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Make Believe Ballroom
Make Believe Ballroom
Directed by	Joseph Santley
Screenplay by	Albert Duffy ; Karen DeWolf
Story by	Albert Duffy
Produced by	Ted Richmond
Starring	Jerome Courtland ; Ruth Warrick ; Ron Randell ; Virginia Welles ; Al Jarvis
Cinematography	Henry Freulich
Edited by	Jerome Thoms
Production; company	Columbia Pictures
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	April 1, 1949;
Running time	79 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Make Believe Ballroom is a 1949 American musical romantic comedy directed by Joseph Santley and produced by Ted Richmond.^[1] It was loosely based on the radio program of the same name hosted by Martin Block and Al Jarvis. The film starred Jerome Courtland, Ruth Warrick, Ron Randell, Virginia Welles, and Jarvis.^[2] The film featured musical icons of the era such as Jimmy Dorsey, Gene Krupa, and Charlie Barnet.

Plot

The film focuses on two carhops as they compete in a mystery record contest. John Reid, in the reference book Popular Pictures of the Hollywood 1940s, commented, "... this is one of those films which string together a musical melange through the excuse of a radio show."^[3]^{[self-published source]}

Music

The film features iconic bandleaders of the big band era in a performance of "Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho" by the combined bands of Jimmy Dorsey, Gene Krupa, Charlie Barnet, Ray McKinley, Pee Wee Hunt, and Jan Garber. Gene Krupa performs his classic "Disco Jockey Jump" and Frankie Laine performs "On the Sunny Side of the Street". The title song is co-written by Johnny Mercer.

Cast

Jerome Courtland as Gene Thomas
Ruth Warrick as Liza
Virginia Welles as Josie Marlowe
Ron Randell as Professor Leslie Todd
Al Jarvis as himself
Paul Harvey as George Willcox
Sid Tomack as Joe
Louis Jean Heydt as "Jerk" Elliott
Adele Jergens as herself
Frank Orth as "Pop"
Pierre Watkin as radio station manager
Vernon Dent as chef

Musicians featured as themselves in the film included Jimmy Dorsey, Gene Krupa, Charlie Barnet, Ray McKinley, Frankie Laine, The King Cole Trio, Toni Harper, Jack Smith, Kay Starr, The Sportsmen, Jan Garber, and Pee Wee Hunt.^[3]

Background

The film's concept dated back to 1932 and Al Jarvis, a disc jockey at radio station KFWB in Los Angeles, California. His daily program, "The World's Largest Make Believe Ballroom", featured popular recordings accompanied by relevant remarks about each one. In 1935, Martin Block began a similar program on WNEW in New York City, with the title shortened to "Make Believe Ballroom".^[4]

Filming started 20 September 1948.^[5]

The film marked a return to B pictures at Columbia for Ron Randell.^[6]

References

^ "Make Believe Ballroom". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
^ MAKE BELIEVE BALLROOM Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 16, Iss. 181, (Jan 1, 1949): 119.
^ ^a ^b Reid, John (2004). Popular Pictures of the Hollywood 1940s. Lulu.com. pp. 74–75. ISBN 9781411617377. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
^ Erickson, Hal (2014). From Radio to the Big Screen: Hollywood Films Featuring Broadcast Personalities and Programs. McFarland. p. 198. ISBN 9780786477579. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
^ Ruth Warrick Changes Pace in Musical Opus; Slezak Writes Movie Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 18 Sep 1948: 9.
^ Vagg, Stephen (August 10, 2019). "Unsung Aussie Actors – Ron Randell: A Top Twenty". Filmink.