The Fabulous Dorseys

Last updated
The Fabulous Dorseys
Dorseysfilmposter.jpg
Directed by Alfred E. Green
Screenplay byArt Arthur
Curtis Kenyon
Based onThe Battling Brothers Dorsey
1946 The Saturday Evening Post
by Richard English
Produced by Charles R. Rogers
Starring Tommy Dorsey
Jimmy Dorsey
Janet Blair
Cinematography James Van Trees
Edited byGeorge M. Arthur
Music by Louis Forbes
Leo Shuken
Production
company
Charles R. Rogers Productions
Distributed by United Artists. [1]
Release date
  • February 21, 1947 (1947-02-21)(US)
Running time
88 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The Fabulous Dorseys is a 1947 American musical biopic film directed by Alfred E. Green. It tells the story of the brothers Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, from their boyhood in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania through their rise, their breakup, and their personal reunion. [2] The film was also released under the alternative title The Fighting Dorseys.

Contents

Plot

Circa 1913, in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, Thomas Dorsey, Sr, a coal miner, moonlights as a music teacher. He insists his sons Jimmy Dorsey, 9, and Tommy Dorsey, 7, respectively, learn the saxophone and trombone to avoid the coal mines. Initially, the boys are unenthusiastic, resentful of long hours of practice and the father’s strict discipline when they gripe. Their mother, Theresa Dorsey, thinks her husband is too hard on their sons. Janie Howard, their childhood friend, likes to hang around and watch them practice.

When Thomas Sr loses his coal mining job, he pitches his “band” (himself on trumpet, Jimmy on sax, Tommy on Trombone, and others on drums, fiddle, and piano) to the owner of Gorman’s Hall, a public dance hall. Knowing Thomas’s sons are roughly 10 and 12, Gorman hesitates, but Tomas Sr convinces him to give the band a chance – if he doesn’t like them, he doesn’t need to pay.

At their first engagement, the band plays the Turkey Trot, to which the patrons dance and applaud politely, but the bar owner is unimpressed. When the band begins a waltz, Tommy, on trombone, starts to improvise on swing tempo, and Jimmy joins in on the sax. The crowd becomes more enthusiastic, and Gorman, pleased, hires them.

In the early 1920s, the boys, with Jane Howard as their singer, are touring with their own band, the Wild Canaries, struggling to meet their expenses while performing intermittent one-night engagements. Heading for Jefferson City, their piano player leaves. To replace him, Jimmy and Tommy enlist the piano player at the local movie theater, Robert Burton, who plays background music for silent films. Their agent sends a telegram that their Jefferson City engagement is cancelled and they have no further bookings, but they have received an offer to join the Paul Whiteman band. The popular Paul Whiteman is known as “The King of Jazz.”

Robert, who is attracted to Jane and decides to stick around, plays his own composition, “To Me,” for Jane to sing. Tommy does not relay the offer from Whiteman to Jimmy. They are offered $50 to participate in a radio experiment putting a live orchestra on the air to test reception over 50 to 60 miles. They play “Runnin' Wild” too loud and Tommy and Jimmy get into another of their constant arguments—live over the air—when Tommy takes a solo and Jimmy objects. Two more band members leave. Jimmy blames Tommy for having concealed the offer from Paul Whiteman.

During the early days of radio in New York, Tommy and Jimmy play for a while with the prestigious Paul Whiteman band. On the side, the Dorseys are plugging songs for sheet music sales and reunite with Robert Burton, who has published “To Me.” The Dorseys, with Robert and Jane, now form the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra. Robert and Jane become a couple and Robert is writing a concerto he wants to style as “The American Concerto.” Robert proposes to Jane, but she doesn’t want to desert the struggling Tommy and Jimmy, who bicker constantly over jazz styles and leadership. Tommy thinks the rhythm should be livelier; Jimmy thinks it’s too fast.

Though the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra is successful, the brothers continue to fight. Jane is now engaged to Robert. The band plays with Jazz pianist Art Tatum (who plays himself). Jane sings “The Object of My Affection” and “I'll Never Say Never Again”. Tommy and Jimmy bicker again and Tommy walks out for good. Robert gives Jane an ultimatum. If she goes now, they are through for good. Jane stays with Tommy Dorsey, who she believes needs her more.

Tommy Dorsey forms his own orchestra and has a hit with “Moonlight in Vermont”. With the Dorsey Brothers Band, Jimmy continues with the rebranded “Jimmy Dorsey Band.” Both brothers have great success, Jimmy setting records for dance band attractions and Tommy as radio pick as best swing band. Jimmy Dorsey is voted the Jukebox King. They tie for top place in April disc sales. Jimmy has hits with “Tangerine,” “Green Eyes (Bob Eberley and Helen O’Connell perform their hit) ,” and “Amapola.” Tommy Dorsey has hits with “I’ll Never Smile Again,” "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You," and “Oh Marie (featured with the entire band).” They have great success without each other, often referred to just by their initials JD and TD.

