Till the Clouds Roll By


2h 12m 1947
Till the Clouds Roll By

Brief Synopsis

True story of composer Jerome Kern's rise to the top on Broadway and in Hollywood.

Film Details

Also Known As
As the Clouds Roll By
Genre
Musical
Biography
Classic Hollywood
Release Date
Jan 1947
Premiere Information
Hollywood premiere: 16 Jan 1947
Production Company
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.
Distribution Company
Loew's Inc.
Country
United States

Technical Specs

Duration
2h 12m
Sound
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Color
Color (Technicolor)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
15 reels

Synopsis

On 27 December 1927, following the opening night performance of his Broadway musical Show Boat , world famous composer Jerome Kern visits the neighborhood where he began his career many years earlier. As he sits in his chauffeured limousine, Jerome remembers his early days as a young songwriter and the day he arrived at composer James I. Hessler's home seeking professional advice: While preparing to leave for England to write a symphony, James tells Jerome that he is leaving because he has become disillusioned with the mediocrity of American music. James dismisses Jerome as one of the many song-writing hacks who come to him for advice until he hears one of Jerome's beautifully composed melodies.

As James's young daughter Sally and Jerome play the song for him, James realizes that his visitor is destined to become a great song-writing success. The two composers become fast friends, and before James leaves for England, he advises Jerome to "think big" and not waste his time writing frivolous songs. Jerome takes the advice to heart, but becomes increasingly discouraged by his inability to sell his works. After concluding that Broadway is no longer hospitable to American composers, Jerome decides to try his luck in Europe and sets sail for England.

Jerome enjoys a happy reunion with James and Sally, who calls Jerome "Uncle Jerry," and the three spend an afternoon at a fair. There Jerome gets an idea to use swings to go along with a song he has written. The idea is immediately incorporated into a musical show produced by George Edwards. Following the show, Charles Frohman, a theatrical producer from New York, asks him to write four songs for his upcoming show in New York.

One day, while riding his bicycle through the English countryside, Jerome meets and falls instantly in love with a young woman named Eva. A romance between the two flourishes, but Jerome soon finds himself on a ship bound for America, where rehearsals for Frohman's new show are soon to begin. Jerome's first Broadway show, The Girl from Utah , proves a great success, but while he and James collaborate on a complete score for a new show, Frohman leaves for England to search for new talent. En route to England, Frohman's ship, the Lusitania , sinks and he perishes. After receiving encouragement from composer Victor Herbert, Jerome resumes his work and composes one Broadway hit after another. Jerome eventually returns to England and marries Eva.

Time passes, and Sally, now an aspiring actress, is given her first break in Jerome's new musical Sunny . However, when the show's producer assigns the title song to Marilyn Miller, Sally deserts both Jerome and her father. A short time later, James dies of heart disease. Following the death of his mentor, Jerome loses his will to compose new songs, but his disillusionment soon fades when he finds Sally singing in a nightclub in Memphis. There Jerome is hired to compose songs for Victor Herbert's next production, Show Boat . Back in New York, Jerome snaps out of his reverie, and is driven by his chauffeur to a party to celebrate the success of Show Boat . Jerome's fame eventually takes him to Hollywood, where he is surprised, but pleased, to learn that Sally has been chosen to sing a song that he has written for a motion picture.

