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MURDER AT THE VANITIES

May 18, 1934

Director: Mitchell Leisen

Producer: E. Lloyd Sheldon for Paramount Pictures

Writers: Carey Wilson and Joseph Gollomb, based on the play by Earl Carroll and Rufus King

Synopsis ~ Shortly before the curtain goes up at Earl Carroll's Vanities, someone is attempting to injure leading lady Ann Ware, who wants to marry leading man Eric Lander. Stage manager Jack Ellery calls in his friend, policeman Bill Murdock, to help him investigate. They find the corpse of a murdered women. Bill suspects Eric of the crime, especially, after the second female lead Rita Ross told him she saw the women leaving from Eric's room. Rita is shot onstage with Eric's gun.

PRINCIPAL CAST

Carl Brissson (Eric Lander) was a Danish-born actor and singer making his only appearance with Lucille Ball. He would only make two more films before leaving film acting.

Victor McLaglen (Bill Murdock) would win an Oscar in 1936 for The Informer. He would be nominated again in 1953 for The Quiet Man. This is his only appearance with Lucille Ball.

Jack Oakie (Jack Ellery) would be seen with Lucille Ball in That Girl From Paris (1936) as well as both Annabel films (1938).

Kitty Carlisle (Ann Ware) made her film debut in this movie. She later married playwright Moss Hart and became an arts advocate. She was also frequently seen on talk, quiz, and panel shows. This is her only appearance with Lucille Ball.

Dorothy Stickney (Norma Watson) was a stage and screen actress making her only appearance with Lucille Ball.

Gertrude Michael (Rita Ross) was also seen with Lucille Ball in Hold That Girl, released two months earlier.

Jessie Ralph (Mrs. Helene Smith) was also seen with Lucille Ball in the 1934 films The Affairs of Cellini and Nana. In 1936 they appeared together in Bunker Bean.

Charles Middleton (Homer Boothby) was also seen with Lucille Ball in The Bowery (1933), followed by Nana and Broadway Bill, both in 1934.

Gail Patrick (Sadie Evans) would also be seen with Lucille Ball in 1937′s Stage Door.

Donald Meek (Dr. Saunders) appeared with Lucille Ball in The Whole Town’s Talking and Old Man Rhythm (both in 1935), as well as Having Wonderful Time (1938), and Du Barry Was A Lady (1943).

Toby Wing (Nancy) makes her only appearance with Lucille Ball.

Duke Ellington (Himself) was a composer, orchestra leader, and one of music’s most legendary personalities. This is his only time performing with Lucille Ball.

UNCREDITED CAST

Lucille Ball (Earl Carroll Girl) makes her ninth film since coming to Hollywood in 1933. Although she started out as a Goldwyn Girl at RKO, here she is a Earl Carroll girl at Paramount.

Ann Sheridan (Lou, Earl Carroll Girl) went on to a successful acting career known for her roles in the films San Quentin, Angels with Dirty Faces, They Drive by Night, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Kings Row, Nora Prentiss, and I Was a Male War Bride.

Virginia Davis (Earl Carroll Girl), as a child actress, was Walt Disney’s original Alice in Wonderland in a series of silent shorts from 1923 to 1925.

Other Earl Carroll Girls: Ernestine Anderson, Lona Andre, Marion Callahan, Nancy Caswell, Marguerite Caverley, Juanita Clay, Helen Curtis, Virginia Davis, Dorothy Dawes, Winnie Flint, Barbara Fritchie, Nora Gale, Zumetta Garnett, Gwenllian Gill, Ruth Hilliard (film debut), Inez Howard, Billie Huber, Diane Hunter, Constance Jordan, Evelyn Kelly, Patsy King, Iris Lancaster, Blanche McDonald, Leda Nicova, Wanda Perry, Rita Rober, Laurie Shevlin, Gwynne Shipman (film debut), Anya Taranda, Beryl Wallace (film debut), Dorothy White, Vivian Wilson, Gladys Young

Alan Ladd (Chorus Boy) found success in film in the 1940s and early 1950s, particularly in Westerns, such as Shane and in films noir. He was often paired with Veronica Lake in films such as This Gun for Hire, The Glass Key, and The Blue Dahlia.

Shep Houghton (Chorus Boy) also appeared with Lucille Ball in such films as Too Many Girls (1940), Lured (1947), Easy Living (1949), and Critic’s Choice (1963). On TV he appeared on two episodes of “The Lucy Show” and one “Here’s Lucy.” He was one of the Winkie Guards in The Wizard of Oz and a Southern Dandy in Gone With The Wind, both in 1939.

Other Chorus Boys: Dave O'Brien, Dennis O'Keefe, Frank Sully

Dancers in Ebony Rhapsody: Lucille Battle, Mildred Boyd, Gladys Henderson, Cleo Herndon, Ruth Scott, Carolynne Snowden

The King's Men (Lovely One Quartet)

OTHERS

Colin Tapley (Stage Manager)

Roy Crane (Assistant Stage Manager)

William Arnold (Treasurer)

Arthur Rankin (Assistant Treasurer)

Betty Bethune (Charwoman)

Howard M. Mitchell (Detective)

Mike Donovan (Police Sergeant)

Stanley Blystone (Policeman)

Mary Gordon (Assistant Wardrobe Woman)

Mildred Gover (Pearl)

Hal Greene (Call Boy)

Otto Hoffman (Walsh)

Mitchell Leisen (Orchestra Leader)

Charles McAvoy (Ben)

Ted Oliver (Murdock's Chauffeur)

Teru Shimada (Koto)

Cecil Weston (Miss Bernstein)

Many of the Earl Carroll Girls featured in the film were authentic cast members from Carroll's stage show, which ran on Broadway from November 1933 to March 1934. These cast members were brought out to Hollywood from New York especially for this film, and many stayed to pursue film careers. Earl Carrol Girls who appeared in the stage version of Murder at the Vanities, but not this film version, included Dudone Blumier, Eunice Coleman, Muriel Evans, Evalyn Knapp, Helene Madison, Lorna Rode and Marion Semle. Also in the cast was a Ruth Mann, who was probably Helen Mann.

The film was based on a Broadway production of the same name, but completely rewritten for the screen and with all new musical numbers.

In “The Audition” (ILL S1;E6) aired on November 19, 1951 Lucy says to Ricky: “I’ll bet if Ziegfeld or Earl Carroll had seen me, they’d sign me up like that!” She then puts a lampshade on her head and struts about the room in a moment recycled from the (then) unaired pilot.

This film contains a song and dance number called “Sweet Marijuana”. It got past the censors because at the time the film was made, the drug was not illegal. Today, many prints omit this production number all together.

The film also introduced the standard “Cocktails for Two” by Arthur Johnston and Sam Coslow.

Gimbels in New York did a promotion in connection with the film, selling Mojud Clari-phane stockings using images of some of the Earl Carroll Girls. Sadly, Lucille Ball is not among them!

The film was a box office disappointment for Paramount.

#Murder at the Vanities #Lucille Ball #Earl Carroll #1934 #Duke Elliington #Shep Houghton #Kitty Carlisle #Jack Oakie #Alan Ladd #Ann Sheridan

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