Their mother is sad that boys are a success, but the family is a failure. Each won’t visit their parents if the other is there. They just shut off their ears when the subject of reconciliation is broached. Jane has an idea for reconciliation.

Jane gives Paul Whiteman a copy of Robert Burton’s unpublished “American Concerto” without Robert’s knowledge. Paul Whiteman convinces Jimmy and Tommy independently—without the other’s knowledge—to play a new “American Concerto” at a charity benefit. At rehearsal, both Tommy and Jimmy initially refuse to play together. They receive notice that their father is seriously ill. Both arrive in time to say goodbye to their father, who sees them standing together. They comfort their mother and agree to reconcile to grant their father’s last wish.

Both Jimmy and Tommy play the Whiteman concert engagement. At the concert, Robert Burton is surprised to find Jane sitting next to Mrs. Dorsey. Robert recognizes his concerto and reconciles with Jane. “The End” flashes as the reconciled Jimmy and Tommy play a clarinet and saxophone duet.

Cast

Background

The film is a musical comedy based on the lives and careers of Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. The Dorsey Brothers star as themselves. Other actors include Janet Blair, William Lundigan, Sara Allgood and Arthur Shields. Janet Blair demonstrates that she is a highly competent singer.

The "side plot" focuses on a romance between Jane, who grew up with the Dorseys and becomes the singer with their band, and Bob Burton, who leaves his employment as a support pianist for the cinema and joins the Dorseys. Bob writes music and strives to complete an original American-sound concerto.

There are also cameo appearances by other jazz musicians of the period: Paul Whiteman, Charlie Barnet, Henry Busse, Bob Eberly, Helen O'Connell and Art Tatum. [3] Pianist Tatum "is shown playing in a night club with the piano surrounded by the Dorsey brothers and other well-known musicians, who finally join him in an ensemble blues." [4]

The Jimmy Dorsey composition and theme song "Contrasts" is played in the movie. "Green Eyes", "Tangerine", "I'll Never Smile Again", "Marie", and "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" are also featured in the movie, along with "To Me" and "Dorsey Concerto". Paul Whiteman and the Orchestra perform "At Sundown". Art Tatum performs "Turquoise" and "Art's Blues" at the piano.

The film was written by Art Arthur, [5] Richard English and Curtis Kenyon. It was directed by Alfred E. Green. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big band</span> Music ensemble associated with jazz music

A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s and dominated jazz in the early 1940s when swing was most popular. The term "big band" is also used to describe a genre of music, although this was not the only style of music played by big bands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Whiteman</span> American jazz musician and popular bandleader (1890–1967)

Paul Samuel Whiteman was an American bandleader, composer, orchestral director, and violinist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tommy Dorsey</span> American jazz trombonist and bandleader (1905–1956)

Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. was an American jazz trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-toned trombone playing. His theme song was "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You". His technical skill on the trombone gave him renown among other musicians. He was the younger brother of bandleader Jimmy Dorsey. After Dorsey broke with his brother in the mid-1930s, he led an extremely successful band from the late 1930s into the 1950s. He is best remembered for standards such as "Opus One", "Song of India", "Marie", "On Treasure Island", and his biggest hit single, "I'll Never Smile Again".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jimmy Dorsey</span> American jazz musician and band leader (1904–1957)

James Francis Dorsey was an American jazz clarinetist, saxophonist, composer and big band leader. He recorded and composed the jazz and pop standards "I'm Glad There Is You " and "It's The Dreamer In Me". His other major recordings were "Tailspin", "John Silver", "So Many Times", "Amapola", "Brazil ", "Pennies from Heaven" with Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, and Frances Langford, "Grand Central Getaway", and "So Rare". He played clarinet on the seminal jazz standards "Singin' the Blues" in 1927 and the original 1930 recording of "Georgia on My Mind", which were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vincent Lopez</span> Musical artist

Vincent Lopez was an American bandleader, actor, and pianist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miff Mole</span> American jazz trombonist and band leader

Irving Milfred Mole known professionally as Miff Mole, was an American jazz trombonist and band leader. He is generally considered one of the greatest jazz trombonists and credited with creating "the first distinctive and influential solo jazz trombone style."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Dorsey Brothers</span> American jazz band

The Dorsey Brothers were an American studio dance band, led by Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. They started recording in 1928 for OKeh Records.

Newell "Spiegle" Willcox was a jazz trombonist. He was born Newell Lynn Willcox in upstate New York, and learned valve trombone as a youngster under the tuition of his father, Lynn Willcox, an amateur musician and bandleader. As a student of Manlius Military Academy, where he also played in the school brass band, he acquired the familiar nickname Spiegle, after one of the horses from the Academy's stables which, according to his fellow students, he apparently resembled!

