The Stork Club (1945)
DVD cover from the 1945 film.
Pop instructs his lawyer to reward Judy with everything her heart desires, anonymously. A hat check girl at New York’s popular Stork Club nightclub, Judy’s dream is for her bandleader boyfriend Danny to return home from the Marines so she can sing with his band.Judy Peabody saves an old man from drowning. He turns out to be Jerry Bates, “J.B.” to his lawyer Curtis, “Pop” to Judy, who mistakenly believes the wealthy old-timer to be poor.
A letter from Curtis informs the young lady that she now has a brand new apartment, free of charge, and a line of credit at a fashionable department store, no strings attached. She promptly buys dresses and furs, without knowing the identity of her benefactor.
Pop comes to the Stork Club to keep an eye on her. She lands him a job as a busboy, but that doesn’t work out, so she invites Pop to share her apartment. Danny comes home, excited to see her until he sees the apartment, the clothes and the old man. Believing her to be a “kept” woman, he falls out of love with Judy.
Billingsley is invited by Judy to hear the band. Impressed, he gives them a job at the club. Judy finally discovers that Pop is responsible for her new riches and is able to win back Danny’s love.
Cast
- Betty Hutton as Judy Peabody
- Barry Fitzgerald as Jerry B. ‘J.B.’ / ‘Pop’ Bates
- Don DeFore as Sgt. Danny Wilton
- Andy Russell as Jimmy ‘Jim’ Jones
- Robert Benchley as Tom P. Curtis
- Bill Goodwin as Sherman Billingsley
- Iris Adrian as Gwen
- Mary Young as Mrs. Edith Bates
- Charles Coleman as MacFiske
- Perc Launders as Tom, Saxophone Player
- Mikhail Rasumny as Mr. Coretti
- Catherine Craig as Louella Parsons
- Audrey Young as Jenny
