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Click on the titles below to hear excerpts from songs from Gloria Jean's films.

Gloria Jean's Films -- Visit this page for a complete list of Gloria's films with synopses, co-stars, and song excerpts--and links to films currently available on video.

December 1938 Screen Test

When Gloria Jean auditioned for the lead role in The Under-Pup in 1938, she sang "The Bell Song" from the opera Lakme for Joseph Pasternak. On the strength of that audition, Pasternak summoned Gloria to Hollywood. When she arrived at Universal Pictures in December 1938, she recorded "The Bell Song" and "Annie Laurie" in a screen test. These excerpts are from that screen test, the earliest known recordings of Gloria Jean's voice. She was 12 years old when these recordings were made.


Excerpt from "The Bell Song"
Excerpt from "Annie Laurie"


The Under-Pup

In The Under-Pup (1939), Gloria's first starring role, she goes to summer camp with members of The Purple Order of Penguins, an exclusive girls' club with their own marching song. Gloria adds her own touches to the song when she joins in.

Excerpt from "The Penguin Song"


If I Had My Way

This song was in original release prints of If I Had My Way in 1940,  but was deleted from future releases of the film. Happily, it has been restored in the DVD.

Excerpt from "Little Grey Home in the West"


A Little Bit of Heaven

These two songs are featured in A Little Bit of Heaven (1940). These performances are from a live radio broadcast to benefit the Canadian Red Cross in 1940.

Excerpt from "After Ev'ry Rainstorm"
Excerpt from "What Did We Learn at School?"


Never Give a Sucker an Even Break

This song was featured in Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941). This performance prompted a standing ovation at a 2003 screening of the film at UCLA at which Gloria was a guest.

Excerpt from "Estrellita"


What's Cookin'

In What's Cookin' (1942), Gloria swings her singing with a troupe of young performers.

Excerpt from "Love Laughs at Anything"


When Johnny Comes Marching Home

In the early 1940s, Donald O'Connor and Peggy Ryan often joined Gloria in her films, making a popular threesome. In When Johnny Comes Marching Home (1943), Gloria and Peggy try to convince Donald to stick to one girl at a time!

Excerpt from "One of Us Has Gotta Go"


Easy to Look At

In her last film produced for Universal Pictures, Easy to Look At (1945), Gloria sings a charming song as she prepares for a special evening out. This clip shows that she could handle a pop song as capably as she could a classical or swing tune.

Excerpt from "Come Along, My Heart"


I Surrender Dear

Two excerpts from I Surrender Dear (1948) that show Gloria's versatility: one classical, one pop.

Excerpt from "Sailing Along" ("The Blue Danube")
Excerpt from "I Surrender Dear"


Snader Telescriptions

These short films, one song apiece, were often used as fillers between television programs in the 1950s. Here are samples of two of the six Gloria made in 1951.

Excerpt from "Conchita Lopez"
Excerpt from "Shrimp Boats"


Air Strike

Gloria's one song in Air Strike (1955) is the only reason to see the film, unless you're very fond of stock footage of military planes and ships.

Excerpt from "Each Time You Leave Me"


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© 20062018  by Scott MacGillivray and Jan MacGillivray.