Whoopee! (film)
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Whoopee! is a 1930 American Pre-Code musical comedy film photographed in two-color Technicolor. The plot of the film closely followed the 1928 stage show produced by Florenz Ziegfeld.
Production
The film was produced by Florenz Ziegfeld and Samuel Goldwyn, and directed by Thornton Freeland. Whoopee made a movie star of Eddie Cantor, already one of the leading stars of Broadway revues and musical comedies, as well as being a popular recording artist in the United States. George Olsen and his Music, already well-known Victor recording artists, repeated their work from the stage version. Other stars in the film were Eleanor Hunt, Ethel Shutta (George Olsen's wife), and Paul Gregory. Future stars Betty Grable, Paulette Goddard, Ann Sothern, Virginia Bruce, and Claire Dodd appeared uncredited as "Goldwyn Girls".
The film also launched the Hollywood career of Busby Berkeley. It was Alfred Newman's first composing job in Hollywood. Richard Day did the set designs and behind the camera was Gregg Toland, who later found fame with Orson Welles.
Cast
- Eddie Cantor as Henry Williams
- Ethel Shutta as Mary Custer
- Paul Gregory as Wanenis
- Eleanor Hunt as Sally Morgan
- Jack Rutherford as Sheriff Bob Wells
- Walter Law as Jud Morgan
- Spencer Charters as Jerome Underwood
- Albert Hackett as Chester Underwood
