Sleepytime Gal
Cast & Crew
Albert S. Rogell
Judy Canova
Tom Brown
Billy Gilbert
Ruth Terry
Thurston Hall
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Chick Patterson, the bell captain at a luxurious Miami hotel, wishes to marry his fiancée, Connie Thompson, but lacks the money to set up housekeeping. Hoping to find the necessary funds, Chick hits upon a scheme when he learns that record company owner Mr. Adams is sponsoring a contest for band leader Danny Marlowe to find a new vocalist. Chick believes that Bessie Cobb, a hotel kitchen worker, can win the contest and enable him to get married with the proceeds from her new career as a singer. With the help of chefs Popodopolis, Petrovich and Barzumium, Chick makes a recording of Bessie's voice, which he then takes to Danny's apartment. There, Chick overhears gambler Honest Joe Kincaid order Danny to choose his girl friend, "Sugar" Gaston, as the winner of the contest in order to wipe out Danny's gambling debts. Danny is reluctant to agree, but when Chick substitutes Sugar's record with Bessie's, Bessie's beautiful voice persuades Danny that he can award the prize to Sugar, and wipe out his debt with a clear conscience. Chick is now posed with the problem of convincing Danny that Bessie is Sugar, and when the real Sugar arrives in Miami, Popodopolis, Petrovich and Barzumium abduct her and Bessie takes her place. Unknown to the hapless Bessie, Sugar's former boyfriend, a gangster just released from prison, sends two gunmen after her. The two men, Gus and Ernie, also assume Bessie is Sugar and make plans to "rub her out." Gus and Ernie put chloroform on Bessie's microphone just before she sings for Danny, and she falls asleep as she warbles "Sleepytime Gal." The two hit men then spirit Bessie away and lock her in the hotel's walk-in freezer, along with Danny's arranger, Downbeat, with whom Bessie is infatuated. Meanwhile, Sugar has escaped from the three chefs and returns to the hotel, where it looks as if she will win the contest. Chick manages to free Bessie and Downbeat just in time, and Bessie's rambunctious performance wins both Danny's approval and the contest.
Director
Albert S. Rogell
Cast
Judy Canova
Tom Brown
Billy Gilbert
Ruth Terry
Thurston Hall
Elisha Cook Jr.
Jerry Lester
Mildred Coles
Harold Huber
Fritz Feld
Frank Sully
Jimmy Ames
Jay Novello
Skinnay Ennis
Paul Fix
Martin Turner
Vicki Lester
Lew Kelly
Dorothy Ates
Mady Laurence
Lester Dorr
Walter Merrill
Pat Gleason
Fred Santley
Edward Earle
Hillary Brooke
Cy Ring
Ric Vallin
Loren Raker
Helen Dickson
Stelita Baca
Joey Ray
Ted Oliver
Eric Alden
William Forrest
Carl Leviness
Gertrude Astor
Marguerite Whitten
Jac George
Neely Edwards
Eddie Acuff
Dwight Frye
Kenneth Harlan
Eugene Borden
Eddy Chandler
Robert Wayne
Dora Clement
Jane Allen
Gloria Lynn
Barbara Clark
Margie Mckay
Frances Gladwin
Billie Lane
Mary Jo Ellis
Eleanor Counts
Virginia Hunter
Elynne Ray
Virginia Kepler
June Earle
Florence Pepper
Marjorie Jackson
Peggy Russell
Loretta Barnett
Crew
Joseph Reed Alden
Art Arthur
George Blair
Albert J. Cohen
Jack Donohue
Albert Duffy
Raymond B. Egan
Cy Feuer
Mauri Grashin
Russell Kimball
Max Lief
Ange Lorenzo
Herb Magidson
Jack Marta
Ernest Nims
Adele Palmer
Gene Rose
Robert T. Shannon
Jule Styne
Richard A. Whiting
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working titles of this film were Moonstruck and Chatterbox, the latter of which was used as the release title for a 1943 Judy Canova film produced by Republic. According to Hollywood Reporter news items, some scenes were shot on location at Santa Anita Racetrack, CA.
