars of considerable glitter play vaudeville bits like good performing seals, and the great generosity of Paramount with entertainment is unblushingly advertised. But the film, by its very nature, concedes consistent quality to size and assumes the uneven proportions of a whopping big benefit show.
For Monday, we have a mysterious foursome.
Update: This is the Golden Gate Quartette.
For Tuesday, we have a couple of mysterious fellows.
Update: This is Eddie (Rochester) Anderson, left, and Woody Strode.
Brain Trust roll call: Frants (Monday’s mysterious quartet), All About Eve 1950 (mystery movie and mystery quartet), Michael Lott (mystery movie and mysterious quartet) and Megan and Thom (mystery movie and mysterious quartet).
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have some mysterious folks.
Update: This is Betty Hutton and Victor Moore.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (mystery movie and all mysterious guests), Anne Papineau (mystery movie, Monday’s mysterious quartet and Tuesday’s mysterious dashing gent), Sylvia E. (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (Tuesday’s mysterious dashing gent), Boebert (Tuesday’s mysterious dashing gent), Lorenzo (Monday’s mysterious quartet), B.J. Merholz (Tuesday’s mysterious dashing gent), Mike Hawks (mystery movie, Monday’s mysterious quartet and Tuesday’s mystery dashing gent), Roget-L.A. (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery quartet and Tuesday’s mysterious dashing gent), Incredible Inman (Tuesday’s mysterious dashing gent) and Lorenzo (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery guests).
For “Aha Thursday,” we have three mysterious ladies.
Update: This is, from left, Paulette Goddard, Dorothy Lamour and Veronica Lake.
Wait, what?
Update: This is, from left, Arthur Treacher, Walter Catlett and Sterling Holloway.
Also a mysterious card game.
Update; This is, from left, Fred MacMurray, Lynne Overman, Ray Milland and Franchot Tone.
Brain Trust roll call: Anne Papineau (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Benito (Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s mystery men), Mary Mallory (Wednesday’s mystery guests), B.J. Merholz (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Suznchaz (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Mike Hawks (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie, Monday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests) and Sylvia (Wednesday’s mystery guests).
For Friday, we have this mysterious fellow.
Update: This is Jerry Colonna.
This mysterious fellow is taking a bath.
Update: This is Bob Hope.
This mystery gent is serenading Mt. Rushmore.
Update: This is Bing Crosby.
Brain Trust roll call: Diane Ely (mysterious card player No. 4), Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guests), Funky PhD (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Dan Nather (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guests) and Sylvia (Thursday’s mystery guests).
ladailymirror.com 
I believe that’s the Golden Gate Quartet? I know them from HOLLYWOOD CANTEEN (1944), but that’s not what this is from.
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The Golden Gate Quartet / The Golden Gate Quartette performing “Hit The Road To Dreamland” in Star Spangled Rhythm (1942).
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The foursome is the Golden Gate Quartet and the movie is Star Spangled Rhythm from 1942.
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The Four Step Brothers in It Ain’t Hay (1943)?
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An excellent guess! But alas, I’m afraid not.
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We believe our movie is Star Spangled Rhythm, and our guests are the Golden Gate Quartet.
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STORMY WEATHER.
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An excellent guess, but alas I’m afraid not.
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STAR SPANGLED RHYTHM, Paramount’s musical hodge podge during WWII, featuring virtually everyone on the lot. The Golden Gate Quartet Monday (Willie Johnson, Clyde Riddick, Henry Owens, and Orlandus Wilson), and Eddie “Rochester” Anderson and Woody Strode as the chauffeur in “Sharp as a Tack” number.
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The Golden Gate Quarter performs ON THE ROAD TO DREAMLAND.
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On Monday, the Golden Gate Quartette, and on Tuesday, Eddie “Rochester” Anderson in “Star Spangled Rhythm.”
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Star Spangled Rhythm 1942
Mon – The Golden Gate Quartette singing with OS Dick Powell and Mary Martin (I’m going search for the song – Hit the Road to Dreamland)
Tues – Eddie ‘Rochester’ Anderson and Woody Strode as his ‘motorcycle chauffeur’.
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Eddie ‘Rochester’ Anderson, Oscar Polk in CABIN IN THE SKY.
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Eddie Anderson in the sidecar on Tuesday?
