ABOUT THE FILM:

Thousands Cheer was Judy's first "guest appearance" in an MGM film, playing herself in the "all star" finale to the film. It was also her first appearance in Technicolor since 1939's The Wizard Of Oz. She would make guest appearances in three more films: 1946's Ziegfeld Follies as "A Great Lady" (in the number "A Great Lady Has An Interview"); as Marilyn Miller in 1946's Till The Clouds Roll By; then again as herself in 1948's Words And Music.

Here, Judy is introduced by Mickey Rooney and gets the classical pianist Jose Iturbi to "swing" with her song "The Joint Is Really Jumpin' Down At Carnegie Hall". In 1961 Judy herself would make Carnegie Hall "jump" with her legendary concert performance.

Thousands Cheer is really a vehicle for the very young Kathryn Grayson and rising star Gene Kelly (who had previously debuted on film co-starring with Judy in 1942's For Me And My Gal) and is typical of the current trend of the studios at that time to make all-star films(usually with military themes) for the troops fighting overseas.

Judy's schedule was so hectic at this time that when she recorded and filmed this spot for Thousands Cheer, she was also working Girl Crazy and Presenting Lily Mars (both released in 1943).

The film received one Oscar nomination, for Best Original Score (Herbert Stothart) (Ray Heindorf won for Warner Bros.' This Is the Army - another military themed all-star film).

SONGS:

Sempre Libera (from Verdi's La Traviata)
(Kathryn Grayson)

Daybreak
(Kathryn Grayson)

Three Letters in the Mailbox
(Kathryn Grayson)

I Dug a Ditch
(Ben Blue and unidentified trio)

I Dug a Ditch (reprise)
(Kathryn Grayson and Male Chorus)

Let There Be Music
(Kathryn Grayson)

Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2
(piano solo by Jose Iturbi)

Let Me Call You Sweetheart/I Dug a Ditch
(instrumental danced by Gene Kelly and mop)

All Star M-G-M Parade:
American Patrol
(played by Orchestra conducted by Jose Iturbi)

Boogie Woogie
(danced by Eleanor Powell)

In a Little Spanish Town
(Gloria De Haven, June Allyson and Virginia O'Brien with Bob Crosby and His Orchestra)

WAVES Skit
(Frank Morgan [Doctor], Ann Sothern [1st Recruit], Lucille Ball [2nd Recruit], Marsha Hunt [3rd Recruit], Sara Haden [Nurse], Henry O'Neill [Doctor] )

I Dug a Ditch
(Kay Kyser and His Orchestra with Georgia Carroll)

Should I?
(Georgia Carroll with Kay Kyser and His Orchestra)

Tico Tico
(danced by Maxine Barrat and Don Loper)

"Test Pilot"
(Mickey Rooney impersonations of Clark Gable and Lionel Barrymore)

Honeysuckle Rose
(Lena Horne with Benny Carter and His Band)

Red Skelton Skit
(Red Skelton [Soda Jerk], Donna Reed [lady with forgotten name], Margaret O'Brien [little girl])

The Joint Is Really Jumpin' Down At Carnegie Hall
(Judy Garland with Jose Iturbi at the piano)

The Flying Corbinos
(performed by Gene Kelly and Aerialists)

The United Nations (Victory Song)
(Kathryn Grayson and the United Nations Chorus with Orchestra Conducted by Jose Iturbi)