Cast

June Allyson

Guest star

Lucille Bremer

Sally Hessler

Judy Garland

Marilyn Miller

Kathryn Grayson

Magnolia in "Show Boat" number

Van Heflin

James I. Hessler

Lena Horne

Julie in "Show Boat" number

Van Johnson

Band leader

Tony Martin

Ravenal in "Show Boat" number

Dinah Shore

Julia Sanderson

Frank Sinatra

Specialty performer in finale

Robert Walker

Jerome Kern

Gower Champion

Dance specialty

Cyd Charisse

Dance specialty

Harry Hayden

Charles Frohman

Paul Langton

Oscar Hammerstein

Angela Lansbury

Guest star

Paul Maxey

Victor Herbert

Ray Mcdonald

Guest star

Mary Nash

Mrs. Muller

Virginia O'brien

Ellie

Dorothy Patrick

Mrs. Jerome Kern

Caleb Peterson

Joe

Wm. "bill" Phillips

Hennessey

Joan Wells

Sally, as a girl

The Wilde Twins

Specialty act

Esther Williams

Movie star

Rex Evans

Cecil Keller

Maurice Kelly

Dance specialty

Ray Teal

Orchestra conductor

Byron Foulger

Frohman's secretary

William Halligan

Captain Andy in "Show Boat" number

Bruce Cowling

Steve

Johnnie Johnston

Specialty performer in finale

Herschel Graham

Opening night critic

Fred Hueston

Opening night critic

Dick Earle

Opening night critic

Larry Steers

Captain Andy in "Show Boat" number

Reed Howes

Opening night critic

Hazard Newberry

Opening night critic

Ed Biby

Opening night critic

Lew Smith

Opening night critic

Larry Williams

Opening night critic

James Flato

Opening night critic

Leonard Mellin

Opening night critic

James Darrell

Opening night critic

Tony Merlo

Opening night critic

Charles Madrin

Opening night critic

Charles Griffin

Opening night critic

Lee Phelps

Moving man

Ralph Dunn

Moving man

Lucille Casey

Showgirl

Mary Jane French

Showgirl

Beryl Mccutcheon

Showgirl

Alice Wallace

Showgirl

Irene Vernon

Showgirl

Gloria Joy Arden

Showgirl

Mickey Malloy

Showgirl

Alma Carroll

Showgirl

Wesley Brent

Showgirl

George Peters

Stage door Johnny

Harry Denny

Stage door Johnny

Bob Maclean

Stage door Johnny

Frank Mcclure

Stage door Johnny

George Murray

Stage door Johnny

John Alban

Stage door Johnny

Lee Bennett

Stage door Johnny

Jean Andren

Secretary

John Albright

Call boy

Margaret Bert

Maid

Elspeth Dudgeon

Maid

Claire Mcdowell

Wardrobe woman

Herbert Heywood

Stagehand

Armand Tanny

Trapeze man

George Bruggeman

Trapeze man

Rube Schaeffer

Trapeze man

Thomas Louden

Rural postman

Ann Codee

Miss Laroche

James Finlayson

Candy vendor

Tom Stevenson

Genius

Lilyan Irene

Barmaid

Robert Cory

Barker

George Kirby

Barker

Bobby Hale

Barker

Tom Pilkington

Barker

Al Duval

Barker

Penny Parker

Punch and Judy operator

Robert E. O'connor

Clerk

Stanley Andrews

Doctor

Ernest Galon

German spectator

Russell Hicks

Motion picture producer

William Forrest

Motion picture director

Roger Cole

Cameraman

Charles Bradstreet

Man in café

Don Anderson

Man in café

Bert Moorhouse

Man in café

Reginald Simpson

Headwaiter

Gordon Dumont

Theatrical agent in montage

Harold Miller

Nightclub owner in montage

Don Wayson

Detective in montage

Howard Mitchell

Detective in montage

Paul Gordon

Unicycle clown

Herbert Weber

Wire walker

Chatita Weber

Wire walker

Tiny Kline

Swivel chair lady

Louis Manley

Fire eater

Jim Grey

Bull clown

Douglas Wright

Bull clown

Dennis Plooster

Hicks family tumbling act performer

Leroy Hart

Hicks family tumbling act performer

Loren Hicks

Hicks family tumbling act performer

Richard Mather

Hicks family tumbling act performer

Eugene Dunn

Hicks family tumbling act performer

Arnaut Brothers

Bird act

Paula Ray

Peggy Remington

Photo Collections

Till the Clouds Roll By - Frank Sinatra Behind-the-Scenes Photos
Here are a few photos taken behind-the-scenes during production of MGM's Till the Clouds Roll By (1947), as Frank Sinatra films the finale, "Ol' Man River."