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Here is a wild guess….Monday’s guest are the Golden Gate Quartette.
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Rochester being driven to his Cabin in he Sky.
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The Golden Gate Quartet and Eddie “Rochester” Anderson in STAR SPANGLED RHYTHM.
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Star Spangled Rhythm (1942) with The Golden Gate Quartette and Eddie ‘Rochester’ Anderson
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Today’s gent in the sidecar is Eddie Anderson. I’m guessing the movie is “Cabin in the Sky.”
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Tuesday’s guest are Woody Strode and Eddie Anderson cast members in Star Spangled Rhythm.
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I spy Betty Hutton and Victor Moore.
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Is that Eddie Harris stylin’ on Tuesday? Def Victor Moore on Wed.
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Betty Hutton and Victor Moore
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Victor Moore casting a gimlet eye on Betty Hutton in yet another silly star studded movie.
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“Star Spangled Rhythm” from 1942 with Rochester Anderson, Victor Moore, Betty Hutton and The Golden Gate Quartette.
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Betty Hutton and Victor Moore.
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Mon. The Golden Gate Quartet
Today: Betty Hutton, Victor Moore
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Star Spangled Rhythm.
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Wed – Betty Hutton and Victor Moore
Really enjoy looking through the writers on these mystery films. This one has folks who can write skits like nobody’s business. TV was made for them I think. And George S. Kaufman! What a crew.
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Of Thursday’s card players, Side-of-the-Head Guy on the right looks like Franchot Tone.
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Paulette Goddard, Dorothy Lamour, and Veronica Kake; Arthur Treacher, Walter Catlett, and Sterling Holloway; Fred MacMurray, Lynne Overman, Ray Milland, and Franchot Tone.
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Monday: The Golden Gate Quartet; Tuesday: Eddie “Rochester” Anderson and Woody Strode; Wednesday: Betty Hutton and Victor Moore; Thursday: (L to R) Paulette Goddard, Dorothy Lamour, and Veronica Lake; Arthur Treacher, Walter Catlett, and Sterling Holloway; Fred MacMurray, Lynne Overman, Ray Milland, and Franchot Tone. Film is “Star Spangled Rhythm”
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Omigosh, I’ve had this movie in my personal library for years and I’ve never sat down to watch it — STAR-SPANGLED RHYTHM (1943)! I guess I’ll have to rectify that soon.
Monday — the Golden Gate Quartet
Tuesday — Woody Strode (chauffeur) and Eddie “Rochester” Anderson (passenger)
Wednesday — Betty Hutton and Victor Moore
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Paulkette Goddard, Dorothy Lamour, Veronica Lake, Arthur Treacher, Walter Catlett, Sterling Holloway, Fred MacMurray, Lynne Overman, Ray Milland and Franchot Tone.
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Thur – the song both groups are singing “A Sweater, a Sorong and a Peek-A-Boo Bang”
1 – Paulette Goddard, Dorothy Lamour and Veronica Lake
2 – Arthur Treacher, Walter Catlett and Sterling Holloway
3 – The “card playing skit” from left of frame to right: Fred MacMurray, Lynne Overman, Ray Milland and Franchot Tone
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Jerry Colonna, Bob Hope, and Bing Crosby.
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Thursday’s mysterious bather is Bob Hope and the mystery gent is Bing Crosby in Star Spangled Rhythm (1942).
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Friday: Jerry Colonna, Bob Hope, and Bing Crosby
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Jerry Colonna, Bob and Bing.
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Now, where did I leave off?
Thursday — Paulette Goddard, Dorothy Lamour, Veronica Lake — and their counterparts Arthur Treacher, Walter Catlett, and Sterling Holloway.
Fred MacMurray, Lynne Overman, Ray Milland, and Franchot Tone playing cards.
Friday — Jerry Colonna, and the guys holding it all together, Bob Hope and Bing Crosby.
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Fri
1 – Jerry Colona
2 – Bob Hope
3 – Bing Crosby
Fun mystery. Looking forward to the Saturday breakdown.
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musical areranger Joseph Lilley’s house is always decked out at Halloween and Christmas. The current owners created a plaque honoring his life and calling the house Lilley Hall. It’s a 1927 Tudor on Moorpark in Toluca Lake.
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