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.
Ao vencer concurso de beleza, jovem dançarina deixa o namorado para trás a fim de trabalhar como modelo. Mas descobre que o sucesso não substitui um grande amor. No Brooklyn, a dançarina de cabaré Rusty Parker tem uma vida simples mas feliz dançando no McGuire, cabaré de propriedade de seu namorado Danny. Rusty, Danny e Genius tem um ritual nas noites de sexta-feira: eles encomendam ostras em um bar, tentando encontrar uma pérola. A vida de Rusty muda quando ela participa e ganha um concurso para ser a garota da capa da revista Vanity. Ela é convidada a trabalhar em um grande teatro na Broadway, cujo proprietário propõe se casar com ela. Ela perde a felicidade e começa a beber em seu novo estilo de vida, sem o amor de Danny e seus velhos amigos.
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.