Videos

Movie Clip

Till The Clouds Roll By (1946) -- (Movie Clip) Ol' Man River tillthecloudsrollby_olmanriversinatra_FC
Till The Clouds Roll By (1946) -- (Movie Clip) Kern, Jerome Kern Robert Walker as youthful bio-pic subject Jerome Kern has invited himself into the home of fictional admired classical composer James Hessler (Van Heflin), New York early 1900?s, Joan Wells as daughter Sally, in the MGM Freed Unit?s musical Till The Clouds Roll By, 1947.
Till The Clouds Roll By (1946) -- (Movie Clip) Look For The Silver Lining One of the best ever matches of a star with a song in an MGM musical biography variety feature, the number directed by the star's husband Vincente Minnelli, Judy Garland plays Marilyn Miller, singing the Jerome Kern-Buddy DeSylva standard, in the Kern bio-pic from the Freed Unit, Till The Clouds Roll By, 1946.
Till The Clouds Roll By (1946) -- (Movie Clip) Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man From the opening Broadway-show within-a-movie segment, a 1927 production of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II?s Show Boat, Lena Horne in the role of Julie, and the song she was not chosen to sing in the next MGM version, from the Kern bio-pic Till The Clouds Roll By, 1946.
Till The Clouds Roll By (1946) -- (Movie Clip) The Last Time I Saw Paris Just a short clip from what would be the standout hit from the soundtrack, Dinah Shore, for narrative purposes playing the Broadway star Julia Sanderson, with the Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein II composition, from the MGM Freed Unit Kern bio-pic, Till The Clouds Roll By, 1946.

Trailer

Film Details

Also Known As
As the Clouds Roll By
Genre
Musical
Biography
Classic Hollywood
Release Date
Jan 1947
Premiere Information
Hollywood premiere: 16 Jan 1947
Production Company
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp.
Distribution Company
Loew's Inc.
Country
United States

Technical Specs

Duration
2h 12m
Sound
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Color
Color (Technicolor)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
1.37 : 1
Film Length
15 reels

Articles

Till the Clouds Roll By


Virtually creating the musical biopic genre with their 1936 super production The Great Ziegfeld (1936), MGM regularly returned to these highly fictional cinematic accounts for sure fire box office, and this version of the Jerome Kern story was no exception.

While the facts of Kern's life may have been heavily rose colored (as they had been with Ziegfeld), they nonetheless ably fulfilled their purpose - providing a springboard for the wall-to-wall lavish production numbers, featuring the top echelon of the studio stable: Judy Garland, June Allyson, Dinah Shore (whose rendition of "The Last Time I Saw Paris" became a smash hit), Cyd Charisse, and in the picture's sock finale, Frank Sinatra, donned in white, surrounded by the Metro orchestra, as he belts out "Ol' Man River," the highlight of the legendary Kern and Hammerstein collaboration, Show Boat. Lena Horne, likewise performing magnificent lip service to the play's "Can't Help Loving Dat Man," should have made her a shoe-in for the role of Julie La Verne in MGM's 1951 re-make (Ava Gardner was cast instead).

A superb slice of post-war escapist fare, this top notch Arthur Freed production, smoothly directed by Richard Whorf, virtually drips in drop dead Technicolor, courtesy of Harry Stradling and George Folsey's stupendous camerawork. The vocal arrangements by Kay Thompson add another big plus to the proceedings, most notable in the witty Garland segments, specially designed and directed by the star's husband Vincente Minnelli. Regarding the aforementioned "Ol' Man River" climax, it was Kern himself who thought Sinatra perfectly suited for a recording of his famous tune. According to Collier's, he advised the singer, "My idea with that song was to have a rabbity little fellow do it - somebody who made you believe that he was tired of livin' and scared of dyin.' That's how you do it, Frankie." Sadly he never lived to see the praiseworthy result.

