Home
Biography
Career
Articles
Photo Gallery
Landmarks
Testimonials
Collectibles
Multimedia
Shopping
Related Links
Guestbook
Larceny with Music
Universal Pictures
Released: September 10, 1943
Runtime: 64 minutes
Gus Borelli owns a night club called the Blue Room and is in dire need of money to pay back the bank. Just to his luck, a lawyer is looking for a singer named Kenneth Daniels. The lawyer says that Daniels’ uncle living in Argentina died and left a $250,000 will for him. Eager to get some of Ken’s inheritance through a contract, Borelli sets to hire him…
Ken works at a restaurant where he sings with Alvino Rey’s orchestra under his manager, Mike Simms. When Gus arrives, the musicians rush to give him a performance. Ken sings “Please Louise” while Gus formulates a contract. In the kitchen, Mike pays off the “lawyer” who is actually the cook named Austin J. Caldwell, for talking with Borelli the day before. Mike thought of the whole story of Ken’s uncle so they could get a job. The next day in the Blue Room, Pamela Mason, a classical singer, is rehearsing with Zybisco and his string quintet. She sings, “Only in Dreams” while Ken listens with enchantment. However, now that Borelli must cater to Ken, Pamela is out of job. Also part of Alvino’s band are the King Sisters, who then sing, “They Died with their Boots Laced.” Sorry that Pamela lost her spot, Ken offers to find her a part in the show, but she rejects his help.
Now that she can no longer sing, Pamela works as a chamber maid in the hotel of the Blue Room. To Ken’s annoyance, she wakes him up at nine o’clock in the morning to vacuum his room. Mike threatens to walk out if Borelli doesn’t stop her. Just as they are going to take her away, she leaves herself and begins to suspect the details of Ken’s contract. The next morning, Austin meets Mike in the hotel and threatens blackmail if he doesn’t pay him more. Luckily, Mike is able to get rid of him this time. At rehearsals, the King Sisters and Ken sing “When You Wore a Tulip.” Ken then talks to Pamela and again offers her a part in their show. She accepts this time and they sing “Do You Hear Music.”
Mike is determined for his scheme to work, so he convinces Borelli to heavily advertise their show as to attract a lawyer. Meanwhile, Ken is at the piano with Pamela, and they sing, “For the Want of You.” Then, after failing to talk to Mike again, Austin calls Pamela and deal with her. In exchange for 50% of her salary, he will get her job back by spilling the beans to her about Mike’s scam. After learning about the whole plan, Pamela is furious with Ken. On the night of the show, Pamela tells Borelli everything, making Mike and Ken and the band run out before they get in trouble. However, there is such a large turnout because of the advertising that Borelli is desperate for them to come back. Also, Pamela forgives Ken after learning that he knew nothing of Mike’s plan. So, everyone makes up, Ken and the band come back, and the show is saved. The King Sisters sing, “Keep Smilin, Keep Laughin’, Be Happy” and then they sing a medley with Ken and Pamela in a war promotion number, including the songs, “Marine Hymn, Anchors Aweigh, Army Air Corps Song, and Marching Along Together.”
Credits
Producer…Howard Benedict
Director…Edward C. Lilley
Writer…Robert Harari
Cinematography…Paul Ivano
Film Editing…Paul Landres
Costumes…Vera West
Musical Director…Charles Previn
Art Direction…John B. Goodman, Richard H. Riedel
Set Decoration…Russell A. Gausman, A.J. Gilmore
Assistant Director…Seward Webb
Sound Director…Bernard B. Brown
Sound Technician…Robert Pritchard
Sound…Edwin Wetzel
Music Supervisor…Ted Cain
Orchestrator…Frank De Vol
Cast
Allan Jones…Ken Daniels
Kitty Carlisle…Pamela Mason
Leo Carillo…Gus Borelli
William Frawley…Mike Simms
Gus Schilling…Austin J. Caldwell
Lee Patrick…Agatha Parkinson
Samuel S. Hinds…Brewster
Sig Arno…Zybisco
Alvino Rey…Orchestra leader
The King Sisters…themselves
Alyce King
Donna King
Louise Kin
Yvonne King
Murray Alper…Cab Driver
Martin Faust…Bus Driver
Jack Gardener…Customer
John Hamilton…Important banker
George Lloyd…Pietro
Soundtrack
• “Only in Dreams” (from Strauss’ Emperor Waltz)
o Sung by Kitty Carlisle, accompanied by Alvino Rey Orchestra
o Music: Strauss
o Lyrics: Samuel Lerner
• “Do You Hear Music”
o Sung by Allan Jones and Kitty Carlisle
o Written by Don Raye and Gene de Paul
• “The Died with their Boots Laced”
o Sung by the King Sisters, accompanied by Alvino Rey Orchestra
o Written by Don Raye and Gene de Paul
• “For the Want of You”
o Sung by Allan Jones, Kitty Carlisle, and the King Sisters
o Written by Jule Styne and Eddie Cherkose
• “Please, Louise”
o Sung by Allan Jones, accompanied by Alvino Rey Orchestra
o Written by Don Raye and Gene de Paul
• “When You Wore a Tulip”
o Sung by Allan Jones and the King Sisters
o Written by Jack Mahoney and Percy Wenrich
• “Keep Smilin’, Keep Laughin’, Be Happy”
o Sung by the King Sisters
o Written by Lou Singer
• “Finale, Medley” (“Marine Hymn,” “Anchors Aweigh,” “Army Air Corps Song,” “Marching Along Together”)
o Presented by Entire Group, Sung by Allan Jones, Kitty Carlisle, King Sisters