| Photos (see all 9 | slideshow) |
| Judy Holliday | ... | Ella Peterson | |
| Dean Martin | ... | Jeffrey Moss | |
| Fred Clark | ... | Larry Hastings | |
| Eddie Foy Jr. | ... | J. Otto Prantz | |
| Jean Stapleton | ... | Sue | |
| Ruth Storey | ... | Gwynne | |
| Dort Clark | ... | Inspector Barnes | |
| Frank Gorshin | ... | Blake Barton | |
| Ralph Roberts | ... | Francis | |
| Valerie Allen | ... | Olga | |
| Bernard West | ... | Dr. Joe Kitchell, DDS (as Bernie West) | |
| Steve Peck | ... | Gangster (as Steven Peck) | |
| Gerry Mulligan | ... | Ella's blind date | |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Jimmy Ames | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Suzanne Ames | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Nancy Anderson | ... | Actress (uncredited) | |
| Phil Arnold | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Jan Arvan | ... | Headwaiter (uncredited) | |
| Rayford Barnes | ... | Mug (uncredited) | |
| Irene Barton | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Virginia Bates | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Rodney Bell | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Nicky Blair | ... | Mug (uncredited) | |
| Madge Blake | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Oliver Blake | ... | Ludwig Smiley (uncredited) | |
| Lela Bliss | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Gail Bonney | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Nesdon Booth | ... | Mike (uncredited) | |
| Leonard Bremen | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| John Bryant | ... | Doorman (uncredited) | |
| Aileen Carlyle | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Sue Casey | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Helen Chapman | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Marian Collier | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Richard Collier | ... | Peanut Eater (uncredited) | |
| Jimmy Cross | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Lucille Curtis | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Donna Douglas | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Michael Dugan | ... | Cop (uncredited) | |
| Joan Dupuis | ... | Actress (uncredited) | |
| Tommy Farrell | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Leona Gage | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Jeanne Gerson | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Bill Giorgio | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Joe Gray | ... | Bartender (uncredited) | |
| Christian Haren | ... | Actor (uncredited) | |
| John Hart | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Barbara Hines | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| John Holland | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Stuart Holmes | ... | Man in park (uncredited) | |
| Bob Hopkins | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| William Hudson | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| John Indrisano | ... | Mug (uncredited) | |
| Roy Jenson | ... | Cop (uncredited) | |
| Michael Johnson | ... | Actor (uncredited) | |
| Morgan Jones | ... | Telephone Man (uncredited) | |
| Sally Ann Jones | ... | Actress (uncredited) | |
| June Kirby | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| William Kirschner | ... | Man with Kitchell (uncredited) | |
| Marina Koshetz | ... | Mme. Grimaldi (uncredited) | |
| Frank Kreig | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Gil Lamb | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Len Lesser | ... | Charlie Bessemer (uncredited) | |
| Buddy Lewis | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Hal Linden | ... | Singer of 'The Midas Touch' (uncredited) | |
| Margie Liszt | ... | Mrs. Mollett (uncredited) | |
| Evan MacNeil | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Gregg Martell | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Paul Maxwell | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Eugene McCarthy | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Owen McGiveney | ... | Janitor (uncredited) | |
| Joe McTurk | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| John Melfi | ... | Actor (uncredited) | |
| Shepard Menken | ... | Narrator of Susanswerphone Ad (voice) (uncredited) | |
| Frank Mitchell | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Titus Moede | ... | Beatnik Actor (uncredited) | |
| Jean Moorhead | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Milton Parsons | ... | Pedestrian next to Barney Lampwick (uncredited) | |
| Robert Patten | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Ruth Perrott | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Frank Richards | ... | Barney Lampweck, Pedestrian greeting Barney (uncredited) | |
| Nina Roman | ... | Actress (uncredited) | |
| Virginia Rose | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Don Ross | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Frank J. Scannell | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Pamela Searle | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Maida Severn | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Della Sharman | ... | Actress (uncredited) | |