Director: Richard Whorf
Producer: Arthur Freed
Screenplay: Myles Connolly, Jean Holloway
Cinematography: George J. Folsey, Harry Stradling Sr.
Editor: Albert Akst
Art Direction: Daniel B. Cathcart, Cedric Gibbons
Music: Jerome Kern (songs)
Cast: June Allyson (Specialty), Lucille Bremer (Sally Hessler), Judy Garland (Marilyn Miller), Kathryn Grayson ('Magnolia'), Van Heflin (James I. Hessler).
C-136m. Close captioning.

by Mel Neuhaus
Till The Clouds Roll By

Till the Clouds Roll By

Virtually creating the musical biopic genre with their 1936 super production The Great Ziegfeld (1936), MGM regularly returned to these highly fictional cinematic accounts for sure fire box office, and this version of the Jerome Kern story was no exception. While the facts of Kern's life may have been heavily rose colored (as they had been with Ziegfeld), they nonetheless ably fulfilled their purpose - providing a springboard for the wall-to-wall lavish production numbers, featuring the top echelon of the studio stable: Judy Garland, June Allyson, Dinah Shore (whose rendition of "The Last Time I Saw Paris" became a smash hit), Cyd Charisse, and in the picture's sock finale, Frank Sinatra, donned in white, surrounded by the Metro orchestra, as he belts out "Ol' Man River," the highlight of the legendary Kern and Hammerstein collaboration, Show Boat. Lena Horne, likewise performing magnificent lip service to the play's "Can't Help Loving Dat Man," should have made her a shoe-in for the role of Julie La Verne in MGM's 1951 re-make (Ava Gardner was cast instead). A superb slice of post-war escapist fare, this top notch Arthur Freed production, smoothly directed by Richard Whorf, virtually drips in drop dead Technicolor, courtesy of Harry Stradling and George Folsey's stupendous camerawork. The vocal arrangements by Kay Thompson add another big plus to the proceedings, most notable in the witty Garland segments, specially designed and directed by the star's husband Vincente Minnelli. Regarding the aforementioned "Ol' Man River" climax, it was Kern himself who thought Sinatra perfectly suited for a recording of his famous tune. According to Collier's, he advised the singer, "My idea with that song was to have a rabbity little fellow do it - somebody who made you believe that he was tired of livin' and scared of dyin.' That's how you do it, Frankie." Sadly he never lived to see the praiseworthy result. Director: Richard Whorf Producer: Arthur Freed Screenplay: Myles Connolly, Jean Holloway Cinematography: George J. Folsey, Harry Stradling Sr. Editor: Albert Akst Art Direction: Daniel B. Cathcart, Cedric Gibbons Music: Jerome Kern (songs) Cast: June Allyson (Specialty), Lucille Bremer (Sally Hessler), Judy Garland (Marilyn Miller), Kathryn Grayson ('Magnolia'), Van Heflin (James I. Hessler). C-136m. Close captioning. by Mel Neuhaus

TCM Remembers Van Johnson - Important Schedule Change on TCM In Honor To Salute VAN JOHNSON


Turner Classic Movies Pays Tribute to Van Johnson on Tuesday, December 23rd with the following festival of films. This program will replace the previously scheduled movies for that day so please take note.

The new schedule for the evening of Tuesday, December 23rd will be:
8:00 PM In the Good Old Summertime
9:45 PM A Guy Named Joe
12:30 AM Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
2:30 AM The Last Time I Saw Paris
4:30 AM Thrill of a Romance


Van Johnson (1916-2008)

Van Johnson, the boyish leading man whose clean cut, All-American appeal made him a top box-office draw for MGM during World War II, died on December 12 in Nyack, New York of natural causes. He was 92.

