Anchors Aweigh 1945 N/R, 140 min. Genre: Comedy / Musical / Romance
Director: George Sidney Cast: Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, Jose Iturbi, Dean Stockwell, Leon Ames, Edgar Kennedy, Steve Brodie, Pamela Britton, Grady Sutton, Rags Ragland, Billy Gilbert, Henry O'Neill, James Flavin, Sharon McManus
This story revolves around two sailors, Joe Brady (Gene Kelly) and Clarence Doolittle (Frank Sinatra), on shore leave who help aspiring singer Susan Abbott (Kathryn Grayson) get an audition. Love blooms between Joe and Susan. The highlight of this film is Kelly's dance with the animated mouse, Jerry. Among the nominations this film received for Academy Awards were Best Picture, Actor (Gene Kelly), Cinematography, and Song ("I Fall in Love Too Easily"). It won for Best Musical Score.
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Andy Hardy's Private Secretary 1941 N/R, 101 min. Genre: Comedy
Director: George B. Seitz Cast: Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney, Fay Holden, Ann Rutherford, Sara Haden, Ian Hunter, Kathryn Grayson, George P. Breakston, Todd Karns, Addison Richards, Gene Reynolds, Margaret Early
Andy Hardy (Mickey Rooney) has failed his final exam, so it looks like he will not be graduating from high school. But, Andy has hired a social secretary (Kathryn Grayson) who now offers to help Andy study. He does well on his second test, and all ends happily.
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The Desert Song 1953 N/R, 110 min. Genre: Musical
Director: H. Bruce Humberstone Cast: Kathryn Grayson, Gordon MacRae, Steve Cochran, Raymond Massey, Allyn Ann McLerie, Dick Wesson, Ray Collins, Frank DeKova, William Conrad, Paul Picerni
This film, based on Sigmund Romberg's romantic operetta, is set in the African desert and features Gordon MacRae as the mysterious leader of the Riffs who fight evil Arabs.
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It Happened In Brooklyn 1947 N/R, 104 min. Genre: Comedy / Musical / Romance
Director: Richard Whorf Cast: Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, Peter Lawford, Jimmy Durante, Gloria Grahame, Marcy McGuire, Aubrey Mather, Tamara Shayne, William Roy, Bobby Long, William Haade, Lumsden Hare, Raymond Largay, William Tannen
Ex-GI Danny Miller (Frank Sinatra) returns to his Brooklyn neighborhood and moves in with his friend Nick Lombardi (Jimmy Durante) who is a high school janitor. Now, his friend from the Army, Jamie Shellgrove (Peter Lawford), arrives in town. Danny and Jamie decide to compose music together and help with a fundraiser for Nick's granddaughter Rae (Marcy McGuire) who wants to be a pianist. Soon both men are romantically attracted to Rae's music teacher Anne Fielding (Kathryn Grayson). Jamie ends up with Anne, but all is not lost when Danny falls for an Army nurse (Gloria Grahame) who he had met in the service.
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Kiss Me Kate 1953 N/R, 109 min. Genre: Musical / Comedy / Romance
Director: George Sidney Cast: Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, Ann Miller, Keenan Wynn, Bobby Van, Tommy Rall, James Whitmore, Kurt Kasznar, Bob Fosse, Ron Randell, Willard Parker, Dave O'Brien, Ann Codee, Claud Allister, Carol Haney
Based on Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew," this adaptation of the Broadway musical is delightful. Fred Graham "Petruchio" (Howard Keel) and Lilli Vanessi "Katherine" (Kathryn Grayson) are a divorced couple who star in a musical and resemble Shakespeare's characters–both on and off stage. Cole Porter songs add to the enjoyment.
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The Kissing Bandit 1948 N/R, 102 min. Genre: Comedy / Musical / Western
Director: Laszlo Benedek Cast: Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, J. Carrol Naish, Mildred Natwick, Mikhail Rasumny, Billy Gilbert, Sono Osato, Clinton Sundberg, Edna Skinner, Vincente Gomez, Carleton G. Young, Byron Foulger, Ricardo Montalban, Ann Miller, Cyd Charisse
When Ricardo (Frank Sinatra) returns to California to take over his deceased father's hotel business, he learns that his father was a "kissing bandit." Deciding to carry on in his father's tradition, Ricardo kisses the lady victims after robbing them. When he meets Teresa (Kathryn Grayson), who just happens to be the daughter of a governor with tax problems, Ricardo's talents for kissing and the offer of money gained from his thievery pay off, and Teresa is smitten.
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Rio Rita 1942 N/R, 91 min. Genre: Comedy
Director: S. Sylvan Simon Cast: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Kathryn Grayson, John Carroll, Tom Conway, Peter Whitney, Barry Nelson, Patricia Dane, Arthur Space, Joan Valerie
This second remake of the Broadway musical features Bud Abbott and Lou Costello as Doc and Wishy, the heroes who capture Nazis that are threats to peace as they send messages via radio waves.
