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.
If I Had My WayIf I Had My Way · 1940
If I Had My Way
★ 7.01940
MovieComedyFamily
Construction worker Buzz Blackwell becomes the guardian of 12-year-old Pat Johnson after one of his buddies, her father, is killed. Buzz and Pat, along with their chum Axel Swensen, head to New York to look for the girl's uncle. The trio soon unexpectedly become owners of a tired restaurant.
The DoughgirlsThe Doughgirls · 1944
The Doughgirls
★ 7.31944
MovieComedy
Newlyweds Arthur and Vivian arrive to their honeymoon suite in Washington D.C., only to find it occupied. Arthur goes to meet Slade, his new boss, and when he returns, he finds three girls in his suite. He orders Vivian to get rid of them, but they are friends of Vivian's and as time goes by, it looks more like Grand Central Station than the quiet suite Arthur expected. As long as there's anyone else in the suite, Arthur will not stay and there will be no honeymoon.
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.
April ShowersApril Showers · 1948
April Showers
★ 6.51948
MovieMusic
A married couple who have a song-and-dance act in vaudeville are in trouble. Their struggling act is going nowhere, they're almost broke and they have to do something to get them back on top or they'll really be in trouble. They decide to put their young son in the act in hopes of attracting some new attention. The boy turns out to be a major talent, audiences love him and the act is on its way to the top. That's when an organization whose purpose is to stop children from performing on stage shows up, and they're dead set on breaking up the act.
Pigskin ParadePigskin Parade · 1936
Pigskin Parade
★ 6.01936
MovieComedyMusic
Bessie and Winston "Slug" Winters are married coaches whose mission is to whip their college football team into shape. Just in time, they discover a hillbilly farmhand and his sister. The hillbilly farmhand's ability to throw melons enables him to become their star passing ace.
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 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.

Filmography

Sort
That's Right – You're WrongThat's Right – You're Wrong · 1939
That's Right – You're Wrong
★ 6.21939
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