Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) - Turner Classic Movies

Brief Synopsis

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A musical portrait of composer/singer/dancer George M. Cohan. From his early days as a child-star in his family's vaudeville show up to the time of his comeback at which he received a medal from the president for his special contributions to the US, this is the life- story of George M. Cohan, who produced, directed, wrote and starred in his own musical shows for which he composed his famous songs.

Cast & Crew

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Michael Curtiz

James Cagney

George M. Cohan

Joan Leslie

Walter Huston

Richard Whorf

Irene Manning

Photos & Videos

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Dave Karger Intro -- Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)

Dave Karger Intro -- Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)

Film Details

Genre

Musical

Biography

Classic Hollywood

Drama

Release Date

Jan 2, 1942

Premiere Information

New York premiere: 29 May 1942

Production Company

Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.

Distribution Company

Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.

Country

United States

Technical Specs

Duration

2h 6m

Sound

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color

Black and White

Theatrical Aspect Ratio

1.37 : 1

Film Length

11,347ft

Synopsis

Actor and songwriter George M. Cohan is impersonating President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the musical show I'd Rather Be Right , by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, when he is summoned to meet the president at the White House. In response to the president's questions, George tells him the story of his life: George was born on the Fourth of July, 1878 to Jerry and Nellie Cohan, a pair of vaudeville actors. A short time later, his sister Josie is born and soon the family is touring the country as "The Four Cohans." The family gets a big break when they are hired to star in Peck's Bad Boy . At thirteen, George, the star of the play, is a success, but his self-importance is responsible for losing the Cohans several bookings. Several years later, George, now a young man, meets aspiring singer Mary when he is playing the part of an old man and she comes backstage to ask his sage advice about breaking into show business. The Cohans and Mary, who soon learns George's real age, go to New York, where George tries to sell the songs he has written. When he learns that The Four Cohans are losing work because of his reputation for imperious behavior, he pretends that his play has been sold so that the others will accept a booking without him. Later, in a bar, George overhears Sam H. Harris talking with Schwab, a potential backer, and offers him his new musical, Little Johnny Jones . Sam and George become partners and produce a number of plays that feature George's popular formula of success stories laced with patriotism. In the meantime, George proposes to Mary, Josie becomes engaged, and the older Cohans buy a farm and retire. It is the end of The Four Cohans and George takes this opportunity to write Popularity , a serious play. It fails miserably, but news of its failure is wiped out of the papers by the sinking of the Lusitania by the Germans in 1915. When the U.S. enters the war, George tries to enlist, but at thirty-nine, is too old to be a soldier. Unable to fight, George writes the inspirational song "Over There." After World War I, Cohan writes more shows. Josie and Nellie die and then George's father Jerry dies. Feeling his age, George dissolves his partnership with Sam so that he and Mary can take a much-needed rest. They travel to Europe and Asia, and end up on the Cohan farm. George pretends to enjoy his life, but he hates being out of the limelight. After a group of teenagers see George reading Variety and think that the headline "Stix Nix Hix Pix" is a form of jive talk, George realizes how much he still wants to be performing and gladly accepts Sam's offer to star in I'd Rather be Right . The president has listened quietly to George's story and now presents him with the Congressional Medal of Honor for his songs "Over There" and "It's a Grand Old Flag." George is the first actor to receive this honor, and he responds as he used to when he was with The Four Cohans, "My mother thanks you; my father thanks you; my sister thanks you; and I thank you." When George leaves the White House, a parade of soldiers and a band march by singing "Over There," and George proudly joins them.

Director

Michael Curtiz

Cast

James Cagney

George M. Cohan

Joan Leslie

Walter Huston

Richard Whorf

Irene Manning

George Tobias

Rosemary Decamp

Jeanne Cagney

Frances Langford

George Barbier

S. Z. Sakall

Walter Catlett

Theatre manager

Douglas Croft

George M. Cohan, as boy of 13

Minor Watson

Eddie Foy Jr.

Chester Clute

Odette Myrtil

Madame Bartholdi

Patsy Lee Parsons

Josie Cohan, as a girl of 12

Capt. Jack Young

Pat Flaherty

Clinton Rosemond

Dorothy Kelly

Marijo James

Henry Blair

George M. Cohan, age 7

Jo Ann Marlowe

Josie Cohan, age 6

Thomas W. Ross

Sailor Vincent

Fred Kelsey

David Willock

June Millarde

Harry Seymour

Assistant manager

Napoleon Simpson

Phyllis Kennedy

Leon Belasco

Georgia Caine

Syd Saylor

Ernie Stanton

Bud Mccallister

Creighton Hale

Telegraph operator

Jean Inness

Leah Baird

Ernest Anderson

George Ovey

Murray Alper

Garry Owen

Victor Zimmerman

Medical officer

Francis Pierlot

John Hamilton

Harry Hayden

Ruth Robinson

William Forrest

Ed Keane

Charles Smith

Dick Chandlee

Joyce Reynolds

Joyce Horne

Wallis Clark

Theodore Roosevelt in musical number

Georgia Carroll

Betsy Ross in musical number

Charles Irwin

English announcer in musical number

Fred Santley

Judge in musical number

John "skins" Miller

Judge in musical number

Ann Edmonds

Ann Corcoran

Juanita Stark

Joan Winfield

Vera Lewis

Herbert Heywood

Edward Mcwade

Spencer Charters

Thomas Jackson

William Davidson

Eddie Graham

Al Lloyd

Glen Cavender

Jack Mower

Hank Mann

Al Herman

Jim Toney

Charles Drake

John Sheehan

Louis Mason

Jack Wiso

Eddie Kano

Tom Dugan

James Flavin

Dick Wessel

George Meeker

Frank Mayo

Audrey Long

Ann Doran

Jackie Salling

Joe Levine

Elliot Sullivan

Frank Sully

Frank Faylen

Eddie Acuff

Walter Brooke

Bill Edwards

William Hopper

Frank Dee

Mary Currier

Crew

Martha Acker

George Amy

Milo Anderson

W. Anderson

John Boyle

James Cagney's dances

Everett A. Brown

Robert Buckner

Robert Buckner

Everett Burkhalter

William Cagney

Associate Producer

George M. Cohan

William Collier Sr.