| Olan Soule | ... | Nervous Man (uncredited) | |
| Helen Spring | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Joan Staley | ... | Girl in Shower (uncredited) | |
| Steve Stevens | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| George E. Stone | ... | Bookie (uncredited) | |
| Herb Vigran | ... | Charles Bessemer (uncredited) | |
| Joseph Vitale | ... | Mug (uncredited) | |
| Nancy Walters | ... | Bit Role (uncredited) | |
| Chris Warfield | ... | Young Man on Street (uncredited) | |
| Sandy Warner | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
| Sammy White | ... | Vendor (uncredited) | |
| Wendy Wilde | ... | Actress (uncredited) | |
| Doris Wiss | ... | Actress (uncredited) | |
| Wilson Wood | ... | Party Guest (uncredited) | |
Directed by | |||
| Vincente Minnelli | |||
Writing credits(in alphabetical order) | ||
| Betty Comden | play "Bells Are Ringing" | |
| Betty Comden | screenplay | |
| Adolph Green | play "Bells Are Ringing" | |
| Adolph Green | screenplay | |
Produced by | |||
| Arthur Freed | .... | producer | |
Original Music by | |||
| Jule Styne | |||
Cinematography by | |||
| Milton R. Krasner | (director of photography) (as Milton Krasner) | ||
Film Editing by | |||
| Adrienne Fazan | |||
Art Direction by | |||
| E. Preston Ames | (as Preston Ames) | ||
| George W. Davis | |||
Set Decoration by | |||
| F. Keogh Gleason | (as Keogh Gleason) | ||
| Henry Grace | |||
Costume Design by | |||
| Walter Plunkett | |||
Makeup Department | |||
| Sydney Guilaroff | .... | hair stylist | |
| William Tuttle | .... | makeup designer | |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director | |||
| William McGarry | .... | assistant director | |
Sound Department | |||
| Franklin Milton | .... | recording supervisor | |
| Van Allen James | .... | sound editor (uncredited) | |
Special Effects by | |||
| A. Arnold Gillespie | .... | special effects | |
| Lee LeBlanc | .... | special effects | |
Editorial Department | |||
| Charles K. Hagedon | .... | color consultant | |
Music Department | |||
| Alexander Courage | .... | orchestrator | |
| Pete King | .... | orchestrator | |
| André Previn | .... | conductor | |
| André Previn | .... | music adaptor | |
Other crew | |||
| Charles O'Curran | .... | choreographer | |
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| The Galloping Ghost | Woman in Distress | Tootsie | Go Into Your Dance | The Hard Way |
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| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
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Judy Holliday originated the role of Ella Petersen, the Susanwersphone switchboard operator, in Vincente Minnelli's adaptation of the Broadway musical, with music by Jules Styne and book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Although filmed in 1960, this musical belongs to the conventions of the 1950's with a brassy orchestration, superfluous supporting cast for comic relief, and a Brando impersonator. That Holliday remains as the best thing about it, in spite of Minnelli's less flattering treatment of her than George Cukor, is a tribute to her gifts as an actress, in particular a Broadway performer with the subtlety to adapt for film acting.
Holliday's two solo numbers - It's a Perfect Relationship and I'm Going Back - are triumphs of personal charm, in spite of the director. Minnelli has trouble de-staging the switchboard environment and the film only comes to life after Holliday leaves it to meet Dean Martin, as her favourite client, in person. In the Better than a Dream number, where both Holliday and Martin sing oblivious to the other's reality, this is Minnelli finally presenting a musical sequence cinematically. This pattern continues with Martin's funny I Met a Girl, sung as he battles street crowds. Minnelli treats Holliday's plaintive ballad The Party's Over simply, if disappointedly in long and medium shot presumably since he thinks Holliday's voice doesn't deserve a closeup, in contrast to the botched Just in Time, the score's most lovely song, wretchedly staged. The Drop That Name number is probably more about Minnelli than Holliday, since he scores points off her, comparing her perceived frumpiness to the vacuous stereotypical 1950's society vamp.
Holliday and Martin play off each other well, overcoming the oddness of their union. Martin actually looks not at his best, which undermines the romantic appeal, and his solo reveals he shouldn't be given one. It's hard not to consider his character's fear of success without his partner and not have thoughts of Jerry Lewis, though believing Martin as a playwright is trouble enough. Thankfully there's Holliday. Far more likeable and individual than say a Doris Day, Minnelli's having her lower her head for pathos is the lowest appreciation of her potential. This wasn't considered a great musical to begin with, and the film is pretty hard to take whenever the supporting players take over, with excruciating bits featuring Eddie Foy and The Titanic record company, vice squad surveillance, and the mafia, however the songwriting dentist gave me a few chuckles.