Wabash Avenue (film)

Plot

Ruby Summers (Betty Grable) is a burlesque queen in a successful dance hall in 1892 Chicago. The owner of the dance hall Mike (Phil Harris) has cheated his ex-partner Andy Clark (Victor Mature) out of a half interest in the business. Andy schemes to potentially ruin Mike and also hopes to make Ruby a classy entertainer, as well as his own girl.

Background

Wabash Avenue, named from a major Chicago street, was reportedly conceived as a biopic of Chicago songwriter Gus Kahn. Negotiations dissolved but exhibitors had been promised that title so 20th Century Fox hastily substituted a rewrite of its 1943 Coney Island. (The Kahn biopic was made at Warner Bros. in 1951 as I’ll See You in My Dreams, with Danny Thomas as Kahn.)

The film became a vehicle for Betty Grable with Richard Widmark and Paul Douglas to co-star. The setting was to be the 1893 Chicago Exposition. Eventually Widmark was replaced by Victor Mature. Eventually Paul Douglas dropped out and was replaced by Phil Haris.

Filming started in 9 May 1949. It was the first in a three picture contract Koster had with Fox.

The film featured five new numbers in addition to some old favourites. 87 sets were constructed included a recreation of Wabash Avenue.

Grable enjoyed working with director Henry Koster so much she insisted he direct her next film, My Blue Heaven.

Awards

Wabash Avenue also received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for the number Wilhelmina