Mes sept petits chenapans

Interesting that the generally considered high point of Bob Hope's career has him essaying roles of famous celebrities of the past. Hope played Jimmy Walker, the mayor of New York during prohibition and the famous vaudevillian Eddie Foy who as we learned in Yankee Doodle Dandy gave his country seven children. Hope acquits himself well and you almost, but not quite forget that you are watching Bob Hope.

Eddie Foy (1855-1928) was one of the most celebrated acts of vaudeville in the golden age of vaudeville in the 19th century. Completely eliminated from the story are his first two wives, both of whom died and a fourth wife whom he married after the action of this story is over. Milly Vitale and her sister Angela Clarke however were quite real.

Eddie Foy, Jr. partially made a career of playing his celebrated father in many films, on stage, and in television. He did such a good job of bringing him to life, that whoever played Foy if his name wasn't Foy was going to be hypercritically judged. It's a great credit to Bob Hope that the public accepted him in the part with no reservations.

The story is familiar enough material, widower raising a large brood of children with the usual problems without mother in the picture. It just so happens that this family was in show business, a lot like the Cohan family so shown in Yankee Doodle Dandy.

Eddie Foy, Jr. played his dad in Yankee Doodle Dandy in that one celebrated exchange of one liners with James Cagney right before the You're A Grand Old Flag number. The highlight of this film is Cagney reprising his role as Cohan and doing a soft shoe routine at a Friar's Club dinner with Hope. Both Cagney and Hope did their turns in vaudeville before they were names and there was no need of any character preparation for their parts. The dance routine yes, but the acting no.

The Seven Little Foys is a heartwarming family film, a bit more serious than the usual Bob Hope fare, but still charming and entertaining.

This is underrated as both a Bob Hope vehicle and a musical biopic: even if it follows the basic path of all such films (the struggle to achieve success followed by the pitfalls of celebrity, not forgetting the obligatory romance and the equally inevitable tragedy), it's very capably mounted – with the script even garnering an Oscar nomination. The star is in very fine form here, balancing characterization with his traditional banter; Milly Vitale is radiant as his wife who bears him seven children and then dies. Since Foy's only ever known showbiz, he opts to drag them all into his act! Incidentally, one of the kids (Bryan) grew up to be a film-maker himself but was mainly noted as a producer with a penchant for the noir genre!

Even so, THE SEVEN LITTLE FOYS is perhaps best-known for a guest appearance by James Cagney, reprising his Oscar-winning role of George M. Cohan from YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (1942) – where, incidentally, Foy was portrayed by his real life son, Eddie Jr; interestingly, George Tobias played Cohan's manager in that earlier film and Foy's here! Anyway, Hope and Cagney's one scene together – which culminates in a dancing duel/duet – is not merely the picture's undeniable highlight but pure cinema magic in and of itself where two top movie stars incarnate a couple of great vaudevillians strutting their stuff. As with a handful of other Hope titles I own, the film has unaccountably fallen into the Public Domain despite being a major studio production, but the copy I acquired thankfully maintains remarkably vibrant colors throughout.

In 1913, vaudeville comic Bob Hope (as Eddie Foy) and "The Seven Little Foys" are a successful act. Second child Charley Foy (as Charley Foy) introduces himself as narrator and takes us back to 1898, where Mr. Hope is a solo act uninterested in women. This changes when beautiful Italian ballerina Milly Vitale (as Madeleine Morando) arrives on the scene. Although Mr. Hope is a tough nut to crack, the two somehow forms a family. A tragedy occurs and there are hardships on the road. The act becomes famous. Principal players include Hope's faithful agent George Tobias (as Barney Green), comic foil aunt Angela Clarke (as Clara), and eldest son Billy Gray (as Bryan Lincoln Foy). In a cameo highlight, James Cagney reprises his "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (1942) role of George M. Cohan.

***** The Seven Little Foys (6/1/55) Melville Shavelson ~ Bob Hope, George Tobias, Angela Clarke, Billy Gray

Bob Hope executive produced and narrated a one hour TV sequel (serving as a pilot) with Eddie Foy, Jr. as 'Eddie Foy' and Mickey Rooney as 'George M. Cohan.' The Osmond Brothers played the boys and the youngest daughter was played by Morgan Britney. George Tobias reprised his role as Foy's agent 'Barney Green' and Angela Clarke took over the role of 'Aunt Clara.' The story picks up where the original ends with Eddie deciding to retire the act and put the kids in public school. Cohan and Green plot to bring the act back to the stage. Though in black-in-white, 48 minutes long, and a much lower budget, the sequel is quite satisfying to fans of the original. Foy, Jr. had served as narrator and consultant for the original so it was a neat turn to have Hope narrate this one. I found a copy of the film from the web site of "20th Century Nostalgia" for under fifteen dollars. I don't have any affiliation with them but they are the only ones I know that carry it, so I pass the information along to fans. The original is my favorite Bob Hope movie (I own them all!) so I was a tough sell.

***1/2 for this Bob Hope vehicle made in 1955.

The biography details the life of song and dance man Eddie Foy. Hope has the usual right wit and sarcastic blend to produce a wonderful performance. His dancing is exactly the right step as well.

He meets and marries a ballerina played by Millie Vitale. The children start coming real fast. Each time, Vitale's sister, a tough-looking strong woman named Clara, announces: "We're pregnant!"

7 little Foys enter the world. Eddie is too busy in his show business career and is rarely home. Go know that Vitale's cough is more serious than a cold. One night he arrives home to the news that his beloved wife had died during the day. Stricken with disbelief and sadness, Eddie vows to keep the family together and engages the children to appear in his act.

Meanwhile, Aunt Clara schemes to have Eddie declared unsuitable so that she can gain control of the children.

A fine musical and dance sequence with James Cagney reprising his role of George M. Cowan is shown in this delightful film.