He was born Charles Van Dell Johnson on August 25, 1916, in Newport, Rhode Island. By his own account, his early childhood wasn't a stable one. His mother abandoned him when he was just three and his Swedish-born father offered little consolation or nurturing while he was growing up. Not surprisingly, Johnson found solace in singing and dancing lessons, and throughout his adolescence, he longed for a life in show business. After graduating high school in 1934, he relocated to New York City and was soon performing as a chorus boy on Broadway in shows such as New Faces of 1936 and eventually as an understudy in Rodgers and Hart's musical, Too Many Girls in 1939.

Johnson eventually made his way to Hollywood and landed an unbilled debut in the film version of Too Many Girls (1940). By 1941, he signed a brief contract with Warner Bros., but it only earned him a lead in a "B" programmer Murder in the Big House (1941); his contract soon expired and he was dropped by the studio. Johnson was on his way back to New York, but as luck would have it - in the truest Hollywood sense - friends Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz introduced him to Billy Grady, a lead talent scout at MGM, which was currently Ball's new studio. Johnson was signed up and almost immediately MGM had a star on its hands.

It might have been slow going at first, with Johnson playing able support in films such as Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant and The War Against Mrs. Hadley (both 1942). By 1943 the studio capitalized on his broad smile and freckles and starred him in two of the studio's biggest hits: A Guy Named Joe and The Human Comedy. Those two films transformed him into a boxoffice draw with a huge following, particularly among teenage girls. A near fatal car accident that same year only accentuated the loyalty of his fans, and his 4-F status as the result of that accident created an opportunity for him when so many other leading actors of the era (James Stewart, Clark Gable) were off to war. Johnson was quickly promoted as MGM'sleading man in war heroics and sweet romancers on the big screen: The White Cliffs of Dover, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (both 1944), Thrill of a Romance, the episodic Week-End at the Waldorf (both 1945), and a musical remake of Libeled Lady entitled Easy to Wed (1946).

Hits though these were, it wasn't until after the war that Johnson began to receive more dramatic parts and better material such as supporting Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in the political farce State of the Union (1948). other significant roles included the well-modulated noir thriller The Scene of the Crime, the grim war spectacle Battleground (both 1949), the moving domestic drama Invitation (1952) in which he played a man who is paid to marry a woman (Dorothy McGuire) by her father. Before he left MGM, he closed his career out in fine form with the sweeping musical Brigadoon, co-starring Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse; and the lilting soaper The Last Time I Saw Paris (both 1954) with Elizabeth Taylor.

After he left MGM, the parts that came Johnson's way weren't as varied, but he had his moments in The Caine Mutiny (1954), the beguiling romance drama Miracle in the Rain (1956) with Jane Wyman; and his lead performance in one of the first successful made for-TV-movies The Pied Piper of Hamelin (1957). By the '60s, Johnson returned to the stage, and played the title role in London's West End production of The Music Man. He then returned to Broadway in the drama Come on Strong. He still had a few good supporting parts, most notably as Debbie Reynolds' suitor in Norman Lear's scathing satire on marital differences Divorce American Style (1967); and television welcomed his presence on many popular shows in the '70s and '80s such as Maude, Fantasy Island, The Love Boat and of course Murder She Wrote. There was one last graceful cameo in Woody Allen's The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), yet for the most remainder of his career, Johnson worked mainly on the dinner theater circuit before retiring from showbiz completely by the mid-90s. He is survived by a daughter, Schuyler.

by Michael T. Toole

TCM Remembers Van Johnson - Important Schedule Change on TCM In Honor To Salute VAN JOHNSON

