Growing up I was huge fan of the TV show My Three Sons which aired on various networks in the 1960 & early 70's. Fred MacMurray was the stoic rock of Gibraltar Widower of three boys with the help of his house servant Uncles. I caught a Lucy Desi Comedy hour featuring the MacMurray's Fred and his lovely blonde wife June. June Haver MacMurray was a Movie Actress in her day as a triple threat, Singing, Dancing and Acting. I caught this movie totally by accident on TCM and it's a typical 1950's period piece musical from Warner Brothers. Our movie takes place in turn of the century Manhattan. Vaudeville was the main and affordable means of entertainment for the masses at that time. To further explain what Vaudeville was; a variety of entertainment filled with unrelated vignettes with a mixture of song. dance, magic and comedy acts. Vaudeville theaters sprung up all over the country like Starbuck's franchises of today. Streetcar conductor Dennis O'Grady (James Barton)a widower with Three daughters is a traditionalist with a strict code of rules for his Lassies to abide by. Meet only Irish men with a college education and most importantly don't bring home any Show Business performers.You see Dennis O'Grady was also a showman in his day with an act featuring wife Rosie. But his dear departed Wife Rosie died from the strain of show business and that's where he puts the blame never to return or even patronize the theater. The eldest of the three lovelies Kate tells her two younger sisters that she just eloped to an Irish Policeman Sean McClory (James Moore)Meanwhile an incident involving a forgotten Lunch-pale by Father O'Grady causes the two Sisters Patricia (June Haver) and a very young Maureen (Debbie Reynolds)in tow as they pass the (forbidden zone) passing the theater. A man who's wearing a hobo's costume makes a conversation with Patricia as he asked for a crust of bread. Pat panics and gives her Father's lunch to the bum. Unbeknownst to Pat that bum was the owner of the theater and he wasn't interested in food but more importantly wanted to make her acquaintance. That owner is the leading man in this story Tony Pastor (Gordon MacRae). After mistaken identities Pat and Gordon hit it off from the start as Patricia was always fascinated by the stage. Patricia would even put on her late Mother's costumes to the disdain of her Father. The Movie is really about silly traditions and mistaken information. One character of reason throughout the story is the chubby European knockwurst carrying S.Z. Sakall known as Cuddles plays Dennis O'Grady's best friend and co- worker. You know Cuddles from the movie Casablanca as Bogie's Cafe manager. One more player of noteworthy mention is dancer Gene Nelson who plays Doug Martin who is a headliner dancer for owner Pastor.. Patricia enters amateur contest as a singer but Doug comes to the rescue and saves her act and Patricia joins Tony Pastor's theater company as a regular. Doug and Patricia practice feverishly as Tony's jealousy brews watching the two bond as an act. Meanwhile Father O'Grady learns that his daughter is pregnant as the Doctor leaves his flat assuming it's Patricia with the showman Pastor responsible. To add to the confusion older married sister Kate is Pregnant with twins on the way but Father doesn't know she's married to Officer McClory. What does a Father do? Go to the tavern and get stewed and then disown the lot of them. As bad as it sounds it makes for a light hearten musical/story. Great movie to watch at Christmas or St. Patrick's Day.
Review of The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady
