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.
Videos
Casting arrow_drop_down
Bing Crosby
as Jeff Lambert
as Jeff Lambert
Mary Martin
as Betty Lou Cobb
as Betty Lou Cobb
Brian Donlevy
as Memphis
as Memphis
Carolyn Lee
as Aunt Phoebe Cobb
as Aunt Phoebe Cobb
Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson
as Louey
as Louey
J. Carrol Naish
as Blackie
as Blackie
Warren Hymer
as Limpy
as Limpy
Horace McMahon
as Wolf
as Wolf
Ruby Elzy
as Ruby
as Ruby
Jack Teagarden
as Pepper
as Pepper
Danny Beck
as Deek
as Deek
Harry Barris
as Suds
as Suds
Perry Botkin Sr.
as Leo
as Leo
Minor Watson
as Henri Lambert
as Henri Lambert
Harry Rosenthal
as Piano Player
as Piano Player
Donald Kerr
as Skeeter, Barbershop Musician
as Skeeter, Barbershop Musician
Barbara Pepper
as Maizie
as Maizie
Cecil Kellaway
as Granet
as Granet
Ronnie Cosby
as Jeff as a Boy
as Jeff as a Boy
Ted Lewis
as Self (archive footage)
as Self (archive footage)
Duke Ellington
as Self (archive footage)
as Self (archive footage)
Louis Armstrong
as Self (archive footage)
as Self (archive footage)
Tommy Dorsey
as Self (archive footage)
as Self (archive footage)
Jimmy Dorsey
as Self (archive footage)
as Self (archive footage)
Benny Goodman
as Self (archive footage)
as Self (archive footage)
Paul Whiteman
as Self (archive footage)
as Self (archive footage)
Roscoe Ates
as Cab Driver (uncredited)
as Cab Driver (uncredited)
Charles Lane
as Wilbur - Bijou Theater Manager (uncredited)
as Wilbur - Bijou Theater Manager (uncredited)
Mantan Moreland
as Black Trumpet Player (uncredited)
as Black Trumpet Player (uncredited)
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Crew arrow_drop_down
Victor Schertzinger
Director
Director
Harry Tugend
Story
Story
Walter DeLeon
Writer
Writer
Monta Bell
Producer
Producer
Buddy G. DeSylva
Producer
Producer
Robert Emmett Dolan
Music
Music
Paul Weatherwax
Editor
Editor
Hans Dreier
Art Direction
Art Direction
Ernst Fegté
Art Direction
Art Direction
Edith Head
Costume Design
Costume Design
William C. Mellor
Director of Photography
Director of Photography
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