Ann Rutherford!

Orchestra Wives! (1942)	Directed by Archie Mayo Writing credits James Prindle (story) Karl Tunberg
Ann as Connie Ward in Orchestra Wives!


George Montgomery (I)	....	Bill Abbott
Ann Rutherford	....	Connie Ward
Glenn Miller	....	Gene Morrison
Lynn Bari	....	Jaynie
Carole Landis	....	Natalie
Cesar Romero	....	Sinjin
Virginia Gilmore	....	Elsie
Mary Beth Hughes	....	Caroline
Fayard Nicholas	....	Himself
Harold Nicholas	....	Himself
Tamara Geva	....	Mrs. Beck
Frank Orth	....	Rex Willet
Grant Mitchell (I)	....	Dr. Ward
Harry Morgan	....	Cully
Jackie Gleason	....	Ben Beck

Geme Morrison (Glenn Miller) and his band are to go on tour. The members of the band, particularly the married ones, don't like the idea because it plays havoc with their home life.

But it means a lot to young swing addicts like Connie Ward (Ann Rutherford) who accepts a date with a soda jerk, Cully Anderson (Henry Morgan) only because he is going to take her to the next town to hear Gene Morrison's band.

During intermission, two of the band's unmarried members Bill Abbott (George Montgomery) and "Sinjin" Smith (Cesar Romero) spot Connie as a likely prospect for a short flirtation. Bill approaches her while Cully is away getting her a drink. Connie is swept off her feet by the attentions of the band's star trumpeter.

To Bill, who has been carrying on a romance with Jaynie (Lynn Bari), the singer with the band, Connie is just another dame. But when she comes alone to see him the next night and can't get in because she is unescorted, he really misses her. Meeting after the dance, Bill proposes to her on a sudden impulse and they are married that night. Connie phones her father, Dr. Ward (Grant Mitchell) that she has married Bill and is going on the tour with him.

But married life on tour with a band has none of the glamour Connie had imagined. It is just one train and hotel room after another. To complicate matters are the idle, gossiping wives of the other band leaders, particularly Natalie (Carole Landis), Elsie (Virginia Gilmore) and Caroline (Mary Beth Hughes).

These wives take a sudden interest in the romance between Bill and Jaynie which was terminated when Connie came on the scene. Jaynie is still carrying the torch for Bill, but that doesn't prevent her lending clothes to Connie and even a nightgown, for her bridal night.

Although she loves music and dancing, Connie never has a chance to dance with her husband. During one day off she takes him to a tea ship which has a small orchestra, but Bill isn't interested in dancing. The band is bad, and he can't resist the temptation to play the trumpet for them.

While the Morrison band is playing a short engagement in Iowa City, the wives stay in another town. With nothing to do they play bridge. During the game, Natalie spitefully hints of a possible affair between Bill and Jaynie. Just to assure herself, Connie grabs a bus for Iowa City. Natalie then tips off Jaynie that Connie is on her way.

Seeing a possibility of getting Bill back, Jaynie invites him into her room on some pretext and keeps him there until Connie arrives and finds them.

Without waiting for an explanation, Connie leaves, terribly hurt. Sinjin meets her and tries to explain things, but it is of no use. When Connie gets back to the hotel, she learns that it was a spiteful put-up job. Just to get even, she drops some fabricated gossip about Caroline and Natalie in front of their husbands, precipitating a major domestic embroilment.

This also starts an argument between Connie and Bill, with the result that Connie leaves him and goes back to her father, thoroughly disillusioned.

Connie's bombshell of gossip results in all of the men quarreling in the band, and the entire outfit breaks up. Each man tries to find a spot with another band.

Connie cannot hide from Dr. Ward that she loves Bill and wants him. Dr. Ward promises to help with an idea.

Bill and Sinjin run into each other in a New York hotel lobby. Each is on the way to an appointment for a spot with different band leaders. In the appointed room they find other members of the band, but each claims an appointment with different band leaders.

Finally Gene Morrison shows up. He was under the impression he was to meet a new group of musicians that wanted him to lead them. By the time they all realize they have been brought together again by phony telegrams they have gotten over their peeves. Connie shows up as the instigator of this plot, but leaves without making up with Bill.

On the band's opening night, Connie shows up with her father whom Bill has never met. Bill is jealous when Connie implies that Dr. Ward is her new admirer - a little old, but she loves him. This gets Bill mad, and the young couple come back together again.

ORCHESTRA WIVES MUSIC!

PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME (by Mack Gordon & Harry Warren) I'VE GOT A GAL (by Mack Gordon & Harry Warren) SERENADE IN BLUE (by Mack Gordon & Harry Warren) THAT'S SABOTAGE (by Mack Gordon & Harry Warren) AT LAST (by Mack Gordon & Harry Warren)