Turner Classic Movies Pays Tribute to Van Johnson on Tuesday, December 23rd with the following festival of films. This program will replace the previously scheduled movies for that day so please take note. The new schedule for the evening of Tuesday, December 23rd will be: 8:00 PM In the Good Old Summertime 9:45 PM A Guy Named Joe 12:30 AM Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo 2:30 AM The Last Time I Saw Paris 4:30 AM Thrill of a Romance Van Johnson (1916-2008) Van Johnson, the boyish leading man whose clean cut, All-American appeal made him a top box-office draw for MGM during World War II, died on December 12 in Nyack, New York of natural causes. He was 92. He was born Charles Van Dell Johnson on August 25, 1916, in Newport, Rhode Island. By his own account, his early childhood wasn't a stable one. His mother abandoned him when he was just three and his Swedish-born father offered little consolation or nurturing while he was growing up. Not surprisingly, Johnson found solace in singing and dancing lessons, and throughout his adolescence, he longed for a life in show business. After graduating high school in 1934, he relocated to New York City and was soon performing as a chorus boy on Broadway in shows such as New Faces of 1936 and eventually as an understudy in Rodgers and Hart's musical, Too Many Girls in 1939. Johnson eventually made his way to Hollywood and landed an unbilled debut in the film version of Too Many Girls (1940). By 1941, he signed a brief contract with Warner Bros., but it only earned him a lead in a "B" programmer Murder in the Big House (1941); his contract soon expired and he was dropped by the studio. Johnson was on his way back to New York, but as luck would have it - in the truest Hollywood sense - friends Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz introduced him to Billy Grady, a lead talent scout at MGM, which was currently Ball's new studio. Johnson was signed up and almost immediately MGM had a star on its hands. It might have been slow going at first, with Johnson playing able support in films such as Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant and The War Against Mrs. Hadley (both 1942). By 1943 the studio capitalized on his broad smile and freckles and starred him in two of the studio's biggest hits: A Guy Named Joe and The Human Comedy. Those two films transformed him into a boxoffice draw with a huge following, particularly among teenage girls. A near fatal car accident that same year only accentuated the loyalty of his fans, and his 4-F status as the result of that accident created an opportunity for him when so many other leading actors of the era (James Stewart, Clark Gable) were off to war. Johnson was quickly promoted as MGM'sleading man in war heroics and sweet romancers on the big screen: The White Cliffs of Dover, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (both 1944), Thrill of a Romance, the episodic Week-End at the Waldorf (both 1945), and a musical remake of Libeled Lady entitled Easy to Wed (1946). Hits though these were, it wasn't until after the war that Johnson began to receive more dramatic parts and better material such as supporting Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy in the political farce State of the Union (1948). other significant roles included the well-modulated noir thriller The Scene of the Crime, the grim war spectacle Battleground (both 1949), the moving domestic drama Invitation (1952) in which he played a man who is paid to marry a woman (Dorothy McGuire) by her father. Before he left MGM, he closed his career out in fine form with the sweeping musical Brigadoon, co-starring Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse; and the lilting soaper The Last Time I Saw Paris (both 1954) with Elizabeth Taylor. After he left MGM, the parts that came Johnson's way weren't as varied, but he had his moments in The Caine Mutiny (1954), the beguiling romance drama Miracle in the Rain (1956) with Jane Wyman; and his lead performance in one of the first successful made for-TV-movies The Pied Piper of Hamelin (1957). By the '60s, Johnson returned to the stage, and played the title role in London's West End production of The Music Man. He then returned to Broadway in the drama Come on Strong. He still had a few good supporting parts, most notably as Debbie Reynolds' suitor in Norman Lear's scathing satire on marital differences Divorce American Style (1967); and television welcomed his presence on many popular shows in the '70s and '80s such as Maude, Fantasy Island, The Love Boat and of course Murder She Wrote. There was one last graceful cameo in Woody Allen's The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), yet for the most remainder of his career, Johnson worked mainly on the dinner theater circuit before retiring from showbiz completely by the mid-90s. He is survived by a daughter, Schuyler. by Michael T. Toole

Quotes

Trivia

The MGM Records soundtrack album made from this film, originally released on a 78-RPM album set, was the first soundtrack album ever made from a live-action film musical. Previously the only movie musical soundtracks released on records were those of the Walt Disney animated films. (The authentic soundtrack album of MGM's Wizard of Oz, The (1939), with the film cast, was not released until 1956.)

This film made national headlines in 1973 when it was announced that MGM had neglected to renew the copyright on this film, resulting in the film entering public domain. Because of the film being public domain, inferior VHS copies appeared a few years later when video became popular.

