42nd Street
“The Greatest Musical Hit the Screen Has Ever Known!”
Synopsis
Broadway director Julian Marsh needs just one more hit show so he can retire and recover his health. It looks like he just may pull it off until temperamental star Dorthy Brock breaks her ankle on the eve of the show's premiere and has to be replaced by her understudy Peggy.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
‘42nd Street’ Play by Play with Dave Karger | TCM Musical MatineeOfficial
Type: Featurette • Published 2022-11-10
Top Cast
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Warner Baxter
Julian Marsh
Bebe Daniels
Dorothy Brock
George Brent
Pat Denning
Ruby Keeler
Peggy
Guy Kibbee
Abner Dillon
Una Merkel
Lorraine Fleming
Ginger Rogers
Ann
Ned Sparks
Barry
Dick Powell
Billy Lawler
Allen Jenkins
Mac Elroy
Edward Nugent
Terry
Robert McWade
Jones
George E. Stone
Andy Lee
Toby Wing
Partner in "Young & Healthy" Number (uncredited)
Louise Beavers
Pansy (uncredited)
Charles Lane
Author of 'Pretty Lady' (uncredited)
Wallis Clark
Dr. Chadwick (uncredited)
Tom Kennedy
Slim Murphy (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
Denver, Colorado
Festival / Special Debut
March 11, 1933
Wide Cinema Exhibition
September 19, 2000
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$439K
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$2.3M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
5.2x
+$1.8M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Lloyd Bacon
- Screenplay & Story
- James Seymour, Rian James
- Original Score
- Al Dubin, Harry Warren
- Original Title
- 42nd Street
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 29m
- Production Budget
- $439K
- Worldwide Gross
- $2.3M
- Production Studios
- Warner Bros. Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Lloyd Bacon
James Seymour, Rian James, Bradford Ropes, Harry Warren, Al Dubin
Al Dubin, Harry Warren
Sol Polito
Thomas Pratt, Frank Ware
Darryl F. Zanuck
Department Leadership Roster
Thomas Pratt
Editor
Frank Ware
Editor
James Seymour
Screenplay
Sol Polito
Director of Photography
Lloyd Bacon
Director
Rian James
Screenplay
Al Dubin
Original Music Composer
Harry Warren
Original Music Composer
Orry-Kelly
Costume Design
Darryl F. Zanuck
Producer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Universal — Suitable for all audiences.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for 42nd Street.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring 42nd Street.
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1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-18 07:40:36 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About 42nd Street
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is 42nd Street about?
Broadway director Julian Marsh needs just one more hit show so he can retire and recover his health. It looks like he just may pull it off until temperamental star Dorthy Brock breaks her ankle on the eve of the show's premiere and has to be replaced by her understudy Peggy.
Who directed 42nd Street?
42nd Street was directed by Lloyd Bacon.
Who stars in 42nd Street?
The principal cast of 42nd Street includes Warner Baxter, Bebe Daniels, George Brent, Ruby Keeler, Guy Kibbee.
When was 42nd Street released and how long is it?
42nd Street was released in 1933 with a total runtime of 1h 29m.
What was the box office and production budget of 42nd Street?
42nd Street had a reported production budget of $439K and grossed $2.3M at the worldwide box office (5.2 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for 42nd Street?
The original motion picture soundtrack for 42nd Street was composed by Al Dubin, Harry Warren.
Is 42nd Street based on a book or true story?
42nd Street is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Bradford Ropes".
What is the age rating and content advisory for 42nd Street?
42nd Street holds official age classifications: GB: U (Universal — Suitable for all audiences.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).