Say, get a load of that moon,
Look at those Stars, we get it all for free;
All the pretty birdies sing for people like you and me.
You've heard of roses are red,
Vi'lets are blue, that's corny poetry;
Maybe corn is just the thing for people like you and me.
Folks may say we're antiquated, if they do who cares?
So, we're not sophisticated, leave it to the millionaires.
I'm gonna stick to the moon, stay with the stars, that's my philosophy.
Nature must have thought of spring for people like you and me.
A B C D E F G H I got a gal in Kalamazoo,
Don't wanna boast, but I know she's the toast
Of Kalamazoo zoo zoo zoo zoo.
Years have gone by, my, my how she grew
I liked her looks when I carried her books
In Kalamazoo zoo zoo zoo zoo.
I'm gonna send a wire, hoppin' on a flyer, leavin' today.
Am I dreamin', I can hear her screamin'
"Hy-a Mister Jackson!" everything's O K-A-L-A-M-A-Z-O
Oh, what a gal, a real pipperoo;
I'll make my bid for that freckle-faced kid I'm hurrying to,
I'm goin' to Michigan to see the sweetest gal in Kalamazoo.
When I hear that Serenade in Blue,
I'm somewhere in another world alone with you.
Sharing all the joys we used to know many moons ago.
Once again your face comes back to me,
Just like the theme of some forgotten melody.
In the album of my memory, Serenade in Blue.
It seems like only yesterday, a small cafe, a crowded floor
And as we dance the night away
I hear you say, "Forever more,"
And then the song became a sigh,
Forever more became goodbye,
But you remained in my heart.
So tell me darling is there still a spark,
Or only lonely ashes of the flame we knew?
Should I go on whistling in the dark?
Serenade in Blue.
Baby, what's wrong with you? I can't get along with you.
When it comes to romance you're never in the mood.
I say "yes", you say "no", I say "Stop!", you say "Go!"
Lately Honey I can't understand your attitude.
If you don't love me like you used to love me, that's sabotage.
If you don't kiss me like you used to kiss me, that's sabotage.
If you hear sirens screaming those be alert alarms,
Don't run helter skelter, there's a bomb-proof shelter in my arms.
If you don't thrill me like you used to thrill me, that's sabotage.
Some fifth column jerk did his dirty work and changed your mind about me.
I can't sleep, I've got to keep my F.B.I. on you.
'Cause if you've been untrue, that's sabotage.
At last my love has come along,
My lonely days are over and life is like a song.
At last the skies above are blue,
My heart was wrapped in clover the night I looked at you.
I found a dream that I can speak to,
A dream that I can call my own
I found a thrill to press my cheek to,
A thrill I've never known.
You smiled and then the spell was cast
And here we are in Heaven, for you are mine at last.

Interesting Fact: Originally the role of Connie Ward, played by Ann Rutherford, was cast for Linda Darnell. Connie's father Dr. Ward, played by Grant Mitchell, was cast for Harry Davenport, who played Dr. Meade in Gone With The Wind!

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PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME (by Mack Gordon & Harry Warren)	I'VE GOT A GAL (by Mack Gordon & Harry Warren)	SERENADE IN BLUE (by Mack Gordon & Harry Warren)	THAT'S SABOTAGE (by Mack Gordon & Harry Warren)	AT LAST (by Mack Gordon & Harry Warren)
Say, get a load of that moon, Look at those Stars, we get it all for free; All the pretty birdies sing for people like you and me. You've heard of roses are red, Vi'lets are blue, that's corny poetry; Maybe corn is just the thing for people like you and me. Folks may say we're antiquated, if they do who cares? So, we're not sophisticated, leave it to the millionaires. I'm gonna stick to the moon, stay with the stars, that's my philosophy. Nature must have thought of spring for people like you and me.	A B C D E F G H I got a gal in Kalamazoo, Don't wanna boast, but I know she's the toast Of Kalamazoo zoo zoo zoo zoo. Years have gone by, my, my how she grew I liked her looks when I carried her books In Kalamazoo zoo zoo zoo zoo. I'm gonna send a wire, hoppin' on a flyer, leavin' today. Am I dreamin', I can hear her screamin' "Hy-a Mister Jackson!" everything's O K-A-L-A-M-A-Z-O Oh, what a gal, a real pipperoo; I'll make my bid for that freckle-faced kid I'm hurrying to, I'm goin' to Michigan to see the sweetest gal in Kalamazoo.	When I hear that Serenade in Blue, I'm somewhere in another world alone with you. Sharing all the joys we used to know many moons ago. Once again your face comes back to me, Just like the theme of some forgotten melody. In the album of my memory, Serenade in Blue. It seems like only yesterday, a small cafe, a crowded floor And as we dance the night away I hear you say, "Forever more," And then the song became a sigh, Forever more became goodbye, But you remained in my heart. So tell me darling is there still a spark, Or only lonely ashes of the flame we knew? Should I go on whistling in the dark? Serenade in Blue.	Baby, what's wrong with you? I can't get along with you. When it comes to romance you're never in the mood. I say "yes", you say "no", I say "Stop!", you say "Go!" Lately Honey I can't understand your attitude. If you don't love me like you used to love me, that's sabotage. If you don't kiss me like you used to kiss me, that's sabotage. If you hear sirens screaming those be alert alarms, Don't run helter skelter, there's a bomb-proof shelter in my arms. If you don't thrill me like you used to thrill me, that's sabotage. Some fifth column jerk did his dirty work and changed your mind about me. I can't sleep, I've got to keep my F.B.I. on you. 'Cause if you've been untrue, that's sabotage.	At last my love has come along, My lonely days are over and life is like a song. At last the skies above are blue, My heart was wrapped in clover the night I looked at you. I found a dream that I can speak to, A dream that I can call my own I found a thrill to press my cheek to, A thrill I've never known. You smiled and then the spell was cast And here we are in Heaven, for you are mine at last.