'Judy Garland' , who played a minor role, was pregnant with her first daughter, Liza Minnelli.

Notes

The working title for this film was As the Clouds Roll By. While screen credits indicate that the film was "based on the life and music of Jerome Kern," the Hollywood Reporter review noted that the picture took "many and varied liberties" with the telling of Kern's life. Many of the characters in the film, including Oscar Hammerstein, Victor Herbert and Marilyn Miller, were based on well-known figures in the music world. The Variety review indicates that while the character of "Jim Hessler" had no real-life counterpart, Hessler May have been based on arranger Frank Sadler. According to a November 1946 Hollywood Reporter news item, M-G-M negotiated the film rights to Kern's life story with Kern's heirs. Kern, who was born in New York on January 27, 1885, died on November 10, 1945, while the film was in production. The November 1946 Hollywood Reporter news item also noted that M-G-M's deal with Kern's heirs was tied to an agreement in which the studio promised to remake the 1935 RKO film Roberta (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1931-40; F3.3803). Roberta was remade in 1952 under the title Lovely to Look At, directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson.
       An April 1945 HR news item noted that Till the Clouds Roll By was to mark the directorial debut of set designer Lemuel Ayers. Ayers, however, was replaced by Busby Berkeley in late August 1945. In October 1945, while Vincente Minnelli was directing his wife Judy Garland's sequences, a Hollywood Reporter news item reported a rumor that he was poised to take over direction of the entire production. An October 1945 M-G-M News item noted that Garland's scenes were filmed before the start of "regular production" because the actress was pregnant and was expected to give birth to her child in March 1946. Garland's sequences were completed on November 8, 1945, and by the time filming resumed in mid-December 1945, Berkeley had been replaced by Henry Koster. In addition, photographer Joseph Ruttenberg was replaced by Leonard Smith. Blanche Sewell, who was listed as the film editor in a mid-December 1945 Hollywood Reporter production chart, was eventually replaced by Albert Akst. The extent of the contribution to the final film of Sewell, Ruttenberg, Berkeley, Koster and Smith has not been determined. Production on the film was halted a second time in January 1946, and resumed in mid-March 1946, with Richard Whorf as director and Harry Stradling as photographer. According to a Hollywood Reporter news item, the decision by M-G-M to use Whorf to complete the film was made in mid-January 1946.
       A May 1944 Hollywood Reporter news item indicated that Gene Kelly was originally slated to play the part of Kern. Although contemporary sources indicate that actresses Gloria DeHaven and Jacqueline White were set for key roles, and although both their names appeared in Hollywood Reporter production charts throughout the time of production, they did not appear in the released film. Neither did Jeanette MacDonald, who was listed in a number of Hollywood Reporter production charts, or stage actress Imogene Carpenter, who, according to Hollywood Reporter, was set for a "featured spot." Although a September 1945 Hollywood Reporter news item listed William Ferrari as the picture's supervising art director, his contribution to the released film has not been confirmed. According to a July 1946 Hollywood Reporter news item, following a sneak preview of the film, which ran three hours in length, M-G-M began an effort to reduce the picture to two hours. A January 1947 Hollywood Reporter news item noted that proceeds from the Hollywood premiere of the film, which was held on January 16, 1947, were to be donated to the Braille Institute.
       Modern sources note that George Sidney directed Frank Sinatra's "Ol' Man River" finale, that Roger Edens contributed to the orchestrations, and that the following individuals contributed to the screenplay: Fred Finklehoffe, John Lee Mahin, Lemuel Ayers and Hans Willheim. Modern sources also note that the screenplay was rewritten following the death of Kern, and that the cast included Sally Forrest and Mary Hatcher as "chorus girls." Kathryn Grayson, who married actor Johnnie Johnston in 1947, and who appeared as "Magnolia Hawks" in the film's Show Boat sequence, later reprised the role in 1951 in M-G-M's complete film adaptation of Show Boat.