When Johnny Comes Marching Home ( 1942 )

Overview

By popular consensus, Allan Jones' best Universal mini-musical of the 1940s was the timely When Johnny Comes Marching Home. Jones is cast as war hero Johnny Kovacs, who wearies of the adulation heaped upon him and takes refuge under an assumed name in a theatrical boarding house. Here he befriends orchestra leader Phil Spitalny and his all-girl aggregation, including the inimitable Evelyn and Her Magic Violin. When Army officials trace Johnny to the boarding house, his new friends assume that he's a deserter and try to convince him to return to duty.

Top Cast

Allan Jones

Johnny Kovacs aka Johnny O'Rourke

Jane Frazee

Joyce Benton

Gloria Jean

Marilyn Benton

Donald O'Connor

Frankie Flanagan

Peggy Ryan

Dusty

Paul Everton

Speaker (uncredited)

Grace Hayes

Orchestra Violinist

Richard Davies

Lt. Tommy Bridges

Maceo Anderson

One of the Four Step Brothers tap dancing act.

Clyde Fillmore

Hamilton Wellman

Marla Shelton

Diana Wellman