Technical Advisor

Bill Cooley

Julius J. Epstein

Contr to Screenplay

Philip G. Epstein

Contr to Screenplay

Seymour Felix

Dance numbers staged and Director

Ruby Felker

Leo F. Forbstein

Lorenz Hart

Frank Heath

Assistant Director

Ray Heindorf

Orchestra Arrangement

James Wong Howe

Director of Photography

Edmund Joseph

Mac Julian

Rydo Loshak

Hugh Macmullan

Dialogue Director

William Phillips

Marie Pickering

Sol Polito

Leroy Prinz

Dance numbers staged and Director

William Reinhold

Assistant Camera

Leon Roberts

Richard Rodgers

Heinz Roemheld

Orchestra Arrangement

Jack Scholl

Don Siegel

George Tobin

2d Assistant Director

Jack L. Warner

Executive Producer

Perc Westmore

Carl Jules Weyl

Photo Collections

Videos

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) -- (Movie Clip) Harrigan, That's Me! Composer George M. Cohan (James Cagney, title character), with wife Mary (Joan Leslie), shopping songs in 1890’s New York, George Tobias and Chester Clute passing on one of his biggest hits, then meeting their future partner (Richard Whorf), in Yankee Doodle Dandy, 1942.

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) -- (Movie Clip) Yankee Doodle Boy Just the top of the "Yankee Doodle Boy" number from George M. Cohan's Little Johnny Jones as re-created by director Michael Curtiz and choreographer Leroy Prinz in the bio-pic Yankee Doodle Dandy, 1942, James Cagney in the lead.

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) -- (Movie Clip) There Weren't So Many Stars James Cagney as George M. Cohan, title character, met by the White House butler (Clinton Rosemond), summoned by FDR (Captain Jack Young), whom he plays in his new show, to a flashback introducing his dad (Walter Huston), early in Yankee Doodle Dandy,1942.

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) -- (Movie Clip) Being Eighteen Is Very Wise Elaborate meet-cute, where James Cagney (in his early 40’s) as young George M. Cohan is backstage after playing his own mother’s father, approached by aspiring actress Joan Leslie (who actually was 18), who will become Mary Cohan, in Yankee Doodle Dandy, 1942.

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) -- (Movie Clip) My Father Thanks You Corny but effective, famous scene for James Cagney as musical star George M. Cohan, arriving for the last breath of his father Jerry (Walter Huston), the real event would have been in 1917, Warner Bros.’ fanciful version around 1930, in Yankee Doodle Dandy, 1942.

Yankee Doodle Dandy - (Original Trailer) James Cagney gives an Oscar® winning performance as song-and-dance legend, George M. Cohan, in the musical biography, Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942).

Intro Aired: Jul 2020

Dave Karger Intro -- Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) TCM's Dave Karger introduces Yankee Doodle Dandy, 1942.

Intro Aired: Feb 2019

Dave Karger Intro -- Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) TCM’s Dave Karger introduces Yankee Doodle Dandy, 1942.

Intro Aired: Jul 2018

Ben Mankiewicz Intro -- Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) Ben Mankiewicz introduces Yankee Doodle Dandy, 1942.

Intro Aired: Aug 2017

Tiffany Vazquez Intro -- Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) TCM's Saturday afternoon host Tiffany Vazquez introduces Yankee Doodle Dandy, 1942.

Intro Aired: Jul 2017

Ben Mankiewicz Intro -- Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) Ben Mankiewicz introduces Yankee Doodle Dandy, 1942.

Intro Aired: Jul 2017

Ben Mankiewicz Intro -- Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) Ben Mankiewicz introduces Yankee Doodle Dandy, 1942.

Intro Aired: Jul 2016

Ben Mankiewicz Intro -- Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) Ben Mankiewicz introduces Yankee Doodle Dandy, 1942.

Intro Aired: Feb 2016

Ben Mankiewicz Intro -- Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) Ben Mankiewicz introduces Yankee Doodle Dandy, 1942.

Joel Grey -- (Movie Promo) Guest Programmer Promo for the appearance of Golden Globe, Academy and Tony award winner Joel Grey, as the TCM Guest Programmer for March, 2013, with Robert Osborne on Tuesday, March 19th starting at 8pm ET.

Conan O'Brien: Guest Programmer -- (Movie Promo) July 2011 Promo for TBS Late Night star Conan O'Brien's appearance as TCM's Guest Programmer for July, appearing with Robert Osborne Monday, July 4th starting at 8pm edt.

Film Details

Genre

Musical

Biography

Classic Hollywood

Drama

Release Date

Jan 2, 1942

Premiere Information

New York premiere: 29 May 1942

Production Company

Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.

Distribution Company

Warner Bros. Pictures, Inc.

Country

United States

Technical Specs

Duration

2h 6m

Sound

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color

Black and White

Theatrical Aspect Ratio

1.37 : 1

Film Length

11,347ft

Award Wins

Best Actor

1942

James Cagney

Best Score

1942

Best Sound

1942

Award Nominations

Best Director

1942

Michael Curtiz

Best Editing

1942

George Amy

Best Picture

1942

Best Supporting Actor

1942

Walter Huston

Best Writing, Screenplay

1943

Articles

Yankee Doodle Dandy

March 26, 2003

Michael Curtiz, notorious for his mangling of the English language, once referred to Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) as "the pinochle of my career." Although one does not usually associate the Budapest-born director of Casablanca (1942) and other classics with musicals, he made a total of 13 musicals and musical biographies, beginning with the Al Jolson vehicle Mammy (1930). Curtiz made a star of Doris Day in her first film, Romance on the High Seas (1948), and directed her in three more of her early movies: My Dream Is Yours (1949), Young Man With a Horn (1950) and I'll See You in My Dreams (1951). He also directed such other musical stars as Bing Crosby, Mary Martin, Rosemary Clooney and Elvis Presley.

Yankee Doodle Dandy, the musical biography of patriotic song-and-dance man George M. Cohan, also rates as the favorite film of its star, James Cagney. Although he now seems the only logical choice, Cagney would have missed out on his big chance if a deal between Cohan and MGM to make a film to be called The Four Cohans hadn't fizzled out. Covering the years when Cohan had toured with his father, mother and sister, the movie would have starred Mickey Rooney as the young Cohan. The deal collapsed after studio head Louis B. Mayer refused to allow Cohan the right to final cut on the proposed film. The next movie mogul to show an interest in the project was Samuel Goldwyn, who had a commitment to make a film starring Fred Astaire. When Astaire refused the role of Cohan as not right for him, the rights were picked up by Warner Bros., who cast resident star Cagney in the role with Cohan's blessings. Cagney, in particular, was eager to play Cohan because he was, at the time, suspected of being a communist sympathizer due to his union activities (he was president of the Screen Actors' Guild) and because of his open support of the New Deal. He wanted to show his patriotism on screen, and the George M. Cohan story was the perfect vehicle to do this.

