THE EDDIE CANTOR STORY

The Eddie Cantor Story
Warner Bros, 1953, Color, 117 minutes, **½
Premiere release December, 1953
General release January, 1954

Entertaining biopic of Eddie Cantor. Keefe Brasselle really overplays the role to the point of being distracting. However, many of the musical numbers are nicely staged, and the basic story of Cantor's life is reasonably accurate for a biopic. If you're an Eddie Cantor fan, it's worth seeing for the music and for a glimpse into the life of this legendary entertainer.

Produced by: Sidney Skolsky
Directed by: Alfred E. Green
Assistant Director: Al Alleborn
Screen Play by: Jerome Weidman, Ted Sherdeman and Sidney Skolsky
From a Story by Sidney Skolsky
Music Direction by: Ray Heindorf
Orchestrations by: Frank Comstock, Gus Levene
Vocal Arrangements by: Charles Henderson
Musical Numbers Staged and Directed by: LeRoy Prinz
Art Director: Charles H. Clarke
Set Decorator: William Wallace
Wardrobe by: Howard Shoup, Marjorie Best
Makeup Artist: Gordon Bau
Sound by: C. A. Riggs, David Forrest
Director of Photography: Edwin DuPar
Color by Technicolor
Technicolor Color Consultant: Mitchell C. Kovaleski
Film Editor: William Ziegler

Cast: Keefe Brasselle [Eddie Cantor], Marilyn Erskine [Ida], Aline MacMahon [Grandma Esther], Arthur Franz [Harry Harris], Alex Gerry [David Tobias], Greta Granstedt [Rachel Tobias], Gerald Mohr [Rocky], William Forrest [Ziegfeld], Jackie Barnett [Durante], Will Rogers, Jr. [Will Rogers], Marie Windsor [Cleo Abbott], Hal March [Gus Edwards], Susan Odin [Ida, age 11], Owen Pritchard ["Boy" Harris], Douglas Evans [Leo Raymond], Ann Doran [Lillian Edwards], Richard Monda [Eddie Cantor as a Boy]

Musical Program: [0:00] Overture "If You Knew Susie" / "Margie" (played by Orchestra, "When I'm the President" sung by Chorus behind titles) / "Now's the Time to Fall in Love" (excerpt played by Orhestra); [0:03] Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland (excerpt sung by Richard Monda [Eddie Cantor as a boy]); [0:14] Bedelia (sung by Richard Monda [Eddie Cantor as a boy], then taken up by Orchestra in background score); [0:17] Will You Love Me in December as You Do in May (sung by Richard Monda [Eddie Cantor as a boy] at amateur talent contest); [0:23] Be My Little Baby Bumble Bee (sung and danced by Richard Monda [Eddie Cantor as a boy] and Childrens Ensemble onstage in Gus Edwards' "Kid Kabaret" -- really cute!); [0:27] If I Was a Millionaire (sung by Richard Monda [Eddie Cantor as a boy] and Childrens Ensemble); [0:34] Love Me and the World Is Mine (sung by Barbershop Quartet, one of which is Keefe Brasselle); [0:36] Row, Row, Row (sung by Eddie Cantor dubbing for Keefe Brasselle); [0:54] How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm (sung by Eddie Cantor dubbing for Keefe Brasselle with Chorus Girls in Ziegfeld show); [0:57] Oh You Beautiful Doll (excerpts sung by Eddie Cantor for Keefe Brasselle); [1:01] If You Knew Susie Like I Know Susie (sung by Eddie Cantor dubbing for Keefe Brasselle); [1:03] Bye Bye Blackbird / Pretty Baby / Yes Sir, That's My Baby (sung by Eddie Cantor dubbing for Keefe Brasselle in montage of Ziegfeld shows); [1:11] Josephine Please No Lean on the Bell (sung by Eddie Cantor dubbing for Keefe Brasselle); [1:20] Yes, We Have No Bananas (sung by Eddie Cantor dubbing for Keefe Brasselle); [1:21] Tip Toe Through the Tulips (With Me) (played by Orchestra, danced by Keefe Brasselle and Chorus behind montage); [1:22] Ida, Sweet as Apple Cider (Eddie Cantor dubbing for Keefe Brasselle); [1:31] Makin' Whoopee (sung by Eddie Cantor dubbing for Keefe Brasselle in Ziegfeld's show "Whoopee"); [1:33] Now's the Time to Fall in Love (Potatoes Are Cheaper, Tomatoes Are Cheaper) (sung by Eddie Cantor dubbing for Keefe Brasselle); [1:34] When I'm the President (sung by Eddie Cantor dubbing for Keefe Brasselle); [1:49] Ida, Sweet as Apple Cider (sung by Eddie Cantor dubbing for Keefe Brasselle); [1:50] Margie (sung by Eddie Cantor dubbing for Keefe Brasselle); [1:53] Ma, He's Making Eyes at Me (sung by Eddie Cantor dubbing for Keefe Brasselle behind Red Cross poster montage)