Three Little Words (1950)

Reference View | Change View

Passed
1h 42min
Biography, Comedy
12 Jul 1950 (USA)
Movie

6.9 (2,059)

0

Rate

1

Rate

2

Rate

3

Rate

4

Rate

5

Rate

6

Rate

7

Rate

8

Rate

9

Rate

10

Rate

0

Error: please try again.

The story of the successful Tin Pan Alley songwriting team of Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby is told loosely and lightheartedly.

Director:

Richard Thorpe

Writer:

George Wells

Stars:

Awards:

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 2 nominations.
See more »

Reviews:

Photos and Videos

Still of Vera-Ellen in On the Town (1949)

Still of Fred Astaire (I), Debbie Reynolds (I) and Red Skelton in Three Little Words (1950)

Still of Fred Astaire (I) and Red Skelton in Three Little Words (1950)

Still of Arlene Dahl in Three Little Words (1950)

Add Image

40 photos | 1 video

Cast verified as complete

Edit


	Fred Astaire	...	Bert Kalmar
	Red Skelton	...	Harry Ruby
	Vera-Ellen	...	Jessie Brown Kalmar
	Arlene Dahl	...	Eileen Percy
	Keenan Wynn	...	Charlie Kope
	Gale Robbins	...	Terry Lordel
	Gloria DeHaven	...	Mrs. Carter De Haven (as Gloria De Haven)
	Phil Regan	...	Phil Regan
	Harry Shannon	...	Clanahan
	Debbie Reynolds	...	Helen Kane
	Paul Harvey	...	Al Masters
	Carleton Carpenter	...	Dan Healy
	George Metkovich	...	Al Schacht
	Harry Mendoza	...	The Great Mendoza (as The Great Mendoza)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
	Jean Adcock	...	Woman (uncredited)
	Richard Allan	...	Chorus Boy (uncredited)
	William Bailey	...	Man in Audience (uncredited)
	Harry Barris	...	Pianist at Party (uncredited)
	Hal Bell	...	Chorus Boy (uncredited)
	Herman Belmonte	...	Chorus Boy (uncredited)
	Herman Boden	...	Chorus Boy (uncredited)
	Lulu Mae Bohrman	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
	Steve Carruthers	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
	Douglas Carter	...	Stagehand (uncredited)
	Ann Cavendish	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
	Jack Chefe	...	Waiter (uncredited)
	Harry Cody	...	Prop Man (uncredited)
	Roger Cole	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
	James Conaty	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
	Gene Coogan	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
	Bert Davidson	...	Photographer (uncredited)
	Elzie Emanuel	...	Kid Who Tells Harry the Ball Score (uncredited)
	Franklyn Farnum	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
	Tom Ferrandini	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
	Pat Flaherty	...	Coach (uncredited)
	Bess Flowers	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
	George Ford	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
	Sig Frohlich	...	Messenger (uncredited)
	Alex Gerry	...	Marty - City Editor (uncredited)
	Herschel Graham	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
	Billy Gray	...	Boy (uncredited)
	Sherry Hall	...	Pianist in Clanahan's (uncredited)
	George Hoagland	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
	Michael Jeffers	...	Waiter (uncredited)
	Helen Kane	...	Helen Kane (uncredited) (singingVoice)
	Frank Kelleher	...	Baseball Player (uncredited)
	Kenner G. Kemp	...	Man in Audience (uncredited)
	Donald Kerr	...	Stage Manager in Buffalo (uncredited)
	George Magrill	...	Piano Mover (uncredited)
	Dwight Martin	...	Piano Mover (uncredited)
	Mickey Martin	...	Callboy (uncredited)
	John McKee	...	Baseball Player (uncredited)
	Beverly Michaels	...	Shipboard Woman (uncredited)
	Fred Millican	...	Baseball Player (uncredited)
	Edward F. Nulty	...	Baseball Player (uncredited)
	Jack Paepke	...	Baseball Player (uncredited)
	Joseph Paz	...	Chorus Boy (uncredited)
	Joe Peterson	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
	Jerry Priddy	...	Baseball Player (uncredited)
	Frank Radcliffe	...	Chorus Boy (uncredited)
	Suzanne Ridgway	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
	Harry Ruby	...	Baseball Player (uncredited)
	Fred Santley	...	Juice Vendor (uncredited)
	Syd Saylor	...	Barker at Clanahan's (uncredited)
	Jeffrey Sayre	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
	George Sherwood	...	Director (uncredited)
	Reginald Simpson	...	Minor Role (uncredited)
	Ted Stanhope	...	Waiter / Theatre Usher (uncredited)
	Bert Stevens	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
	Lou Stringer	...	Baseball Player (uncredited)
	Brick Sullivan	...	Policeman on Street (uncredited)
	William Tannen	...	Photographer (uncredited)
	Charles Wagenheim	...	Johnny the Waiter (uncredited)
	Walton Walker	...	Chorus Boy (uncredited)
	Pierre Watkin	...	Philip Goodman (uncredited)
	Luree Wiese	...	Nightclub Patron (uncredited)
	John B. Williams	...	Waiter in Clanahan's (uncredited)
	Pat Williams	...	Magician's Assistant (uncredited)
	George Woods	...	Baseball Player (uncredited)
	Phyllis Woodward	...	Minor Role (uncredited)

Directed by

Edit

Richard Thorpe

Written by

Edit

George Wells

...

(screenplay)

Produced by

Edit

Jack Cummings

...

producer

Music by

Edit

André Previn

...

(uncredited)

Cinematography by

Edit

Harry Jackson

...

director of photography

Editing by

Edit

Ben Lewis

Editorial Department

Edit

Peter Ballbusch	...	montage
Henri Jaffa	...	color consultant: Technicolor

Art Direction by

Edit

Cedric Gibbons
Urie McCleary

Set Decoration by

Edit

Edwin B. Willis

Costume Design by

Edit

Helen Rose

Makeup Department

Edit

Jack Dawn	...	hair stylist
Eddie Polo	...	makeup artist (uncredited)
Jane Shugrue	...	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management

Edit

Lee Katz

...

production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

Edit

Bert Glazer

...

assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department

Edit

Arthur Krams

...

associate set decorator

Sound Department

Edit

Douglas Shearer	...	sound recordist
Ralph A. Pender	...	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by

Edit

Warren Newcombe

...

special effects

Camera and Electrical Department

Edit

Ed Donnell	...	grip (uncredited)
Otto Dyar	...	still photographer (uncredited)
C.A. Philbrick	...	gaffer (uncredited)
Irving Rosenberg	...	camera operator (uncredited)
Robert Worl	...	gaffer (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department

Edit

Joan Joseff

...

costume jeweler (uncredited)

Music Department

Edit

Leo Arnaud	...	orchestrator
André Previn	...	musical director
Robert Franklyn	...	orchestrator (uncredited)
Wally Heglin	...	orchestrator (uncredited)
Conrad Salinger	...	orchestrator (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

Edit

William J. Hole Jr.

...

script supervisor (uncredited)

Additional Crew

Edit

James Gooch	...	technicolor color consultant
Hermes Pan	...	dances created and directed by
Harry Ruby	...	technical advisor
Fred Astaire	...	choreographer (uncredited)

Production Companies

Edit

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

Edit

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1950) (United States) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1950) (Sweden) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1950) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1951) (Norway) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1951) (West Germany) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1951) (Belgium) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1951) (France) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1951) (Italy) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1951) (Argentina) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1952) (Finland) (theatrical)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1962) (United States) (theatrical) (re-release)
MGM/UA Home Entertainment (United States) (video) (laserdisc)
SFM Entertainment (1984) (United States) (tv)
Warner Home Video (2006) (United States) (DVD)

Special Effects

Edit

Other Companies

Edit

Storyline

Edit

Plot Summary	Song-and-dance man Bert Kalmar can't continue his stage career after an injury for a while, so he has to earn his money as a lyricist. Perchance he meets composer Harry Ruby and their first song is a hit. Ruby gets Kalmar to marry is former partner Jessie Brown, and Kalmar and Jessie prevent Ruby from getting married to the wrong girls. But due to the fact that Ruby has caused a backer's withdrawal for a Kalmar play, they end their relationship. Written by Stephan Eichenberg Plot Summary
Plot Keywords	dancing tap-dancing semi-biographical-film tin-pan-alley begins-with-text See All (94) »
Taglines	A Wonderful Musical! See more »
Genres	Biography Comedy Musical Romance
Parents Guide	View content advisory »
Certification	Argentina:Atp Australia:G Finland:S France:Tous publics Japan:G Norway:A Sweden:Btl United Kingdom:U United States:Passed (National Board of Review) United States:Approved West Germany:12 (nf)

Additional Details

Edit

Also Known As	Trois petits mots (France) Drei kleine Worte (Germany) Tres palabritas (Spain) Три малки думи (Bulgaria, Bulgarian title) Dudaktan Dudağa (Turkey, Turkish title) See more »
Runtime	102 min
Country	United States
Language	English
Color	Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio	1.37 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix	Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Filming Locations	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA See more »

Box Office

Budget

$1,470,000 (estimated)

Did You Know?

Edit

Trivia	Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby were friends of Fred Astaire from their early days together in vaudeville. Astaire said the film was one of his all-time favorites. See more »
Goofs	When Bert and Jessie are dancing to the Husband and Wife dance number, they toss everything off the kitchen table. The toaster is pushed off the back of the table onto the floor. In the next instant, it has disappeared from view. See more »
Movie Connections	Featured in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's World Famous Musical Hits! (1962). See more »
Soundtracks	Where Did You Get That Girl? See more »
Crazy Credits	The opening and end titles use various first pages of Kalmar-Ruby sheet music as backgrounds. See more »
Quotes	Bert Kalmar: I wouldn't write that song with you if you begged me. Harry Ruby: Begged ya? I didn't even ask ya. Bert Kalmar: I guess you just can't help it, Harry. I feel sorry for you. Harry Ruby: Feel sorry for me? You must think I'm just a... Bert Kalmar: I could tell you what I think of you in just three little words. You're a dope! See more »

Getting Started | Contributor Zone »