Yankee Doodle Dandy, with its many flag-waving musical numbers, proved just the ticket for World War II-era audiences and became the top-grossing movie of its year, as well as Warners' top-grossing movie to that time. It was nominated for Academy Awards in eight categories, including Best Picture and Director (Curtiz), and won three Oscars, including one for Cagney as Best Actor. Curtiz, according to film historian Richard Schickel, was "a fortunate choice as director. His taste for shadowed lighting catches the flavor of Cohan's backstage world, and the subtle flexibility of his camera imparts a musical flow to the piece even in its non-musical moments."

One of Curtiz' keys to success was the decision to allow Cagney free rein in his scenes, permitting the actor to improvise as the cameras were rolling. A prime example, and reportedly Cagney's favorite moment in the film, is when he suddenly breaks into a tap-dance as he comes down the stairs in a scene at the White House where Cohan has met with President Franklin Roosevelt. "I didn't think of it till five minutes before I went on," Cagney later recalled. "And I didn't check with the director or anything; I just did it." The ordinarily hard-boiled Curtiz was so moved by the scene in which Cohan bids farewell to his dying father (Walter Huston) that he reportedly ruined a take with his loud sobs. According to Cagney biographer Michael Freedland, tears streamed down Curtiz' face as he stumbled away to find a handkerchief and exclaimed to Cagney, "Gott, Jeemy, that was marvelous!"

Producers: Hal B. Wallis, Jack L. Warner, William Cagney (associate)
Director: Michael Curtiz
Screenplay: Robert Buckner, Edmund Joseph, from story by Buckner
Art Direction: Carl Jules Weyl
Cinematography: James Wong Howe
Costume Design: Milo Anderson
Editing: George Amy
Original Music: George M. Cohan, Ray Heindorf, Heinz Roemheld
Principal Cast: James Cagney (George M. Cohan), Joan Leslie (Mary Cohan), Walter Huston (Jerry Cohan), Richard Whorf (Sam Harris), Irene Manning (Fay Templeton), George Tobias (Dietz), Rosemary DeCamp (Nellie Cohan), Jeanne Cagney (Josie Cohan), Frances Langford (Nora Bayes).
BW-126m. Closed captioning. Descriptive Video.

by Roger Fristoe & Jeff Stafford

Yankee Doodle Dandy

Yankee Doodle Dandy

Michael Curtiz, notorious for his mangling of the English language, once referred to Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) as "the pinochle of my career." Although one does not usually associate the Budapest-born director of Casablanca (1942) and other classics with musicals, he made a total of 13 musicals and musical biographies, beginning with the Al Jolson vehicle Mammy (1930). Curtiz made a star of Doris Day in her first film, Romance on the High Seas (1948), and directed her in three more of her early movies: My Dream Is Yours (1949), Young Man With a Horn (1950) and I'll See You in My Dreams (1951). He also directed such other musical stars as Bing Crosby, Mary Martin, Rosemary Clooney and Elvis Presley. Yankee Doodle Dandy, the musical biography of patriotic song-and-dance man George M. Cohan, also rates as the favorite film of its star, James Cagney. Although he now seems the only logical choice, Cagney would have missed out on his big chance if a deal between Cohan and MGM to make a film to be called The Four Cohans hadn't fizzled out. Covering the years when Cohan had toured with his father, mother and sister, the movie would have starred Mickey Rooney as the young Cohan. The deal collapsed after studio head Louis B. Mayer refused to allow Cohan the right to final cut on the proposed film. The next movie mogul to show an interest in the project was Samuel Goldwyn, who had a commitment to make a film starring Fred Astaire. When Astaire refused the role of Cohan as not right for him, the rights were picked up by Warner Bros., who cast resident star Cagney in the role with Cohan's blessings. Cagney, in particular, was eager to play Cohan because he was, at the time, suspected of being a communist sympathizer due to his union activities (he was president of the Screen Actors' Guild) and because of his open support of the New Deal. He wanted to show his patriotism on screen, and the George M. Cohan story was the perfect vehicle to do this. Yankee Doodle Dandy, with its many flag-waving musical numbers, proved just the ticket for World War II-era audiences and became the top-grossing movie of its year, as well as Warners' top-grossing movie to that time. It was nominated for Academy Awards in eight categories, including Best Picture and Director (Curtiz), and won three Oscars, including one for Cagney as Best Actor. Curtiz, according to film historian Richard Schickel, was "a fortunate choice as director. His taste for shadowed lighting catches the flavor of Cohan's backstage world, and the subtle flexibility of his camera imparts a musical flow to the piece even in its non-musical moments." One of Curtiz' keys to success was the decision to allow Cagney free rein in his scenes, permitting the actor to improvise as the cameras were rolling. A prime example, and reportedly Cagney's favorite moment in the film, is when he suddenly breaks into a tap-dance as he comes down the stairs in a scene at the White House where Cohan has met with President Franklin Roosevelt. "I didn't think of it till five minutes before I went on," Cagney later recalled. "And I didn't check with the director or anything; I just did it." The ordinarily hard-boiled Curtiz was so moved by the scene in which Cohan bids farewell to his dying father (Walter Huston) that he reportedly ruined a take with his loud sobs. According to Cagney biographer Michael Freedland, tears streamed down Curtiz' face as he stumbled away to find a handkerchief and exclaimed to Cagney, "Gott, Jeemy, that was marvelous!" Producers: Hal B. Wallis, Jack L. Warner, William Cagney (associate) Director: Michael Curtiz Screenplay: Robert Buckner, Edmund Joseph, from story by Buckner Art Direction: Carl Jules Weyl Cinematography: James Wong Howe Costume Design: Milo Anderson Editing: George Amy Original Music: George M. Cohan, Ray Heindorf, Heinz Roemheld Principal Cast: James Cagney (George M. Cohan), Joan Leslie (Mary Cohan), Walter Huston (Jerry Cohan), Richard Whorf (Sam Harris), Irene Manning (Fay Templeton), George Tobias (Dietz), Rosemary DeCamp (Nellie Cohan), Jeanne Cagney (Josie Cohan), Frances Langford (Nora Bayes). BW-126m. Closed captioning. Descriptive Video. by Roger Fristoe & Jeff Stafford

Warner Legends Collection

August 26, 2003

Three classic Academy-Award® winning films from Warner Bros. Studios -- where Hollywood legends were born -- will become available on DVD September 30th for the very first time. Warner Home Video's (WHV's) Two-Disc DVD editions, known as the Warner Legends Collection, will include The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and Yankee Doodle Dandy, starring Warner Bros. most famous leading men: Errol Flynn, Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney. All three titles have been newly remastered, and are loaded with special features such as extensive commentaries, new and vintage documentaries and never-before-seen extended and deleted scenes. Each two-disc also contains an exclusive new segment, "Warner Night at the Movies," hosted by Leonard Maltin, which recreates moviegoer attractions like newsreels, cartoons and trailers from the years each film was released.