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bob Eberly</span> American singer, vocalist (1916–1981)

Robert Eberly was an American big band vocalist best known for his association with Jimmy Dorsey and his duets with Helen O'Connell. His younger brother Ray was also a big-band singer, making his name with Glenn Miller and His Orchestra.

<i>I Dood It</i> 1943 musical-comedy film directed by Vincente Minnelli

I Dood It is a 1943 American musical comedy film starring Red Skelton and Eleanor Powell, directed by Vincente Minnelli, and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The screenplay is by Fred Saidy and Sig Herzig and the film features Richard Ainley, Patricia Dane, Lena Horne, and Hazel Scott. John Hodiak plays a villain in this production, just his third movie role. Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra provide musical interludes.

"I'm Gettin' Sentimental over You" is a 1932 song first released by the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra. It was recorded by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra in 1935, becoming his theme song. The lyrics were written by Ned Washington and the music was by George Bassman. It was first released in 1932 by the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra with Jean Bowes on vocals on Brunswick Records. The orchestra re-recorded it in August 1934 with Bob Crosby on vocals for Decca Records. The original copyright is dated 1933 and issued to Lawrence Music Publishers, Inc. The copyright was assigned to Mills Music, Inc. in 1934. Noni Bernardi, a saxophonist with the Dorsey orchestra arranged this song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Russ Morgan</span> Musical artist

Russell Morgan was an American big band leader and arranger during the 1930s and 1940s. He was best known for co-composing the song "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You" with Larry Stock and James Cavanaugh, and was the first to record it in 1944.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago (That Toddlin' Town)</span> Song written and composed by Fred Fisher

"Chicago" is a popular song written by Fred Fisher and published in 1922. The original sheet music variously spelled the title "Todd'ling" or "Toddling." The song has been recorded by many artists, but the best-known versions are by Frank Sinatra, Ben Selvin and Judy Garland. The song alludes to the city's colorful past, feigning "... the surprise of my life / I saw a man dancing with his own wife", mentioning evangelist Billy Sunday as having not been able to "shut down" the city, and State Street where "they do things they don't do on Broadway".

Murray McEachern was a Canadian jazz trombonist and alto saxophonist, perhaps best known for having played trombone for Benny Goodman from 1936 to 1937. McEachern is also remembered for playing both the trombone and alto saxophone for the Casa Loma Orchestra from 1937 to 1941.

<i>This Is Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra, Vol. 1</i> 1971 compilation album by Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra

This Is Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra, Vol. 1 is the first of two volumes originally released in a 1971 series by RCA Victor, which was created in response to a resurgence in big band recreations during the late '60s and early '70s, and is a reissue of 20 famous recordings by Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra. The album was subsequently re-released in 2001 by Collectables Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I'm Glad There Is You</span> 1941 song written by Jimmy Dorsey and Paul Madeira

"I'm Glad There Is You (In This World of Ordinary People)" is a song written by Jimmy Dorsey and Paul Madeira (sometimes credited as Paul Mertz) first published in 1941. It has become a jazz and pop standard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's the Dreamer in Me</span> 1938 song written by Jimmy Dorsey and Jimmy Van Heusen

"It's the Dreamer in Me" is a 1938 song composed by Jimmy Dorsey and Jimmy Van Heusen, which was first recorded by Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra with Bob Eberly on vocals. Jimmy Dorsey composed the music. The lyrics were written by Jimmy Van Heusen. The song is a jazz and pop standard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dese Dem Dose</span> 1935 composition by Glenn Miller

Dese Dem Dose is a 1935 instrumental composed by Glenn Miller and recorded by The Dorsey Brothers orchestra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tailspin (1934 song)</span>

Tailspin is a 1934 song written by Jimmy Dorsey and Frankie Trumbauer. The song was released by Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra featuring Frankie Trumbauer in 1934 on Victor and by The Dorsey Brothers Orchestra in 1935 as a Decca single.

William H. Challis was an American jazz arranger, best known for his association with the Paul Whiteman orchestra.

References

  1. The Fabulous Dorseys at Allmovie
  2. Goldsmith, Melissa U. D.; Willson, Paige A.; Fonseca, Anthony J. (2016-10-07). The Encyclopedia of Musicians and Bands on Film. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 108. ISBN   978-1-4422-6987-3.
  3. Walker, Leo (1964). The Wonderful Era of the Great Dance Bands. Garden City, New York: Doubleday. p. 224.
  4. Lester, James (1994). Too Marvelous for Words: The Life and Genius of Art Tatum. Oxford University Press. p. 176. ISBN   0-19-509640-1.
  5. 1 2 "THE FABULOUS DORSEYS". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-02-29.