Birth of the Blues

Birth of the Blues (1941)

Strike Up The Band ! * Here comes happiness . . . in a merry medley of romance . . . and rhythm !

Music Romance

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.

star 5.3 6.3
  • Release Date: 1941-11-07
  • Runtime: 1h 27min
  • Director: Victor Schertzinger

Where to Watch Birth of the Blues Online

Birth of the Blues is not available for streaming at this moment.

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)

  • Duke Ellington

    Self (archive footage)

  • Louis Armstrong

    Self (archive footage)

  • Tommy Dorsey

    Self (archive footage)

  • Jimmy Dorsey

    Self (archive footage)

  • Benny Goodman

    Self (archive footage)

  • Paul Whiteman

    Self (archive footage)

  • Roscoe Ates

    Cab Driver (uncredited)

  • Charles Lane

    Wilbur - Bijou Theater Manager (uncredited)

  • Mantan Moreland

    Black Trumpet Player (uncredited)

Related Movies