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Show Boat 1951 N/R, 107 min. Genre: Musical
Director: George Sidney Cast: Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner, Howard Keel, Joe E. Brown, Marge Champion, Gower Champion, Agnes Moorehead, Robert Sterling, William Warfield, Adele Jergens, Lief Erickson, Norman Leavitt, Fuzzy Knight, Emory Parnell, Regis Toomey
This remake of the Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein Broadway musical features Kathryn Grayson in the role of Magnolia, the daughter of the Mississippi riverboat's Captain Andy Hawk (Joe E. Brown). Magnolia takes over the riverboat show's starring role when Julie (Ava Gardner) is forced to leave after local police learn that she is not White but is married to White man Steve (Robert Sterling), and interracial marriages are forbidden. Gambler Gaylord Ravenal (Howard Keel) takes the role of Magnolia's leading man, and they fall in love and marry. But, Gaylord's gambling will prove to be a big problem–until he cleans up his act and returns to Magnolia and their baby daughter. Song standards, such as "Old Man River" (sung beautifully by William Warfield), "Bill," and "Make Believe" make this an enjoyable film.
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That Midnight Kiss 1949 N/R, 96 min. Genre: Musical / Romance
Director: Norman Taurog Cast: Kathryn Grayson, Jose Iturbi, Ethel Barrymore, Mario Lanza, Keenan Wynn, J. Carrol Naish, Jules Munshin, Thomas Gomez, Marjorie Reynolds, Arthur Treacher
Mario Lanza makes his film debut in this film about truck driver Johnny Donnetti who is hired as the tenor lead in an opera production where he falls in love with heiress and female lead Prudence Budell (Kathryn Grayson).
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That's Entertainment, Part II 1976 G, 130 min. Genre: Family / Documentary / Musical / Comedy / Drama
Director: Gene Kelly Cast: Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Clark Gable, Bing Crosby, Robert Taylor, Kathryn Grayson, Doris Day, Jeanette MacDonald, Greer Garson, Nelson Eddy, Leslie Caron, Ann Miller, Ann Sothern
Hosts Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly introduce classic M.G.M. film clips in this well-made documentary filled with snapshots of film history that include musicals, dramas, and comedies.
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Thousands Cheer 1943 N/R, 126 min. Genre: Musical
Director: George Sidney Cast: Kathryn Grayson, Gene Kelly, Mary Astor, John Boles, Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, Frank Morgan, Dick Simmons
This film, made to help the Allied war effort during World War II, is about a colonel's daughter (Kathryn Grayson) who puts together a show to entertain the troops. About all of the MGM stars (and bands) are out for this one.
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Till the Clouds Roll By 1946 N/R, 137 min. Genre: Drama / Musical
Director: Richard Whorf Cast: Robert Walker, Lucille Bremer, Judy Garland, Kathryn Grayson, Van Heflin, Lena Horne, Van Johnson, Tony Martin, Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra, June Allyson, Cyd Charisse, Paul Langton, Paul Maxey, Dorothy Patrick
An all-star cast singing Jerome Kern's songs make this account of Kern's life and times an entertaining experience. Kern's story begins and ends with his Broadway show, "Showboat," and is told through flashbacks as Kern sells his songs, moves to London, and marries Eva (Dorothy Patrick). Then, his contacts with Victor Herbert (Paul Maxey) and Oscar Hammerstein (Paul Langton) lead to success on Broadway. Songs are abundant and are sung by top musical stars of the day.
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The Toast of New Orleans 1950 N/R, 96 min. Genre: Musical
Director: Norman Taurog Cast: Kathryn Grayson, Mario Lanza, David Niven, J. Carrol Naish, Rita Moreno, James Mitchell, Richard Hageman, Clinton Sundberg, Sig Arno, Romo Vincent
Pepe Abellard Duvalle (Mario Lanza) is a bayou fisherman who is groomed for an operatic career by Jacques Riboudeaux (David Niven). Lanza sings "Be My Love" to Kathryn Grayson; the song was nominated for an Academy Award.
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The Vagabond King 1956 N/R, 86 min. Genre: Musical
Director: Michael Curtiz Cast: Kathryn Grayson, Oreste Kirkop, Rita Moreno, Cedric Hardwicke, Walter Hampden, Leslie Nielsen, Jack Lord, William Prince, Florence Sundstrom, Harry McNaughton
Oreste Kirkop plays the Parisian poet who fights against the Duke of Burgundy in this lavish musical set in medieval times.
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Ziegfeld Follies 1946 N/R, 116 min. Genre: Musical
Director: Vincente Minnelli Cast: William Powell, Fred Astaire, Lucille Ball, Judy Garland, Kathryn Grayson, Lena Horne, Gene Kelly, Red Skelton, Esther Williams, Fanny Brice
This musical features William Powell as Florenz Ziegfeld who looks down from Heaven and dreams of this film that is chock-full of MGM musical stars.
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| 1. Anchors Aweigh (1945)
2. Andy Hardy's Private Secretary (1941)
3. The Desert Song (1953)
4. It Happened In Brooklyn (1947)
5. Kiss Me Kate (1953)
6. The Kissing Bandit (1948)
7. Rio Rita (1942)
8. Show Boat (1951)
9. That Midnight Kiss (1949)
10. That's Entertainment, Part II (1976)
11. Thousands Cheer (1943)
12. Till the Clouds Roll By (1946)
13. The Toast of New Orleans (1950)
14. The Vagabond King (1956)
15. Ziegfeld Follies (1946)
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