Emery Slade was one of the brightest stars in Hollywood in 1932, but by 1949 his career has hit the skids. Fortunately, he is able to convince studio head Melville Crossman to cast him in the adaptation of a hit Broadway show. Crossman has one condition: Slade must travel to New York and convince the female star of the stage production to join the film. Slade goes, but, when he eyes the winsome Julie Clarke, he hatches a different scheme.
In this chronicle of a vaudeville family, Myrtle McKinley (class of 1900) goes to San Francisco to attend business school, but ends up in a chorus line. Soon, star Frank Burt notices her talent, hires her for a "two-act", then marries her. Incidents of the marriage and the growing pains of eldest daughter Miriam are followed, interspersed with nostalgic musical numbers.
러스티 파커(Rusty Parker: 리타 헤이워드 분)는 브로드웨이의 나이트 클럽에서 일하는 코러스걸이다. 어느 날, 유명한 웨딩 잡지에서 커버 걸을 뽑는다는 얘기를 들은 러스티는 잡지사의 오디션에 참석하지만, 그 곳에서 만난 경쟁심 많은 동료의 잔꾀에 넘어가 오디션을 망치고 돌아온다. 한편 러스티의 동료를 보기 위해 나이트 클럽을 찾은 잡지사의 편집장 존 쿠대어(John Coudair: 오토 크루거 분)는 러스티에게 반하고 만다. 결국 러스티는 스타덤에 오르게 된다. 하지만 그녀는 잡지의 커버걸로 많은 돈을 벌면서도 우스꽝스런 나이트 클럽 공연을 계속한다.
Falling in love with the voice of Broadway chanteuse Margaret Garret, cocksure young tycoon Daniel Brewster decides to rescue the star from her hectic lifestyle of frenzied fans and mooching relatives. When Margaret has her ardent suitor arrested, the judge appoints her as Daniel's probation officer, forcing the duo to spend time together. As Daniel teaches Margaret to let her hair down and enjoy life, she begins to fall for her fun-loving admirer.
Nick and Nora Charles investigate when Nora's cousin reports her disreputable husband is missing, and find themselves in a mystery involving the shady owners of a popular nightclub, a singer and her dark brother, the cousin's forsaken true love, and Nora's bombastic and controlling aunt.
Jimmy Durante is jungle movie star Schnarzan the Conqueror, but the public is tiring of his fake lions. When Baron Munchausen comes to town with real man-eating lions, Durante throws him a big Hollywood star-studded party so that he might use the lions in his next movie. But, his film rival sneaks into the party to buy the lions before Durante.
Peter Brooks is a hard-working, hard-up college student whose dislike of women attending college weakens under the amorous advances of spoiled socialite coed Joan Madison.