The three titles will also be offered as a Warner Legends gift set which includes an exclusive bonus documentary Here's Looking at You, Warner Bros. The feature-length documentary traces the history of the studio from its inception and features rare outtakes, blooper reels and early screen tests of favorite stars. It will only be available as part of the gift set. Each DVD will be priced at $26.99 SRP and the gift set at $69.92 SRP.

George Feltenstein, WHV Senior VP, Classic Catalog, said, "These three films all hold a unique place in Warner Bros. Studios legacy. They're among the most requested titles in our library, and now that their restoration and remastering have been completed, we're thrilled to be able to bring them to DVD, looking and sounding better than ever thought possible. We're equally proud of these new two-disc editions, as they contain so much fascinating extra content, it will require more than one sitting to watch it all!"

The Ultra-Resolution Process
Leading the collection will be The Adventures of Robin Hood, presented in Warner Bros. Pictures dazzling new "Ultra-Resolution," which allows today's viewers to see parts of the images which were never visible before and sharper detail than in conventional Technicolor release prints.

WHV first used this process for Singin' in the Rain; and Ned Price, Warner Bros. Vice President of Mastering, Technical Operations, says "Ultra-Resolution" has been improved for The Adventures of Robin Hood. "As good as Singin' in the Rain turned out, Price said, "Robin Hood takes us one step further."

Sixty-five years later, Warner Bros. Studios is employing a process which begins with scanning the original Technicolor 3-strip black and white "records" at extremely high (2k) resolution. The black and white records are then combined electronically to create the color images, which are also electronically re-registered, steadied and cleaned before the final DVDs are produced.

The Adventures of Robin Hood
The ultimate swashbuckler film, starring the dashing Errol Flynn in his most famous role, is presented for the first time ever on DVD. This lavish, fast-paced version of the Robin Hood legend won three Academy Awards® (Best Film Editing, Interior Decoration and Original Score). Doing many stunts himself, Flynn is at his athletic, romantic best in a role originally intended for James Cagney. Olivia de Havilland (Maid Marian), as well as consummate screen villains Basil Rathbone and Claude Rains round out the all-star cast.

The Adventures of Robin Hood DVD special features include:
Disc One:
- Feature length commentary by author and film historian Rudy Behlmer
- Music-only audio track showcasing the Oscar®-winning score
- "Warner Night at the Movies 1938," introduced by Leonard Maltin, includes:
- Angels with Dirty Faces Theatrical Trailer
- Vintage Newsreel
- Vintage Warner Bros. musical short subject, "Freddie Rich and His Orchestra"
- Vintage Warner Bros. Animation's, Katnip Kollege
- Errol Flynn Trailer Gallery with trailers for twelve of his most beloved films including Captain Blood, The Prince and the Pauper, Dodge City, The Sea Hawk, Dive Bomber, and The Adventures of Robin Hood, 1938 version and 1942 reissue.

Disc Two:
- Glorious Technicolor, Angela Lansbury narrates this hour-long celebration of this legendary color filmmaking process
- All-new 65th Anniversary documentary, Welcome to Sherwood: The Story of The Adventures of Robin Hood

- Looney Tunes classic cartoons:
- Rabbit Hood
- Robin Hood Daffy

- Vintage Warner Bros. short subjects:
- Cavalcade of Archery (1945)
- The Cruise of the Zaca (1952) with Errol Flynn
- Robin Hood Through the Ages, a look at Robin Hood's earlier screen adaptations
- A Journey to Sherwood Forest, home movies and behind-the-scenes footage

From the Cutting Room
- Outtakes
- Breakdowns of 1938, Warner Bros. Pictures blooper reel
- Audio Vault
- May 11, 1938 National Radio Broadcast The Robin Hood Radio Show (audio only)
- Erich Wolfgang Korngold Piano Sessions (audio only)
- Splitting the Arrow Galleries: Historical Art, Costume Designs, Scene Concept Drawings, Cast & Crew Photos, Publicity & Poster Materials

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre:
This American classic broke new dramatic ground for Bogart and earned father-and-son Oscars for Walter Huston (Best Supporting Actor) and John Huston (Best Director and Screenplay). Starring Humphrey Bogart, an American classic himself, as a man transformed from a likeable hobo to a heartless thug steeped in greed, this is the powerful tale of three hard-luck drifters who strike gold and then strike at each other.

The Treasure of Sierra Madre DVD special features include:

Disc One:
- Commentary by author/Bogart biographer Eric Lax
- Warner Night at the Movies (1948), introduced by Leonard Maltin, includes:
- Key Largo Theatrical Trailer
- Vintage Newsreel (1948)
- So You Want to be a Detective, 1948 Warner Bros. short
- Hot Cross Bunny, 1948 Looney Tunes short
- Humphrey Bogart Trailer Gallery with trailers for twelve of his most beloved films including High Sierra, The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca, To Have and Have Not, The Big Sleep and The Treasure of Sierra Madre.

Disc Two:

- John Huston: The Man, the Movies, the Maverick, Acclaimed feature-length 1989 documentary
- All-new Discovering Treasure: The Story of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, 2003 documentary
- 8 Ball Bunny, 1950 Looney Tunes short
- Audio Vault
- Scoring Stage Sessions (audio only)
- April 18, 1949 Lux Radio Theater Broadcast (audio only)
- Treasure Trove Galleries: Storyboards, Dressed Set Stills, Cast & Crew Photos, Publicity & Poster Materials

Yankee Doodle Dandy

The much loved and much acclaimed 1942 classic salutes the life and career of American composer and performer George M. Cohan. James Cagney won his only Academy Award, playing the song and dance man in this musical spectacular. Nominated for eight Oscars and winning a total of three (Best Actor, Scoring of a Musical and Sound Recording), the musical features Cagney dancing his heart out and contains Cohan's toe-tapping favorites, "You're a Grand Old Flag," "Over There" and "Give My Regards to Broadway."

DVD special features include:

Disc One:
- Feature-length commentary by author and film historian Rudy Behlmer
- Warner Night at the Movies, 1942, introduced by Leonard Maltin, includes:
- Casablanca Theatrical Trailer
- Vintage Newsreel from 1942
- Beyond the Line of Duty, 1942 Warner Bros. short
- Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid, 1942 Looney Tunes short
- James Cagney Trailer Gallery with trailers for seven of his most beloved films including A Midsummer Night's Dream, Footlight Parade and Yankee Doodle Dandy.

