The Benny Goodman Story

• Director: Valentine Davies
• AMG Rating:
• Genre: Drama
• Movie Type: Musical Drama, Biopic
• Themes: Musician's Life, Rags To Riches
• Main Cast: Steve Allen, Donna Reed, Berta Gersten, Herbert Anderson, Robert Simon
• Release Year: 1955
• Country: US
• Run Time: 116 minutes
• MPAA Rating: G

Plot

Steve Allen makes his dramatic film debut in The Benny Goodman Story. Outside of Goodman's conflicts with his parents over his career choice, and his early frustration over not being able to play his kind of music, the film tends to be more a series of musical highlights than a biography. The film features guest appearances by Gene Krupa, Lionel Hampton, Teddy Wilson, Harry James, Martha Tilton, Ziggy Elman, and Sammy Davis Sr. (as Fletcher Henderson). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Cast

• Steve Allen - Benny Goodman
• Donna Reed - Alice Hammond
• Berta Gersten - Mom (Dora) Goodman
• Herbert Anderson - John Hammond
• Robert Simon - Pop (Dave) Goodman

Hy Averback - William Alexander; Shepard Menken - Harry Goodman; Sammy Davis, Sr. - Fletcher Henderson; Dick Winslow - Gil Rodin; David Kasday - Benny Goodman at 10; Wilton Graff - Mr. Hammond; Harry James - Himself; Gene Krupa - Himself; Martha Tilton - Herself; Lionel Hampton - Himself; Ziggy Elman - Himself; Teddy Wilson - Himself; Buck Clayton; Fred Essler - Prof Schoepp; Stan Getz; George Givot - Jake Primo; Urbie Green; Jack Kruschen - Murph Podolsky; Kid Ory; Ben Pollack - Himself; Barry Truex - Benny Goodman at 16

Credit

Bill Thomas - Costume Designer, Valentine Davies - Director, Russell Schoengarth - Editor, Harry Brown - Composer (Music Score), Joseph E. Gershenson - Composer (Music Score), Alan Harding - Composer (Music Score), Henry Mancini - Composer (Music Score), Sol Yaged - Composer (Music Score), William H. Daniels - Cinematographer, Aaron Rosenberg - Producer, Valentine Davies - Screenwriter

Similar Movies

Bird; Deep in My Heart; The Five Pennies; The Gene Krupa Story; The Glenn Miller Story; I'll See You in My Dreams; Let's Get Lost; Rhapsody in Blue; Shine On, Harvest Moon; 'Round Midnight; Benny Goodman: Farewell; The Fabulous Dorseys

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