Rockabilly Baby


1h 21m 1957

Brief Synopsis

The mysterious Mrs. Eleanor Carter (Virginia Field) moves to Springfield with her two teen-age children Jimmy (Gary Vinson) and Cathy (Judy Busch). Eleanor makes friends with the town's social leader, Mrs. Wellington (Ellen Corby), who supports her idea for a town youth center, and she is aided by Tom Griffith (Douglas Kennedy), the high school principal. At the town's annual picnic, to which Eleanor has bought a band (Les Brown and His Band of Reknown), the town busy-body, Eunice (Irene Ryan), reveals what she had learned from Eleanor's past.

Film Details

Also Known As
Mother Was a Stripper
Genre
Comedy
Musical
Release Date
Oct 1957
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Regal Films, Inc.
Distribution Company
Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp.
Country
United States

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 21m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
2.35 : 1
Film Length
7,352ft (8 reels)

Synopsis

Upon arriving in the small New England town of Springville, Eleanor Carter and her teenage children Jimmy and Cathy rent a house, after which Jimmy and Cathy drive to the local high school to enroll for the new term. There they meet Linda Bennett, the shy young student who manages the office, and Tom Griffith, the school principal. Linda escorts Cathy and Jimmy to their classrooms, where Jackie Rogers, the head of a popular clique, flirts with Jimmy and invites Cathy to join her exclusive girls' club. Later, Chuck Hoffman, who is Jackie's boyfriend and head of the water polo team, asks Jimmy to join the team, but Jimmy demurs, fearful of drawing attention to his family because of his mother's scandalous past as fan dancer Dixie West. Eleanor encourages Jimmy to join the team, however, and Jimmy impresses Coach Stone with his skill. Eleanor is introduced to her neighbors at a gathering at the Wellington estate, the impressive home of Mrs. Wellington, the stern matriarch of Springville, who invites Eleanor to join the Women's Civic Welfare Committee. Sensing Mrs. Wellington's loneliness, Eleanor later pays her an unexpected visit, and over cocktails, Mrs. Wellington admits that her harsh demeanor is just a façade to keep the town gossips at bay. One day, Chuck is injured during some locker room horseplay, and Jimmy substitutes in his position as sprint man. Cathy, meanwhile, decides to establish a club that is open to everyone. At a Committee meeting, Eleanor encourages the development of an entertainment club for the local teenagers. When some of the women disapprove, Mrs. Wellington voices her support and offers the use of the old drugstore. Infuriated by Eleanor's audacity, Eunice Johnson, the town gossip, asks her brother, Charles Leonard, the newspaper editor, to investigate Eleanor's past. One evening, Tom asks Eleanor out for dinner and a drive, and when Eleanor returns home, she finds her old friend, band leader Les Brown, waiting for her. Delighted to see Brown, Eleanor asks him to perform at the annual town picnic. Upon learning of Brown's late night visit, Eunice notifies the town about Eleanor's gentleman caller. Later, when Jimmy leads the polo team to victory, Mr. Hoffman, the mayor of Springville and Chuck's father, asks his son to relinquish his position for the good of the team. After Chuck willingly assumes a subordinate position, he and Jimmy work in tandem to propel Springville to the championship. At the opening of the entertainment club, Jackie, jealous of Jimmy's attention to Linda, spills a drink on Linda's dress, sending her home to change clothes. In Linda's absence, Jackie tries to ensnare Jimmy, but her rebuffs her. Afterward, Chuck chastises Jackie for her predatory behavior. At the annual picnic, the town is treated to a performance by Les Brown, but Eleanor's day is ruined when Charles hands Eunice an old advertisement featuring Dixie West. Eunice eagerly shows the ad to a number of picnickers, and when Eleanor ascends the podium to address the crowd, a few drunks yell at her to take off her clothes. Mrs. Wellington throws out the hecklers, but Eleanor, humiliated, packs her bags and determines to leave Springville. Despite Tom's entreaties to stay, Eleanor's mind remains unchanged until Mayor Hoffman appears to apologize for the town's disgraceful behavior. Soon after, Mrs. Wellington drives up in her limousine and after upbraiding Eleanor for abandoning the town, commands her to unpack.

Film Details

Also Known As
Mother Was a Stripper
Genre
Comedy
Musical
Release Date
Oct 1957
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Regal Films, Inc.
Distribution Company
Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp.
Country
United States

Technical Specs

Duration
1h 21m
Sound
Mono
Color
Black and White
Theatrical Aspect Ratio
2.35 : 1
Film Length
7,352ft (8 reels)

Quotes

Trivia

Notes

The working title of this film was Mother Was a Stripper. Although onscreen credits read "introducing Gary Vinson," Vinson had appeared in the 1957 film Fear Strikes Out. Although onscreen credits state that the song "Calypso Baby" was sung by Luis Amando, the Variety review uses Amando's other name, Fred Darian. According to a Los Angeles Times news item, Rockabilly Baby was produced to be shown on a double bill with Regal's film Young and Dangerous (see below).