Douglas McPhail

Birthday

Apr 16, 1914

Bio: Moviegoers rediscovered handsome baritone Douglas McPhail in the compilation musical That's Entertainment (1974), where McPhail joins Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland and off-screen wife Betty Jaynes in the rousing finale of Babes in Arms (1939). A protégé of sorts of Jeanette MacDonald, with whom he appeared in San Francisco (1936), Maytime (1937), and Sweethearts… More Bio: Moviegoers rediscovered handsome baritone Douglas McPhail in the compilation musical That's Entertainment (1974), where McPhail joins Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland and off-screen wife Betty Jaynes in the rousing finale of Babes in Arms (1939). A protégé of sorts of Jeanette MacDonald, with whom he appeared in San Francisco (1936), Maytime (1937), and Sweethearts (1938), McPhail had originally come to MGM as a backup singer for Nelson Eddy in The Girl of the Golden West (1938). Babes in Arms, Broadway Melody of 1940 (in which he sang Cole Porter's "I Concentrate on You"), and another Garland musical, Little Nellie Kelly (1942), were all popular, but the studio, who already had one Nelson Eddy under contract, dropped his option in 1942. When his marriage also collapsed, McPhail reportedly took to drink and a suicide attempt in 1943 was yet another cry for help. Sadly, a second attempt the following year proved successful and the once promising singer poisoned himself at the young age of 30. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi