Backstage and Broaadway: Mother Wore Tights(1947)

Way before How I Met Your Mother, there was 20th Century Fox's Mother Wore Tights. This film,  narrated by their youngest daughter Mikie (Connie Marshall), tells the story of Frank and Myrtle Burt(An actual Vaudevillian couple during the early 1900's.) played by Dan Daily and

Betty Grable.

Their story begins after Myrtle McKinley graduates high school. She and 2 other girlfriends journey off  to start their new lives of college and work. Futures change when they decide to take in a show at Schneider's Matinee Daily. When the box office operator  almost gets caught getting the girls in free, he tries saving his job by telling him the young ladies were interested in being apart of his act. Myrtle, of course,was brave enough to accept the part and instantly became a chorus girl. She soon meets her husband-to-be Frank Burt; the smooth and charming star of Schneider's show.

Talent, among other things, attracts them each other.Frank and Myrtle form a team; on stage and as husband and wife. They become a successful team on and off stage and soon become parents of 2 lovely daughters Iris (Mona Freeman) and Mikie. Myrtle becomes a stay at home while Frank continues on the circuit. However, he soon finds that no one can replace his wife and sends for her to join in the act while grandmother mckinley looks after the girls during the winter.

Wanting the girls to have a more stable life and be with kids their age, they are place in Ms.Ridgeway's boarding school. With a new school, comes new friends and Iris ,in particular, is afraid that her high society friends will look down on her showbiz parents as they do other actors. Iris' fears are soon put to rest when her parents bring their act to the school and prove that they aren't the aververage showbiz hams.This restores her pride of her family and is proud of her mother wearing tights.

Mother Wore Tights is a film with a sweet story of love and family .No big splashy numbers in this one but definitely enjoyable. Unlike films such as Moon Over Miami, I think this movie highlights more of Betty's vocal talents but an overall great film;especially her teaming with Dan Dailey.

Enjoy,

Neah B