Call Me Mister (1951 film)

Cast and principal contributors

The film features a cast of established musical and comic performers. The principal names billed include:

• Betty Grable — a leading musical star of the 1940s and early 1950s, known for her singing, dancing and screen persona.
• Danny Thomas — a comedian and actor who appears in a comic-supporting role.
• Dale Robertson — cast among the credited performers.
• Dan Dailey, Benay Venuta and Richard Boone also appear in supporting roles, contributing to the film’s mix of musical numbers and comic sequences.

Production and musical elements

The movie was conceived as a filmed version of a musical revue, borrowing the variety-show format of separate sketches and set-piece songs rather than a single continuous plot. As was typical of the period, production emphasized costume, choreography and orchestration designed to showcase the stars. Direction by Lloyd Bacon followed his career-long work in commercial genre filmmaking and musicals.

Reception and context

Upon release, Call Me Mister was part of the crowded postwar musical market. Contemporary viewers and later commentators have noted its reliance on star appeal and spectacle more than on narrative depth. It is remembered primarily as a vehicle for its leading performers and as an example of studio-era musical filmmaking distributed by 20th Century Fox.

Notable facts

The film exemplifies the transition of stage revue material to the screen, where producers adapted variety formats to reach wider audiences. Cast members such as Richard Boone later became widely known for work in television and other film genres. For readers seeking further detail on the performers and studio production practices, consult studio histories and performer biographies.