Birth of the Blues (1941)
Jeff grows up near Basin Street in New Orleans, playing his clarinet with the dock workers. He puts together a band, the Basin Street Hot-Shots, which includes a cornet player, Memphis. They struggle to get their jazz music accepted by the cafe society of the city. Betty Lou joins their band as a singer and gets Louie to show her how to do scat singing. Memphis and Jeff both fall in love with Betty Lou.
Director: Victor Schertzinger
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Bing Crosby as Jeff Lambert |
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Mary Martin as Betty Lou Cobb |
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Brian Donlevy as Memphis |
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Carolyn Lee as Aunt Phoebe Cobb |
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Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson as Louey |
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J. Carrol Naish as Blackie |
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Warren Hymer as Limpy |
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Horace McMahon as Wolf |
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Ruby Elzy as Ruby |
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Jack Teagarden as Pepper |
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Danny Beck as Deek |
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Harry Barris as Suds |
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Perry Botkin Sr. as Leo |
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Minor Watson as Henri Lambert |
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Harry Rosenthal as Piano Player |
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Donald Kerr as Skeeter, Barbershop Musician |
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Barbara Pepper as Maizie |
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Cecil Kellaway as Granet |
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Ronnie Cosby as Jeff as a Boy |
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Ted Lewis as Self (archive footage) |
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Duke Ellington as Self (archive footage) |
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Louis Armstrong as Self (archive footage) |
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Tommy Dorsey as Self (archive footage) |
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Jimmy Dorsey as Self (archive footage) |
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Benny Goodman as Self (archive footage) |
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Paul Whiteman as Self (archive footage) |
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Roscoe Ates as Cab Driver (uncredited) |
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Charles Lane as Wilbur - Bijou Theater Manager (uncredited) |
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Mantan Moreland as Black Trumpet Player (uncredited) |
| Directing | Victor Schertzinger | Director |
| Writing | Harry Tugend | Story |
| Writing | Walter DeLeon | Writer |
| Production | Monta Bell | Producer |
| Production | Buddy G. DeSylva | Producer |
| Sound | Robert Emmett Dolan | Music |
| Editing | Paul Weatherwax | Editor |
| Art | Hans Dreier | Art Direction |
| Art | Ernst Fegté | Art Direction |
| Costume & Make-Up | Edith Head | Costume Design |
| Camera | William C. Mellor | Director of Photography |
