Battle of Backbone Mountain

America's Sweetheart is a musical comedy with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz Hart and book by Herbert Fields.^[1]

Production

America's Sweetheart premiered on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre on February 10, 1931, and closed on June 6, 1931, after 135 performances. It was produced by Laurence Schwab and Frank Mandel, directed by Monty Woolley, with choreography and production supervision by Bobby Connolly, with set design by Donald Oenslager and costume design by Charles Le Maire. The show starred Jack Whiting, Ann Sothern (using her real name Harriet Lake), Inez Courtney,^[2] and Virginia Bruce.^[1]

The show is a Hollywood satire, and is mainly set in Los Angeles but with some scenes in Agua Caliente, Tijuana in Mexico and in the state of Tennessee.^[1] Two young lovers hitchhike to Hollywood to make their fortune. The girl hits it big and loses interest in her boyfriend, who hasn't fared as well. Later, the introduction of talking pictures reverses their fortunes, and the boyfriend's career eclipses the girlfriend's, but they make up.^[1]

Songs

Act 1

"Mr. Dolan Is Passing Through" (S. A. Dolan, Executives and Ensemble)
"In Califor-n-i-a" (Dorith, Paula and Movie Actresses)
"My Sweet" (Madge Farrell and Larry Pitkin)
"I've Got Five Dollars" (Geraldine March and Michael Perry)
"I've Got Five Dollars (Reprise)" (Geraldine March and Michael Perry)
"Sweet Geraldine" (Georgia, Georgiana and Georgette)
"There's So Much More" (Denise Torel and Larry Pitkin)
"We'll Be the Same" (Geraldine March, Michael Perry and Ensemble)
"We'll Be the Same (Reprise)" (Michael Perry and Larry Pitkin)
"How About It" (Madge Farrell and Michael Perry)
"Innocent Chorus Girls of Yesterday" (Movie Stars)
"A Lady Must Live" (Denise Torel)

Act 2

"You Ain't Got No Savoir Faire" (Madge Farrell and Larry Pitkin)
"Two Unfortunate Orphans" (Paula, Dorith and Ensemble)
"I Want a Man" (Denise Torel)
"Tennessee Dan" (Georgia, Georgiana and Georgette)
"How About It (Reprise)" (Denise Torel, Michael Perry, Larry Pitkin and Ensemble)
"Reprise - Finale" (Geraldine and Michael)^[3]

Cast


	1931 Broadway^[3]
S.A. Dolan	John Sheehan
Larry Pitkin	Gus Shy
Madge Farrell	Inez Courtney
Michael Perry	Jack Whiting
Geraldine March	Harriette Lake
Denise Torel	Jeanne Aubert
Paula	Vera Marsh
Dorith	Dorothy Dare
Lottie	Sue Moore
Miss Mulligan	Virginia Bruce
Telephone Operator	Alice Burrage
Dolores	Francetta Malloy
Stenographer	Terry Carroll
Mr. Corrigan	Frank Dow
Mr. Clark	Fred Shawn
Mr. Goulding	Herbert Hall
Mr. Butler	Budd Clark
Mr. McCary	Chas Fowler
Booking Agent	Al Downing
Georgia/Georgianna/Georgette	Hilda Forman, Louise Forman, Maxine Forman
Radio Announcer	Raoul DeTisne
Policeman	O.J. Vanase

External links

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Dan Dietz (2018). "America's Sweetheart". The Complete Book of 1930s Broadway Musicals. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 103-105. ISBN 9781538102770.
^ "INEZ COURTNEY". The New York Times. 1975-04-07. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-02-03.
^ ^a ^b "Program (dated 2/10/1931) for America's Sweetheart at The Broadhurst Theatre". NYPL Digital Collections. Retrieved 2023-02-03.

[Dietz-1] Dan Dietz (2018). "America's Sweetheart". The Complete Book of 1930s Broadway Musicals. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 103-105. ISBN 9781538102770.

[2] "INEZ COURTNEY". The New York Times. 1975-04-07. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-02-03.

[:0-3] "Program (dated 2/10/1931) for America's Sweetheart at The Broadhurst Theatre". NYPL Digital Collections. Retrieved 2023-02-03.

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[2]

[3]

Rodgers and Hart
Richard Rodgers Lorenz Hart
Musicals	Fly with Me Poor Little Ritz Girl The Garrick Gaieties Dearest Enemy The Girl Friend Peggy-Ann A Connecticut Yankee Present Arms Chee-Chee Ever Green Simple Simon America's Sweetheart Jumbo On Your Toes Babes in Arms I'd Rather Be Right The Boys from Syracuse I Married an Angel Too Many Girls Higher and Higher Pal Joey By Jupiter
Songs	"Manhattan" "Mountain Greenery" "Here in My Arms" "Blue Room" "My Heart Stood Still" "Thou Swell" "To Keep My Love Alive" "You Took Advantage of Me" "With a Song in My Heart" "A Ship Without a Sail" "Dancing on the Ceiling" "Ten Cents a Dance" "He Was Too Good to Me" "I've Got Five Dollars" "Isn't It Romantic?" "Lover" "Mimi" "You Are Too Beautiful" "Blue Moon" "It's Easy to Remember (And So Hard to Forget)" "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" "My Romance" "Little Girl Blue" "There's a Small Hotel" "Glad to Be Unhappy" "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" "Where or When" "I Wish I Were in Love Again" "My Funny Valentine" "Johnny One Note" "The Lady Is a Tramp" "Have You Met Miss Jones?" "I'll Tell the Man in the Street" "Spring Is Here" "Falling in Love with Love" "This Can't Be Love" "Sing for Your Supper" "I Like to Recognize the Tune" "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" "Give It Back to the Indians" "You're Nearer" "It Never Entered My Mind" "I Could Write a Book" "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" "Ev'rything I've Got" "Wait till You See Her"