Birth of the Blues

Overview

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.

Details

Cast

Bing Crosby

Jeff Lambert

Mary Martin

Betty Lou Cobb

Brian Donlevy

Memphis

Carolyn Lee

Aunt Phoebe Cobb

Eddie 'Rochester' Anderson

Louey

J. Carrol Naish

Blackie

Warren Hymer

Limpy

Horace McMahon

Wolf

Ruby Elzy

Ruby

Jack Teagarden

Pepper

Danny Beck

Deek

Harry Barris

Suds

Perry Botkin Sr.

Leo

Minor Watson

Henri Lambert

Harry Rosenthal

Piano Player

Donald Kerr

Skeeter, Barbershop Musician

Barbara Pepper

Maizie

Cecil Kellaway

Granet

Ronnie Cosby

Jeff as a Boy

Ted Lewis

Self (archive footage)