Three Little Words
“A wonderful musical!”
Synopsis
Song-and-dance man Bert Kalmar can't continue his stage career after an injury, so he has to earn his money as a lyricist. By chance, he meets composer Harry Ruby and their first song is a hit. Ruby gets Kalmar to marry his former partner Jessie Brown, and Kalmar and Jessie prevent Ruby from getting married to the wrong girls. But due to the fact that Ruby has caused a backer's withdrawal for a Kalmar play, they end their professional relationship.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Three Little Words - TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2013-08-25
Top Cast
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Fred Astaire
Bert Kalmar
Red Skelton
Harry Ruby
Vera-Ellen
Jessie Brown Kalmar
Arlene Dahl
Eileen Percy
Keenan Wynn
Charlie Kope
Gale Robbins
Terry Lordel
Gloria DeHaven
Mrs. Carter DeHaven
Phil Regan
Phil Regan
Harry Shannon
Clanahan
Debbie Reynolds
Helen Kane
Paul Harvey
Al Masters
Carleton Carpenter
Dan Healy
George Metkovich
Al Schacht
Harry Mendoza
The Great Mendoza
Beverly Michaels
Shipboard Woman (uncredited)
Helen Kane
Helen Kane (singing voice) (uncredited)
Pat Flaherty
Coach (uncredited)
Brick Sullivan
Policeman on Street (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
July 12, 1950
Wide Cinema Exhibition
September 28, 2010
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$1.5M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$4.5M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
3.08x
+$3.1M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Richard Thorpe
- Screenplay & Story
- George Wells
- Original Title
- Three Little Words
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 42m
- Production Budget
- $1.5M
- Worldwide Gross
- $4.5M
- Production Studios
- Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Richard Thorpe
George Wells
Harry Jackson
Jack Cummings
Department Leadership Roster
Richard Thorpe
Director
George Wells
Screenplay
Jack Cummings
Producer
Helen Rose
Costume Design
Harry Jackson
Director of Photography
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
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Three Little Words.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Three Little Words.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Three Little Words
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Three Little Words about?
Song-and-dance man Bert Kalmar can't continue his stage career after an injury, so he has to earn his money as a lyricist. By chance, he meets composer Harry Ruby and their first song is a hit. Ruby gets Kalmar to marry his former partner Jessie Brown, and Kalmar and Jessie prevent Ruby from getting married to the wrong girls. But due to the fact that Ruby has caused a backer's withdrawal for a Kalmar play, they end their professional relationship.
Who directed Three Little Words?
Three Little Words was directed by Richard Thorpe.
Who stars in Three Little Words?
The principal cast of Three Little Words includes Fred Astaire, Red Skelton, Vera-Ellen, Arlene Dahl, Keenan Wynn.
When was Three Little Words released and how long is it?
Three Little Words was released in 1950 with a total runtime of 1h 42m.
What was the box office and production budget of Three Little Words?
Three Little Words had a reported production budget of $1.5M and grossed $4.5M at the worldwide box office (3.08 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
What is the age rating and content advisory for Three Little Words?
Three Little Words holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).