Sing for Your Supper
Cast & Crew
Charles Barton
Jinx Falkenburg
Charles Buddy Rogers
Bert Gordon
Eve Arden
Don Beddoe
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
When bandleader Larry Hays receives a notice from his landlord, Myron T. Hayworth, demanding payment for the dance hall that Hays and his band are renting, Larry decides to ask Hayworth for an extension. Larry is unaware that Hayworth does not own the property but is managing it for heiress Evelyn Palmer. Evelyn is at Hayworth's office, about to sign the eviction order, when Larry and his eccentric violinist, "The Mad Russian," arrive to ask for leniency. When Evelyn overhears Larry's plea, she becomes curious and visits the dance hall that night. Mistaking Evelyn for a hostess, a customer hands her a roll of tickets, causing the other hostesses to complain that Evelyn is infringing on their territory. Larry comes over to see what the commotion is about, and Evelyn introduces herself as Evelyn Jones and tells him that she is unemployed. Feeling sorry for her, Larry offers her a job. Upon reporting for work the next night, Evelyn is befriended by hostess Barbara Stevens, who offers the novice advice about handling the customers and invites her home for a snack after work. Evelyn's chauffeur, William, is waiting for her, and so she takes him along, pretending that he is her boyfriend. The next day, Evelyn tears up the eviction order and instructs Hayworth to notify Larry that he can perform at the dance hall until a new tenant is found. After the band receives notice of their reprieve, they throw a party, and Evelyn surprises everyone with her beautiful singing voice. Later, when Larry asks Evelyn to join him alone on the roof, Kay Martin, the band's singer who is infatuated with Larry, interrupts them and demands that Larry take her home. The next day, William calls Barbara to ask her for a date, and when Evelyn encourages her to accept, Barbara proposes that she and Larry join them. The foursome spend the day in the country, and when they return, Kay, jealous, announces that she is quitting that night. The Russian suggests that Evelyn take Kay's place, and after the show that night, Larry tells the heiress of his dream of playing on Broadway. Soon after, at Evelyn's insistence, Hayworth offers Larry the use of a vacant uptown café. Searching for a publicity angle, the band's manager, Wing Boley, invites some reporters to the club. When one of them recognizes Evelyn as an heiress, Wing, shocked, feigns nonchalance and asks them to delay the publication of their exposé until opening night. Evelyn's stage debut makes headlines and sets society abuzz. Thinking that Larry is using her for an elaborate publicity stunt, Evelyn refuses to perform and closes the club. Larry, upset, disappears and Evelyn decides to sail to Europe. A remorseful Wing apologizes to Evelyn and begins to search for Larry. Upon discovering that Larry and the Russian are performing at a Russian café, Wing enlists the violinist in a plot to reconcile the lovers. The next day, Wing visits Larry and the Russian's apartment, and after apologizing to Larry, he drugs him. While the Russian bandages the unconscious Larry, Wing drives to Evelyn's house and tells her that Larry has been seriously injured in an automobile accident. Evelyn, concerned, rushes to Larry's bedside, and when the now- conscious Larry sees her, they embrace.
Director
Charles Barton
Cast
Jinx Falkenburg
Charles Buddy Rogers
Bert Gordon
Eve Arden
Don Beddoe
Bernadene Hayes
Henry Kolker
Benny Baker
Dewey Robinson
Louise Squire
Larry Parks
Lloyd Bridges
Harry Barris
Walter Sande
Berni Gould
Red Stanley
Perc Launders
Harry Lang
Don Porter
Virginia Pherrin
Jessie May Jackson
Dona Dax
Patricia Knox
Sig Arno
Eve Carlton
Franchon Estes
Valerie Gratton
Betty Brooks
Dorothy Trail
Earle Hodgins
Judith Linden
Ed Bruce
Glenn Turnbull
Dink Freeman
Earl Bunn
Mildred Gover
Crew
Lionel Banks
Leon Barhsa
Irving Briskin
Sammy Cahn
Saul Chaplin
George Cooper
Franz F. Planer
Harry Rebuas
George Rhein
Arthur Royce
Arthur Seid
M. W. Stoloff
Ted Thomas
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title of this film was Ten Cents a Dance. In the opening credits, the photographs of the first five cast members accompany their names. According to a pre-production news item in Hollywood Reporter, Theodore Reeves was originally slated to write the film and Harriet Hilliard was to play the role of "Evelyn Palmer". Reeves's contribution to the completed film has not been confirmed. Bert Gordon first popularized his "Mad Russian" character on the radio. Red Stanley, who plays one of the band members, was an orchestra leader in real life. The film marked the screen debut of actor Don Porter, who appeared in many films and televisions programs until his death in 1997. He was perhaps best known for his role in the long-running 1950s television series Private Secretary, in which he played the role of actress Ann Sothern's boss.
