IMDb > Bells Are Ringing (1960)

Bells Are Ringing (1960) More at IMDbPro »

Overview

User Rating:
7.0/10   1,001 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Vincente Minnelli
Writers:
Betty Comden (play)
Betty Comden (screenplay)
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Bells Are Ringing on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
23 June 1960 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy | Musical | Romance more
Plot:
Ella Peterson is a Brooklyn telephone answering service operator who tries to improve the lives of her... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 4 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(5 articles)
Wedding Bells Are Ringing for Khloe Kardashian
 (From The Insider. 22 September 2009, 9:37 PM, PDT)
David Garrison, the Distinctive Everyman Actor
 (From TheImproper.com. 30 August 2009, 11:39 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
Great Actress' Swansong more (24 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)
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 ... Bernie Dunstock - Peanut Man (uncredited)
Suzanne Ames ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Nancy Anderson ... Actress (uncredited)
Phil Arnold ... Man on Street (uncredited)
Jan Arvan ... Headwaiter (uncredited)
Rayford Barnes ... Bookie (uncredited)
Irene Barton ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Virginia Bates ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Rodney Bell ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Nicky Blair ... Nick - Hood (uncredited)
Madge Blake ... Woman on Street (uncredited)

Oliver Blake ... Ludwig Smiley (uncredited)
Lela Bliss ... Dowager Art Lover Party Guest (uncredited)
Gail Bonney ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Nesdon Booth ... Mike - Coffee Shop Proprietor (uncredited)
Leonard Bremen ... Irate Pedestrian (uncredited)
John Bryant ... Doorman (uncredited)
Robert Cabal ... Subway Passenger (uncredited)
Aileen Carlyle ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Sue Casey ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Helen Chapman ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Marian Collier ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Richard Collier ... Peanut Eater (uncredited)
Jimmy Cross ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Lucille Curtis ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Michael Dugan ... Cop (uncredited)
Joan Dupuis ... Actress (uncredited)
Tommy Farrell ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Paul Frees ... Singing Voice of Tommy Farrell (voice) (uncredited)
Leona Gage ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Jeanne Gerson ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Bill Giorgio ... Minor Role (uncredited)

Joe Gray ... Bartender (uncredited)
Christian Haren ... Actor (uncredited)
Barbara Hines ... Party Guest (uncredited)
John Holland ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes ... Man in park (uncredited)
Bob Hopkins ... Party Guest (uncredited)
John Indrisano ... Bookie (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 ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Gil Lamb ... Pratfalling Party Guest (uncredited)

Len Lesser ... Charlie Bessemer (uncredited)
Buddy Lewis ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Hal Linden ... Singer of 'The Midas Touch' (uncredited)
Margie Liszt ... Mrs. Mollett (uncredited)
Evan MacNeil ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Gregg Martell ... Man on Street (uncredited)
Paul Maxwell ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Eugene McCarthy ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Owen McGiveney ... Janitor (uncredited)
Joe McTurk ... Minor Role (uncredited)
John Melfi ... Actor (uncredited)
Shepard Menken ... Narrator of Susanswerphone Ad (voice) (uncredited)

Titus Moede ... Beatnik Actor (uncredited)
Jean Moorhead ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Forbes Murray ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Milton Parsons ... Pedestrian next to Barney Lampwick (uncredited)
Robert Patten ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Ruth Perrott ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Mae Questel ... Olga (voice) (uncredited)
Frank Richards ... Barney Lampwick's Friend - Man on Street (uncredited)
Nina Roman ... Actress (uncredited)
Virginia Rose ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Don Ross ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Frank J. Scannell ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Pamela Searle ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Maida Severn ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Della Sharman ... Actress (uncredited)
Helen Spring ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Steve Stevens ... Minor Role (uncredited)
George E. Stone ... Blind Bookie (uncredited)
Herb Vigran ... Barney Lampwick - Man on Street (uncredited)
Joseph Vitale ... Bookie (uncredited)
Nancy Walters ... Minor Role (uncredited)
Chris Warfield ... Young Man on Street (uncredited)
Sandy Warner ... Party Guest (uncredited)
Wendy Wilde ... Actress (uncredited)
Doris Wiss ... Actress (uncredited)
Wilson Wood ... Party Guest (uncredited)
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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
 
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
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
127 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English | French
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
4-Track Stereo (Westrex Recording System)
Certification:
Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:U
Filming Locations:
East Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
Company:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Except for two uncredited parts in her first two films, this was the only color film Judy Holliday made. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Jeffrey cleans a spot on the mirror, his left hand is leaning on the wall next the mirror. In the following shot his left arm is by his side. more
Quotes:
Ella: I'm going back where I can be me, at the Bonjour Tristese Brassiere Company! more
Movie Connections:
Featured in 100 Years of Comedy (1997) (V) more
Soundtrack:
The Midas Touch more

FAQ

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User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
18 out of 18 people found the following comment useful.
Great Actress' Swansong, 3 May 2004
Author: harry-76 from Cleveland, Ohio

Since the play, "Laurette," was never realized, the movie version of "Bells are Ringing" serves as Judy Holliday's "final" performance.

It's to her credit that she comes off as well as she does. The film is extremely stagey, and looks contrived and bloated, despite a most competent cast and director.

Yet Holliday is buoyant, full of fun, and energetic--all hallmarks of her theatrical persona.

I've read Holliday's complete bio, and am amazed she was able to overcome the tremendous obstacles she endured, from her sad childhood and family relationship through the communist "witch hunt" period--which left her saddled with protest pickets that followed her around--to failed marriages, lack of employment, and care giving responsibilities for her child and parent. All the while working wherever she could and keep smiling.

In many respects her career is quite similar to that of Montgomery Clift. Both apparently gave their best work on the stage, night after night before live audiences, rather than on film. Had both stayed in the theatre, their respective careers and lives might have remained more stable and healthy--and be alive today.

"Bells are Ringing" is a final tribute to a great talent, an Oscar-winning actress and comedienne who graced the stage and screen with a radiant presence and winning demeanor. Fortunately, as long as her films are shown, Judy Holliday will live and be rediscovered by future generations.

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