Johnny Doughboy

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Movie
Original title Johnny Doughboy
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1942
length 64 minutes
Rod
Director John H. Auer
script Lawrence Kimble ,
Frederick Kohner
production John H. Auer for
Republic Pictures
music Walter Scharf ,
Marlin Skiles
camera John Alton
cut Wallace Grissel
occupation

Johnny Doughboy is an American musical film directed by John H. Auer and starring Jane Withers .

action

16-year-old actress Ann Winters has been a movie star since childhood. Despite her age, she still gets child roles, in her next film she is supposed to play a 12-year-old girl. Ann demands from her agent Harry Fabian that she should now play an adult role for the first time, which he wants to prevent, as it could be detrimental to her career. Fabian also forbids her relationships with boys and parties, as this would damage her image if it were made public. Ann escapes from her Hollywood mansion and just leaves her secretary Biggy with a note saying that if she would have to give up her life to do it, she wouldn't want to be a movie star. Meanwhile, innocent Midwestern Penny Ryan arrives in Hollywood after winning a meeting with Ann in a competition. She became the winner because she was almost cut off Ann's face. Fabian is also surprised by the doppelganger, but uses her positively: Since the film studio of the untraceable Ann had threatened to be fired if she didn't come here immediately; Fabian now passes Penny as Ann to the film studio.

Meanwhile, the real Ann is running out of fuel on a provincial mountain road. She comes to a nearby house where the playwright Oliver Lawrence lives with his housekeeper Mammy. She falls in love with the charming writer. Meanwhile, in Hollywood, Penny encounters "The 20 Minus Club", a group of worn-out ex-child stars who were unable to continue their careers like Ann. Also in the group is Johnny Kelly, Ann's former friend and co-star. The ex-child stars ask Penny, who they think is Ann, to take part in their show, with which they entertain the troops in World War II. Penny spends her time there and likes the show. Since Penny or Ann is too successful, according to her confidants, she is not allowed to get into such a small project because it would be below her dignity. Penny as Ann has to refuse to participate in the show and even dismiss it as "amateurish"; but what she deeply regrets.

Penny now wants to leave Hollywood and return to her home in Nebraska . Secretary Biggy now knows Ann's current address and gives it to Penny so that the two doppelgangers can plan further steps together. Penny desperately wants to take part in the show and collects the members of the "20 Minus Club" for company. Ann is shocked when she first meets her doppelganger at Mr. Lawrence's house. She claims to Penny that she is almost engaged to Oliver and now wants to work with him at the theater. Oliver ignores the conversation and only now notices how seriously the teenager is in love with him, and calls his adult daughter Jennifer to help, so that she pretends to be his lover. Jennifer is the love of his life, Oliver tells Ann, who then rushes out of the house angrily and meets Johnny. Johnny is reconciled with Ann and Ann realizes that she means a lot to the other ex-child stars. While Ann, Johnny and the other children perform the show a little later, Penny sits in the enthusiastic audience.

background

The members of the "20 Minus Club" were actually played mostly by former child stars who had already passed the zenith of their careers. Leading actress Jane Withers was also less successful than a few years before: While she was the box office child star behind Shirley Temple in the 1930s , Johnny Doughboy was already filmed at the Poverty Row studio Republic Pictures, which was mainly used for his B-movies was known.

Awards

Johnny Doughboy was nominated at the 1943 Academy Awards for an Oscar in the category of best film music .

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