Mother Wore Tights (1947)

21% want to see it
(614 ratings)

A woman looks back at her childhood in show business in this musical comedy. At the turn of the century, Myrtle McKinley (Betty Grable) is working her way through business school and gets a job dancing at a San Francisco vaudeville house. She meets fellow hoofer Frank Burt (Dan Dailey), and they… More A woman looks back at her childhood in show business in this musical comedy. At the turn of the century, Myrtle McKinley (Betty Grable) is working her way through business school and gets a job dancing at a San Francisco vaudeville house. She meets fellow hoofer Frank Burt (Dan Dailey), and they soon fall in love. Marriage follows, and Myrtle and Frank begin performing a song and dance act on the road. Myrtle leaves the act when she becomes pregnant with the first of two children, but when the kids are old enough to go out on tour, she and Frank work them into the act, and they learn to live out of a suitcase like their parents. Years later, Iris (Mona Freeman) and Mikie (Connie Marshall) are attending college when they learn that Mom and Dad have pulled their act out of mothballs -- and are booked to perform at a theatre near their campus. Mother Wore Tights won an Academy Award for Best Musical Score, and it was nominated for Best Song ("You Do") and Best Color Cinematography; the great Mexican ventriloquist Senor Wences appears as himself. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 47 min.
Directed By: Walter Lang
Genres: Musical & Performing Arts, Classics, Comedy

No Critic Reviews Found…

Featured Audience Ratings

jay n

One of Betty's biggest hits does contain some wonderful songs and flashy numbers but she made better films than this.

Cast

            Betty Grable as Myrtle McKinley Burt

            Robert Arthur as Bob Clarkman

            Dan Dailey as Frank Burt

            Veda Ann Borg as Rosemary Olcott

            Mona Freeman as Iris Burt

            Connie Marshall as Mikie Burt

            Vanessa Brown as Bessie

            Chick Chandler as Ed

            Maude Eburne as Mrs. Muggins

            Sara Allgood as Grandmother McKinley

            Michael Dunne as Roy Bivens

            Antonio Filauri as Papa Capucci

            George Cleveland as Grandfather McKinley

            William Forrest as Mr. Clarkman

            William Frawley as Mr. Schneider

            Kathleen Lockhart as Mrs. Clarkman

            Ruth Nelson as Miss Ridgeway

            Frank Orth as Stage doorman

            Lee Patrick as Lil

            Sig Rumann as Papa

            Anabel Shaw as Alice Flemmerhammer

            Lotte Stein as Mama

            Senor Wences as Himself

            Kenny Williams as Dance director

            Will Wright as Withers

            Anne Baxter as Narrator

            Harry V. Cheshire as Minister

            Stephen Dunne as Roy Bivens

            Billy M. Greene
            
            Karolyn Grimes as Iris at Age 6

            Alvin Hammer as Clarence

            Ted Jordan as Sailor

            Lee MacGregor as Boy

            Eula Morgan as Opera Singer

            Harry Seymour as Man

            Brad Slaven
            
            Tom Stevenson as Hotel Clerk

            David Thursby as Policeman

            Tom Moore
            
            George Davis as Waiter
See full cast