Disc Two:
- James Cagney: Top of the World Biographical tribute to the legendary star, hosted by Michael J. Fox
- All-new "Making-of" documentary, Let Freedom Sing!: The Story of Yankee Doodle Dandy
- Vintage Looney Tunes shorts:
- Yankee Doodle Daffy
- Yankee Doodle Bugs
- Vintage wartime short, You, John Jones starring James Cagney & Greer Garson
- Audio Vault
- Outtakes and Rehearsals (audio only)
- October 19, 1942 Lady Esther Screen Guild Theater Radio Show with film cast members (audio only)
- Waving the Flag Galleries: Sheet Music, Dressed Set Stills, Scene Concept Drawings, Publicity & Poster Materials

Warner Legends Collection

Three classic Academy-Award® winning films from Warner Bros. Studios -- where Hollywood legends were born -- will become available on DVD September 30th for the very first time. Warner Home Video's (WHV's) Two-Disc DVD editions, known as the Warner Legends Collection, will include The Adventures of Robin Hood, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and Yankee Doodle Dandy, starring Warner Bros. most famous leading men: Errol Flynn, Humphrey Bogart and James Cagney. All three titles have been newly remastered, and are loaded with special features such as extensive commentaries, new and vintage documentaries and never-before-seen extended and deleted scenes. Each two-disc also contains an exclusive new segment, "Warner Night at the Movies," hosted by Leonard Maltin, which recreates moviegoer attractions like newsreels, cartoons and trailers from the years each film was released. The three titles will also be offered as a Warner Legends gift set which includes an exclusive bonus documentary Here's Looking at You, Warner Bros. The feature-length documentary traces the history of the studio from its inception and features rare outtakes, blooper reels and early screen tests of favorite stars. It will only be available as part of the gift set. Each DVD will be priced at $26.99 SRP and the gift set at $69.92 SRP. George Feltenstein, WHV Senior VP, Classic Catalog, said, "These three films all hold a unique place in Warner Bros. Studios legacy. They're among the most requested titles in our library, and now that their restoration and remastering have been completed, we're thrilled to be able to bring them to DVD, looking and sounding better than ever thought possible. We're equally proud of these new two-disc editions, as they contain so much fascinating extra content, it will require more than one sitting to watch it all!" The Ultra-Resolution Process Leading the collection will be The Adventures of Robin Hood, presented in Warner Bros. Pictures dazzling new "Ultra-Resolution," which allows today's viewers to see parts of the images which were never visible before and sharper detail than in conventional Technicolor release prints. WHV first used this process for Singin' in the Rain; and Ned Price, Warner Bros. Vice President of Mastering, Technical Operations, says "Ultra-Resolution" has been improved for The Adventures of Robin Hood. "As good as Singin' in the Rain turned out, Price said, "Robin Hood takes us one step further." Sixty-five years later, Warner Bros. Studios is employing a process which begins with scanning the original Technicolor 3-strip black and white "records" at extremely high (2k) resolution. The black and white records are then combined electronically to create the color images, which are also electronically re-registered, steadied and cleaned before the final DVDs are produced. The Adventures of Robin Hood The ultimate swashbuckler film, starring the dashing Errol Flynn in his most famous role, is presented for the first time ever on DVD. This lavish, fast-paced version of the Robin Hood legend won three Academy Awards® (Best Film Editing, Interior Decoration and Original Score). Doing many stunts himself, Flynn is at his athletic, romantic best in a role originally intended for James Cagney. Olivia de Havilland (Maid Marian), as well as consummate screen villains Basil Rathbone and Claude Rains round out the all-star cast. The Adventures of Robin Hood DVD special features include: Disc One: - Feature length commentary by author and film historian Rudy Behlmer - Music-only audio track showcasing the Oscar®-winning score - "Warner Night at the Movies 1938," introduced by Leonard Maltin, includes: - Angels with Dirty Faces Theatrical Trailer - Vintage Newsreel - Vintage Warner Bros. musical short subject, "Freddie Rich and His Orchestra" - Vintage Warner Bros. Animation's, Katnip Kollege - Errol Flynn Trailer Gallery with trailers for twelve of his most beloved films including Captain Blood, The Prince and the Pauper, Dodge City, The Sea Hawk, Dive Bomber, and The Adventures of Robin Hood, 1938 version and 1942 reissue. Disc Two: - Glorious Technicolor, Angela Lansbury narrates this hour-long celebration of this legendary color filmmaking process - All-new 65th Anniversary documentary, Welcome to Sherwood: The Story of The Adventures of Robin Hood - Looney Tunes classic cartoons: - Rabbit Hood - Robin Hood Daffy - Vintage Warner Bros. short subjects: - Cavalcade of Archery (1945) - The Cruise of the Zaca (1952) with Errol Flynn - Robin Hood Through the Ages, a look at Robin Hood's earlier screen adaptations - A Journey to Sherwood Forest, home movies and behind-the-scenes footage From the Cutting Room - Outtakes - Breakdowns of 1938, Warner Bros. Pictures blooper reel - Audio Vault - May 11, 1938 National Radio Broadcast The Robin Hood Radio Show (audio only) - Erich Wolfgang Korngold Piano Sessions (audio only) - Splitting the Arrow Galleries: Historical Art, Costume Designs, Scene Concept Drawings, Cast & Crew Photos, Publicity & Poster Materials The Treasure of the Sierra Madre: This American classic broke new dramatic ground for Bogart and earned father-and-son Oscars for Walter Huston (Best Supporting Actor) and John Huston (Best Director and Screenplay). Starring Humphrey Bogart, an American classic himself, as a man transformed from a likeable hobo to a heartless thug steeped in greed, this is the powerful tale of three hard-luck drifters who strike gold and then strike at each other. The Treasure of Sierra Madre DVD special features include: Disc One: - Commentary by author/Bogart biographer Eric Lax - Warner Night at the Movies (1948), introduced by Leonard Maltin, includes: - Key Largo Theatrical Trailer - Vintage Newsreel (1948) - So You Want to be a Detective, 1948 Warner Bros. short - Hot Cross Bunny, 1948 Looney Tunes short - Humphrey Bogart Trailer Gallery with trailers for twelve of his most beloved films including High Sierra, The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca, To Have and Have Not, The Big Sleep and The Treasure of Sierra Madre. Disc Two: - John Huston: The Man, the Movies, the Maverick, Acclaimed feature-length 1989 documentary - All-new Discovering Treasure: The Story of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, 2003 documentary - 8 Ball Bunny, 1950 Looney Tunes short - Audio Vault - Scoring Stage Sessions (audio only) - April 18, 1949 Lux Radio Theater Broadcast (audio only) - Treasure Trove Galleries: Storyboards, Dressed Set Stills, Cast & Crew Photos, Publicity & Poster Materials Yankee Doodle Dandy The much loved and much acclaimed 1942 classic salutes the life and career of American composer and performer George M. Cohan. James Cagney won his only Academy Award, playing the song and dance man in this musical spectacular. Nominated for eight Oscars and winning a total of three (Best Actor, Scoring of a Musical and Sound Recording), the musical features Cagney dancing his heart out and contains Cohan's toe-tapping favorites, "You're a Grand Old Flag," "Over There" and "Give My Regards to Broadway." DVD special features include: Disc One: - Feature-length commentary by author and film historian Rudy Behlmer - Warner Night at the Movies, 1942, introduced by Leonard Maltin, includes: - Casablanca Theatrical Trailer - Vintage Newsreel from 1942 - Beyond the Line of Duty, 1942 Warner Bros. short - Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid, 1942 Looney Tunes short - James Cagney Trailer Gallery with trailers for seven of his most beloved films including A Midsummer Night's Dream, Footlight Parade and Yankee Doodle Dandy. Disc Two: - James Cagney: Top of the World Biographical tribute to the legendary star, hosted by Michael J. Fox - All-new "Making-of" documentary, Let Freedom Sing!: The Story of Yankee Doodle Dandy - Vintage Looney Tunes shorts: - Yankee Doodle Daffy - Yankee Doodle Bugs - Vintage wartime short, You, John Jones starring James Cagney & Greer Garson - Audio Vault - Outtakes and Rehearsals (audio only) - October 19, 1942 Lady Esther Screen Guild Theater Radio Show with film cast members (audio only) - Waving the Flag Galleries: Sheet Music, Dressed Set Stills, Scene Concept Drawings, Publicity & Poster Materials

Soundtracks - Yankee Doodle Dandy

July 1, 2002

YANKEE DOODLE DANDY - The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

Rhino Movie Music and Turner Classic Movies have just released on CD the original soundtrack to Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) which marks the first authorized release of the film's entire soundtrack score. Although most of the prerecordings from Warner Bros. films made prior to 1950 no longer exist, several tracks from B>Yankee Doodle Dandy miraculously survived the intervening years, and were discovered and preserved in 1997. This new collection comprises tracks that have been combined with selections taken directly from the original nitrate-composite optical soundtrack of the feature itself.

Yankee Doodle Dandy rates as the favorite film of its star, James Cagney. Although he now seems the only logical choice, Cagney would have missed out on his big chance if a deal between Cohan and MGM to make a film to be called The Four Cohans hadn't fizzled out. Covering the years when Cohan had toured with his father, mother and sister, the movie would have starred Mickey Rooney as the young Cohan. The deal collapsed after studio head Louis B. Mayer refused to allow Cohan the right to final cut on the proposed film. The next movie mogul to show an interest in the project was Samuel Goldwyn, who had a commitment to make a film starring Fred Astaire. When Astaire refused the role of Cohan as not right for him, the rights were picked up by Warner Bros., who cast resident star Cagney in the role with Cohan's blessings. Cagney, in particular, was eager to play Cohan because he was, at the time, suspected of being a communist sympathizer due to his union activities (he was president of the Screen Actors' Guild) and because of his open support of the New Deal. He wanted to show his patriotism on screen, and the George M. Cohan story was the perfect vehicle to do this.

Yankee Doodle Dandy, with its many flag-waving musical numbers, proved just the ticket for World War II-era audiences and became the top-grossing movie of its year, as well as Warners' top-grossing movie to that time. It was nominated for Academy Awards in eight categories, including Best Picture and Director (Michael Curtiz), and won three Oscars, including one for Cagney as Best Actor. One of Curtiz' keys to success was the decision to allow Cagney free rein in his scenes, permitting the actor to improvise as the cameras were rolling. A prime example, and reportedly Cagney's favorite moment in the film, is when he suddenly breaks into a tap-dance as he comes down the stairs in a scene at the White House where Cohan has met with President Franklin Roosevelt. "I didn't think of it till five minutes before I went on," Cagney later recalled. "And I didn't check with the director or anything; I just did it." The ordinarily hard-boiled Curtiz was so moved by the scene in which Cohan bids farewell to his dying father (Walter Huston) that he reportedly ruined a take with his loud sobs. According to Cagney biographer Michael Freedland, tears streamed down Curtiz' face as he stumbled away to find a handkerchief and exclaimed to Cagney, "Gott, Jeemy, that was marvelous!"

The Rhino CD of Yankee Doodle Dandy comes with 16 tracks featuring "Mary's a Grand Old Name," "Over There," and "Yankee Doodle Boy," PLUS four bonus tracks - "You Remind Me of My Mother" (an outtake), rehearsal versions of "Give My Regards to Broadway" and "You're a Grand Old Flag," and a piano only version of a Medley of "Oh, You Wonderful Girl/Blue Skies, Gray Skies/The Belle of the Barber's Ball."

For more information about Yankee Doodle Dandy or Rhino's other movie soundtracks, visit Rhino Records.

SINATRA IN HOLLYWOOD - The Voice at his Tinseltown Best

This lavish 6-CD set contains The Chairman's greatest musical performances from his acclaimed film career. These are the original film versions, many never before heard outside of darkened movie theaters. Brilliant recordings of Sinatra standards like "Night And Day," "All Of Me," "One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)," and "(Love Is) The Tender Trap" make their CD debut in this one-of-a-kind collection.

More rarities include newsreels, interviews, radio and television spots, plus Sinatra's Academy Award speech.

It's all packaged in a beautiful box with a 120-page hardcover book containing notes from Leonard Maltin, Michael Feinstein, and recognized Sinatra historians, along with behind-the-scenes photos and movie memorabilia.

This unique set contains The Voice at his Tinseltown best, and no Sinatra collection is complete without it.

To get the complete track listing for the 6-CD set or to order it now, go to SINTRASONGS.COM.

