Zis Boom Bah
Zis Boom Bah, also known as College Sweethearts, is a 1941 American musical comedy film directed by William Nigh, and starring Grace Hayes, Peter Lind Hayes and Mary [Healy |Mary Healy]. The plot concerns a vaudeville singer who comes to a floundering college to instill values and self-confidence in its entitled students.
Plot
—essentially playing herself—has been playing the vaudeville circuit to finance her son's college education after her wealthy family has shunned her.Tiring of the road, she goes incognito to visit her son, Peter Kendricks with her personal assistant Mary Healy.
She finds her son and the college "going to Hell in a hand basket", despite the earnest efforts of the kindhearted Dean, Prof. Warren. The college and the old families are running out of money and spirit.
Grace buys the local diner, turns it into a version of her real-life club, and encourages the kids to put on a show to raise the funds and spirit the college needs to survive.
Cast
- Grace Hayes as Grace Hayes
- Peter Lind Hayes as Peter Kendricks
- Mary Healy as Mary Healy
- Huntz Hall as Skeets Skillhorn
- Jan Wiley as Annabella
- Frank Elliott as Mr. Kendricks
- Richard "Skeets" Gallagher as Professor Warren
- Benny Rubin as Nick
- Eddie Kane as James J. Kane
- Leonard Sues as Noisey
- Roland Dupree as Pee Wee
- Betty Compson
Soundtrack
- "Annabella"
- "It Makes No Difference When You're in the Army"
- "I've Learned to Smile Again"
- "Good News Tomorrow"
- "Put Your Trust in the Moon"
- "Miss America"
Production
Peter Lind Hayes and Mary Healy were married from 1940 until Hayes' death in 1998, and regularly worked together, notably on the film The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T..
Katzman hired a musical troupe to perform numbers live to promote the film.