Birth of the Blues

1h 27min

Music

Romance

Jeff grows up near Basin Street in New Orleans, playing his clarinet with the dock workers. He puts together a band, the Basin Street Hot-Shots, which includes a cornet player, Memphis. They struggle to get their jazz music accepted by the cafe society of the city. Betty Lou joins their band as a singer and gets Louie to show her how to do scat singing. Memphis and Jeff both fall in love with Betty Lou.

Cast

Bing Crosby

Bing Crosby

Jeff Lambert
Mary Martin

Mary Martin

Betty Lou Cobb
Carolyn Lee

Carolyn Lee

Aunt Phoebe Cobb
Minor Watson

Minor Watson

Henri Lambert
Harry Rosenthal

Harry Rosenthal

Piano Player
Donald Kerr

Donald Kerr

Skeeter, Barbershop Musician
Ronnie Cosby

Ronnie Cosby

Jeff as a Boy
Ted Lewis

Ted Lewis

Self (archive footage)
Duke Ellington

Duke Ellington

Self (archive footage)
Louis Armstrong

Louis Armstrong

Self (archive footage)
Tommy Dorsey

Tommy Dorsey

Self (archive footage)
Jimmy Dorsey

Jimmy Dorsey

Self (archive footage)
Benny Goodman

Benny Goodman

Self (archive footage)
Paul Whiteman

Paul Whiteman

Self (archive footage)
Roscoe Ates

Roscoe Ates

Cab Driver (uncredited)
Charles Lane

Charles Lane

Wilbur - Bijou Theater Manager (uncredited)
Mantan Moreland

Mantan Moreland

Black Trumpet Player (uncredited)

Release date

7th Nov 1941

Status

Released

Spoken languages

English