Soundtracks - Yankee Doodle Dandy

YANKEE DOODLE DANDY - The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Rhino Movie Music and Turner Classic Movies have just released on CD the original soundtrack to Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) which marks the first authorized release of the film's entire soundtrack score. Although most of the prerecordings from Warner Bros. films made prior to 1950 no longer exist, several tracks from B>Yankee Doodle Dandy miraculously survived the intervening years, and were discovered and preserved in 1997. This new collection comprises tracks that have been combined with selections taken directly from the original nitrate-composite optical soundtrack of the feature itself. Yankee Doodle Dandy rates as the favorite film of its star, James Cagney. Although he now seems the only logical choice, Cagney would have missed out on his big chance if a deal between Cohan and MGM to make a film to be called The Four Cohans hadn't fizzled out. Covering the years when Cohan had toured with his father, mother and sister, the movie would have starred Mickey Rooney as the young Cohan. The deal collapsed after studio head Louis B. Mayer refused to allow Cohan the right to final cut on the proposed film. The next movie mogul to show an interest in the project was Samuel Goldwyn, who had a commitment to make a film starring Fred Astaire. When Astaire refused the role of Cohan as not right for him, the rights were picked up by Warner Bros., who cast resident star Cagney in the role with Cohan's blessings. Cagney, in particular, was eager to play Cohan because he was, at the time, suspected of being a communist sympathizer due to his union activities (he was president of the Screen Actors' Guild) and because of his open support of the New Deal. He wanted to show his patriotism on screen, and the George M. Cohan story was the perfect vehicle to do this. Yankee Doodle Dandy, with its many flag-waving musical numbers, proved just the ticket for World War II-era audiences and became the top-grossing movie of its year, as well as Warners' top-grossing movie to that time. It was nominated for Academy Awards in eight categories, including Best Picture and Director (Michael Curtiz), and won three Oscars, including one for Cagney as Best Actor. One of Curtiz' keys to success was the decision to allow Cagney free rein in his scenes, permitting the actor to improvise as the cameras were rolling. A prime example, and reportedly Cagney's favorite moment in the film, is when he suddenly breaks into a tap-dance as he comes down the stairs in a scene at the White House where Cohan has met with President Franklin Roosevelt. "I didn't think of it till five minutes before I went on," Cagney later recalled. "And I didn't check with the director or anything; I just did it." The ordinarily hard-boiled Curtiz was so moved by the scene in which Cohan bids farewell to his dying father (Walter Huston) that he reportedly ruined a take with his loud sobs. According to Cagney biographer Michael Freedland, tears streamed down Curtiz' face as he stumbled away to find a handkerchief and exclaimed to Cagney, "Gott, Jeemy, that was marvelous!" The Rhino CD of Yankee Doodle Dandy comes with 16 tracks featuring "Mary's a Grand Old Name," "Over There," and "Yankee Doodle Boy," PLUS four bonus tracks - "You Remind Me of My Mother" (an outtake), rehearsal versions of "Give My Regards to Broadway" and "You're a Grand Old Flag," and a piano only version of a Medley of "Oh, You Wonderful Girl/Blue Skies, Gray Skies/The Belle of the Barber's Ball." For more information about Yankee Doodle Dandy or Rhino's other movie soundtracks, visit Rhino Records. SINATRA IN HOLLYWOOD - The Voice at his Tinseltown Best This lavish 6-CD set contains The Chairman's greatest musical performances from his acclaimed film career. These are the original film versions, many never before heard outside of darkened movie theaters. Brilliant recordings of Sinatra standards like "Night And Day," "All Of Me," "One For My Baby (And One More For The Road)," and "(Love Is) The Tender Trap" make their CD debut in this one-of-a-kind collection. More rarities include newsreels, interviews, radio and television spots, plus Sinatra's Academy Award speech. It's all packaged in a beautiful box with a 120-page hardcover book containing notes from Leonard Maltin, Michael Feinstein, and recognized Sinatra historians, along with behind-the-scenes photos and movie memorabilia. This unique set contains The Voice at his Tinseltown best, and no Sinatra collection is complete without it. To get the complete track listing for the 6-CD set or to order it now, go to SINTRASONGS.COM.

Let Freedom Sing: The Story of Yankee Doodle Dandy

August 25, 2003

Let Freedom Sing: The Story of Yankee Doodle Dandy (2003) is a fascinating look at how the life story of the legendary George M. Cohan was brought to the screen. Cohan himself played a vital role in the development of the film; so much so that at any point in the production he could have pulled the plug, leaving Warner Bros. and star James Cagney high and dry. The documentary goes into all that and much more including who Cohan wanted to play himself in the film and why Cagney wanted this role so bad. You'll also learn how persuasive Cagney could be and how he used his skills to convince actor Walter Huston to play his father.

The documentary features a multitude of film clips and rare photographs. There are also interviews with cast member Joan Leslie, film historians Bob Thomas and Rudy Behlmer, and two men who are great fans of the movie, Joel Grey and John Travolta.

BW & C-60m.

Let Freedom Sing: The Story of Yankee Doodle Dandy

Let Freedom Sing: The Story of Yankee Doodle Dandy (2003) is a fascinating look at how the life story of the legendary George M. Cohan was brought to the screen. Cohan himself played a vital role in the development of the film; so much so that at any point in the production he could have pulled the plug, leaving Warner Bros. and star James Cagney high and dry. The documentary goes into all that and much more including who Cohan wanted to play himself in the film and why Cagney wanted this role so bad. You'll also learn how persuasive Cagney could be and how he used his skills to convince actor Walter Huston to play his father. The documentary features a multitude of film clips and rare photographs. There are also interviews with cast member Joan Leslie, film historians Bob Thomas and Rudy Behlmer, and two men who are great fans of the movie, Joel Grey and John Travolta. BW & C-60m.

Quotes

My mother thanks you, my father thanks you, my sister thanks you, and I thank you.
- George M. Cohan

Mmmmm... ham or bacon?
- George M. Cohan

Bacon.
- Mary

Good. Ham makes me self-conscious.
- George M. Cohan

Trivia

Fred Astaire was first offered the leading role but turned it down.

James Cagney reprised his role as George M. Cohan in Seven Little Foys, The (1955).

This was the very first black and white movie to be colorized using a controversial computer-applied process. Despite widespread opposition to the practice by many film aficionados, stars and directors, the movie won over a sizeable section of the public on its re-release.

Many facts were changed or ignored to add to the feel of the movie. For example, the real George M. Cohan was married twice, and neither woman was named "Mary".

The movie deviated so far from the truth that, following the premiere, Cohan commented, "It was a good movie. Who was it about?"

