WE WEREN'T FAMILIAR with the name of Irish-American tenor and song writer extraordinaire, Chancellor 'Chauncy' Olcott until a very short time ago. We had caught a portion of the film last year, but did not view the opening credits, nor did we see much more than the earliest of scenes. We certainly weren't aware that this Dennis Morgan starring vehicle was a biography.
Hollywood HAS ALWAYS liked to do biopics about various prominent figures in show biz history and no one did love it more so than Warner Brothers. Perhaps the head honchos at that studio were attempting to catch lightning in a bottle for a second time in doing his title of MY WILD IRISH ROSE. Being that Chauncy Olcott was a contemporary of George M. Cohan's, they figured that they might have another YANKEE DOODLE DANDY on their hands.
ALTHOUGH THE MOVIE was well received and did get some Oscar nominations, it dell just a little short of any such expectations.
IN ADDITION TO the expected scenes of recreations of theatrical shows of the 1890's, the obligatory montages of train travels to various hamlets and the inclusion of the popular music of the period, the movie does score on some other levels.
LOOKING AT ITS historical references, it does manage to include some real characters of the times. Both Lillian Russell (Andrea King) and William Scanlon (William Frawley) were well know singers of the era. The character of "Duke" Muldoon (George O'Brien) was also right out of the history books; as wrestling champion William Muldoon was an outstanding and accomplished grappler and American Heavyweight Champion.
HE WAS A CONTEMPORARY and friend of "the Boston Strong Boy", Heavyweight Boxing Champion, John L. Sullivan; as well as being a physical culture trainer and exponent, who treated his body as a temple. Muldoon was the President of the New York State Athletic Commission for many years.
IN CLOSING WE must mention that Dennis Morgan did bear a striking resemblance to some photos we've seen of a young Chauncy Olcott. Ironically, even though that Mr. Morgan was a singer, his voice was dubbed by one other; that being Dennis Day, who was both a tenor and of Irish descent.
Hollywood HAS ALWAYS liked to do biopics about various prominent figures in show biz history and no one did love it more so than Warner Brothers. Perhaps the head honchos at that studio were attempting to catch lightning in a bottle for a second time in doing his title of MY WILD IRISH ROSE. Being that Chauncy Olcott was a contemporary of George M. Cohan's, they figured that they might have another YANKEE DOODLE DANDY on their hands.
ALTHOUGH THE MOVIE was well received and did get some Oscar nominations, it dell just a little short of any such expectations.
IN ADDITION TO the expected scenes of recreations of theatrical shows of the 1890's, the obligatory montages of train travels to various hamlets and the inclusion of the popular music of the period, the movie does score on some other levels.
LOOKING AT ITS historical references, it does manage to include some real characters of the times. Both Lillian Russell (Andrea King) and William Scanlon (William Frawley) were well know singers of the era. The character of "Duke" Muldoon (George O'Brien) was also right out of the history books; as wrestling champion William Muldoon was an outstanding and accomplished grappler and American Heavyweight Champion.
HE WAS A CONTEMPORARY and friend of "the Boston Strong Boy", Heavyweight Boxing Champion, John L. Sullivan; as well as being a physical culture trainer and exponent, who treated his body as a temple. Muldoon was the President of the New York State Athletic Commission for many years.
IN CLOSING WE must mention that Dennis Morgan did bear a striking resemblance to some photos we've seen of a young Chauncy Olcott. Ironically, even though that Mr. Morgan was a singer, his voice was dubbed by one other; that being Dennis Day, who was both a tenor and of Irish descent.