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Farnsworth and Dr. Schlenna, two
producers who are planning a benefit extravaganza, want Dinah Shore,
a singer on
Eddie Cantor's radio show, to appear in their benefit, but they
must first make a deal with Cantor, who holds her contract.
Farnsworth fears that Cantor will want to interfere in the
production in exchange for Dinah's participation.
Meanwhile, outside the Hollywood studio,
aspiring actor Joe Simpson gathers a group of tourists for a tour of
stars' homes. Although a talented dramatic actor, Joe is
unable to find work because he so closely resembles Cantor that
people start to laugh as soon as they see him. While Joe waits
for one last customer, songwriter Pat Dixon demands her money back
from Barney Jackson, a talent agent who had promised to sell her
song.
When Jackson makes his escape in a taxi,
Pat jumps on Joe's bus, mistaking it for another taxi, and realizes
the truth too late to get off. After Joe learns of Pat's
problems, he offers her a place to stay in the Gower Gulch studio
area where his friends, all aspiring entertainers, have built houses
out of old movie sets. Among the group are Spike Jones and his
City Slickers, a goofy, energetic band, and Tommy Randolph, a
singer. Tommy, an unknowing victim of Jackson's trickery,
believes that he has a contract to sing with Cantor.
The following day, Tommy arrives at
Cantor's home, where Farnsworth and Schlenna are doggedly trying to
obtain Dinah's services. After some confusion, Cantor has
Tommy thrown out of his house, and the producers agree to make
Cantor chairman of the benefit committee in return for Dinah's
appearance in the show. Despite his promise not to interfere,
Cantor makes changes in all the production numbers until Farnsworth,
pretending to be a reporter, calls Cantor on the telephone and
encourages him to tell his life's story. When Pat learns about
the benefit, she suggests that Tommy crash the performance and sing
in front of a professional audience.
With Pat's help, Tommy sneaks backstage,
but is once again kicked out by Cantor. Pat is not defeated,
however, and proposes that Joe impersonate Cantor. A few
members of the Gower Gulch gang kidnap Cantor, to the delight of
Farnsworth and Schlenna. They are nonplussed when Joe appears,
but as his only demand is that Tommy be allowed to sing, they
continue with rehearsals before the man they think is Cantor changes
his mind.
After all the stars who have assembled
for the show perform, Tommy sings and is such a hit that movie mogul
Jack Warner offers to sign him to a contract. Before the end
of the show, Cantor escapes from his captors and returns to the
theater, but Joe continues his masquerade and joins the company for
the grand finale.