Birth of the Blues
NR
1941
87 minutes
Overview
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.
Top 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)