James V. Kern

Directing

James V. Kern

Born September 22, 1909 · New York City, New York, USA

Died November 9, 1966 · aged 57

James V. Kern (September 22, 1909, New York City, New York – November 9, 1966, Encino, California) was an American singer, songwriter, screenwriter, actor, and director. Educated at the Fordham Law School, Kern worked for a while as an attorney. He sang with the George Olsen Trio, and appeared with the Olsen orchestra in the musical Good News. From 1927 to 1939, he sang with and wrote for the Yac…

Known For

Never Say GoodbyeNever Say Goodbye · 1946
Never Say Goodbye
6.31946
MovieComedy
Phil and Ellen Gayley have been divorced for a year, and their 7-year old daughter, Flip, is very unhappy that her parents are not together. Flip starts a correspondence with a Marine, sending a picture of her beautiful mother as the author of Flip's flirtatious letters. When the Marine shows up to meet his pen pal, Ellen takes the opportunity to make her ex-husband jealous.
The Second WomanThe Second Woman · 1950
The Second Woman
5.61950
MovieDramaMystery
In flashback from a 'Rebecca'-style beginning: Ellen Foster, visiting her aunt on the California coast, meets neighbor Jeff Cohalan and his ultramodern clifftop house. Ellen is strongly attracted to Jeff, who's being plagued by unexplainable accidents, major and minor. Bad luck, persecution...or paranoia? Warned that Jeff could be dangerous, Ellen fears that he's in danger, as the menacing atmosphere darkens.
East Side of HeavenEast Side of Heaven · 1939
East Side of Heaven
7.41939
MovieComedyFamily
A man finds himself the father, by proxy, of a ten-month-old baby and becomes involved in the turbulent lives of the child's family.
The Horn Blows at MidnightThe Horn Blows at Midnight · 1945
The Horn Blows at Midnight
5.91945
MovieComedyFantasy
A trumpet player in a radio orchestra falls asleep during a commercial and dreams he's Athanael, an angel deputized to blow the Last Trumpet at exactly midnight on Earth, thus marking the end of the world.
Shine on Harvest MoonShine on Harvest Moon · 1944
Shine on Harvest Moon
6.81944
MovieDramaMusic
Biographical movie about the early 20th century broadway stars Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth.
Thank Your Lucky StarsThank Your Lucky Stars · 1943
Thank Your Lucky Stars
6.21943
MovieComedyMusic
An Eddie Cantor look-alike organizes an all-star show to help the war effort.
Two Tickets to BroadwayTwo Tickets to Broadway · 1951
Two Tickets to Broadway
4.61951
MovieMusicRomance
A young woman (Janet Leigh) leaves her small hometown in Vermont and travels to New York City with hopes of becoming a Broadway star.
The Singing KidThe Singing Kid · 1936
The Singing Kid
7.01936
MovieDramaMusic
Neurotic Broadway star Al Jackson faces professional ruin when he loses his voice. While recuperating in the country, he falls in love with farm girl Ruth Haines, the pretty aunt of precocious little Sybil Haines.

Filmography

Sort
That's Right – You're WrongThat's Right – You're Wrong · 1939
That's Right – You're Wrong
6.31939
MovieMusicComedy
J. D. Forbes, head of the almost-bankrupt Four Star Studios in Hollywood contacts band leader Kay Kyser, who puts on a radio and-live theatre program called "The Kollege of Musical Knowledge," to appear in films. When manager Chuck Deems gets the studio offer, he and band members Ginny Simms, Sully Mason, Ish Kabiddle, Harry Babbitt and the others are all fired up at the prospect of going to Hollywood and working in the movies, but band-leader Kay is all against it and says his old grandmother has told him to stay in his own back yard, but he relents. Once there, Stacey Delmore, a Four Star associate producer left in charge of the studio while Forbes is out of town, discovers that the screenplay writers have prepared a script that has Kay Kyser playing a glamorous lover in an exotic European setting.

Screenplay

Movieland MagicMovieland Magic · 1946
Movieland Magic
6.51946
MovieComedyMusic
Released as part of a series of WB shorts under the collective title of "Technicolor Specials" (WB production number 2003) this short most likely holds the WB house record for a 20-minute film containing footage from the most different titles in their inventory. It's theme of a singing guided tour of the lot (and some of the footage) is from 1944's "Musical Movieland", the former title holder, and it contains clips from 1939's "Quiet, Please" and "Royal Rodeo"; "Sunday Roundup" from 1936 and 1940's "The Singing Dude." Pieces from "Out Where the Stars Begin" and "Swingtime in the Movies" may also be used, but it's hard to tell since they all tend to run together and show up in a lot of places during the 1940's Warner shorts. Its title of "Movieland Magic" is most apt considering the sleight-of-hand performed by the WB Shorts and Sales departments in once again selling the same film clips for the 3rd, 4th or more times.

Director