James Cagney was eleven years older than his screen mother Rosemary DeCamp

Notes

George M. Cohan wrote and produced more than thirty-five plays, many of them with his partner Sam H. Harris, and composed more than 500 songs. Modern critics have attributed his importance to the fact that his theatrical career survived and helped define the transition from vaudeville to the American musical play. He received the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1936 and died on November 5, 1942. Apart from leading an unsuccessful fight against the Actors Equity Association during their strike in 1919, his life was so oriented toward the theater that associate producer William Cagney, star James Cagney's brother, and writer Robert Buckner complained in memos reproduced in a modern source, "He had no outside interests. His only objective was success, and he achieved it with monotonous annual regularity...." When Cohan objected to the way certain parts of his life were portrayed in the screenplay, Buckner, William Cagney and executive producer Hal B. Wallis explained in a letter dated August 29, 1941 that many biographical films produced by Warner Bros. took some liberty with the facts, thereby gaining dramatic interest. "Under your construction...the story is concerned largely with your chronology of productions, interspersed with personal scenes....We believe that the deep-dyed Americanism of your life is a much greater theme than the success story."
       According to memos included in the Warner Bros. Collection at the USC Cinema-Television Library, Cohan was opposed to any portrayal of his private domestic life. He specifically objected to the character of "Mary," the screenwriters' largely invented romantic interest. In answer to his objections, Cagney, Buckner and executive producer Hal B. Wallis explained in the same letter "...The love story can be changed as you wish, to bring the girl in more casually and to delay the courtship and marriage very much as you have indicated...." In real life, Cohan married twice, the first time to actress Ethel Levey and the second time to Agnes Mary Nolan, a chorus girl who had been a member of his company for three years. Cohan wanted the character of "Mary" introduced late in the film so that his first wife would have no grounds for believing that the character was based on her. According to a August 2, 1944 Variety article, Levey later unsuccessfully sued Warner Bros. for violation of her "rights of privacy" in making the film. New York Federal Judge William Bondy stated that "the introduction of fictional characters and a large fictional treatment of Cohan's life May hurt Miss Levey's feelings but they do not violate her rights of privacy."
       In a October 9, 1943 letter to Joseph Karp of the Warner Bros. legal department that is included in the Warner Bros. Collection, Buckner objected to giving Julius and Philip Epstein screen credit for their contribution to the film, protesting that ninety percent of the construction and seventy percent of the dialogue had been written by him. The Epsteins eventually relinquished onscreen credit on the condition that their friend Edmund Joseph remain in the credits. According to news items in Hollywood Reporter, the studio was interested in assigning a role to Philip Reed, and cinematographer Sol Polito substituted for James Wong Howe while the latter was ill. Memos in the Warner Bros. Collection add the following information about the production: Hal Wallis wanted to cast Irene Manning in the role of "Mary," and Donald Crisp was considered for the role of "The President." Makeup artist Perc Westmore planned to use masks to age the characters throughout the film. This idea was vetoed by Wallis. According to a news item in Los Angeles Times on December 28, 1941, Cagney's dance instructor, Johnny Boyle, was a former member of the Cohan and Harris Minstrels.
       Press notes included in the file on the film at the AMPAS Library add the following information about the production: Cagney was Cohan's own choice to play him on screen. When "Over There" was introduced by Nora Bayes at Camp Merritt, Long Island (Cohan remembered the location as Fort Myer) in 1917, all the lights went out during the performance, but the show continued after the headlights of nearby parked cars and trucks were turned on the stage. This incident is reproduced in the film, with Frances Langford, billed as "The Singer," performing the song. Technical advisor William Collier, Sr. was in many musicals with Cohan. Daily production reports note that filming was completed in fifty-eight days, ten days behind schedule. A real horse was used in the "Little Johnny Jones" number, and among the many other musical numbers in the film were extravagant productions of "Give My Regards To Broadway," "You're A Grand Old Flag," "Over There," and "Yankee Doodle Dandy," as well as Cagney's more intimate rendering of the love song "Mary." Cagney was several years older than Rosemary DeCamp, who played his mother, and actress Joan Leslie was only seventeen. This was the only film role in which Walter Huston sang and danced, and this was the first time James Cagney appeared in a film with his sister Jeanne.
       Instead of tickets for the film's New York City premiere, Warner Bros. sold war bonds, ranging in price from $25 to $25,000. A June 1, 1942 news item notes that over 1,554 people bought bonds and raised over $5,000,000 for the war effort. The item adds that similar openings were planned for other cities, including Los Angeles and London. A premiere performance to benefit the Mexican Red Cross was held at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City. A May 27, 1942 Hollywood Reporter news item notes that the premiere would be broadcast over WMCA from 8-8:30 p.m. and members of the cast would be interviewed by actress Helen Twelvetrees.
       Modern sources add the following information: Although the contract between Cohan and Warner Bros. stipulated that he compose three new songs for the film, these songs were never written. The filmmakers worked rapidly in order to complete the film before the ailing Cohan died. They held a special screening for Cohan and his wife Agnes, but Cohan lived long enough to read the film's rave reviews. The idea of a film about Cohan had made the rounds of the studios-Fred Astaire was at one time considered for the role-but Cagney, who had twice been falsely labeled a Communist, took the role of "Cohan" partly because he and his brother William believed that performing in an obviously patriotic film such as this would deflect political criticism. Cagney recreated his role as "George M. Cohan" in the 1955 Paramount film The Seven Little Foys, directed by Melville Shavelson. In the film, Cagney as "Cohan," dances a duet with Bob Hope as "Eddie Foy." Yankee Doodle Dandy was one of The Film Daily Ten Best Pictures of 1943 and was nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. Director Michael Curtiz and editor George Amy were also nominated for Oscars; Walter Huston received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor; and Robert Buckner was nominated for Best Original Story. James Cagney won his only Academy Award for his performance in this film. Ray Heindorf and Heinz Roemheld received an Oscar for Best Music Scoring, although Roemheld does not receive a credit on the film. The film also earned an Oscar for Best Sound Recording.

Miscellaneous Notes

Released in United States Winter January 1, 1942

Released in United States June 1942

Released in United States on Video April 18, 1989

Released in United States March 1977

Released in United States 1996

Broadcast in USA over TBS (colorized version) September 8, 1986.

Selected in 1993 for inclusion in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry.

Released in United States Winter January 1, 1942

Released in United States June 1942

Released in United States on Video April 18, 1989

Released in United States March 1977 (Shown at FILMEX: Los Angeles International Film Exposition (The Mighty Musical Movie Marathon) March 9-27, 1977.)

Released in United States 1996 (Shown in Los Angeles (Laemmle's Monica 4-Plex) as part of program "Turner's Tuners: Great Musicals From the Turner Library" October 12 - December 29, 1996.)

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