Johnny Doughboy
Production
Production
----------

### Development

[right\|thumb\|250px\|Publicity photo featuring (l. to r.) [Bobby Breen](/wiki/Bobby_Breen "Bobby Breen"), [Jane Withers](/wiki/Jane_Withers "Jane Withers"), and Patrick Brook](/wiki/File:Jane_Withers_in_Johnny_Doughboy_%28cropped%29.jpg "Jane Withers in Johnny Doughboy (cropped).jpg")
*Johnny Doughboy* is based on an original story by Frederick Kohner; Lawrence Kimble adapted the screenplay.

### Casting

This was Jane Withers' first film after completing her seven\-year contract with 20th Century Fox. It was also Withers's third screen pairing with [Etta McDaniel](/wiki/Etta_McDaniel "Etta McDaniel"), sister of actress [Hattie McDaniel](/wiki/Hattie_McDaniel "Hattie McDaniel") and a former vaudevillian. According to *[The Hollywood Reporter](/wiki/The_Hollywood_Reporter "The Hollywood Reporter")*, actor [Henry Wilcoxon](/wiki/Henry_Wilcoxon "Henry Wilcoxon") announced he would donate his fee for the film to the [United States Coast Guard](/wiki/United_States_Coast_Guard "United States Coast Guard") Relief.

The fictional "20 Minus Club" is depicted as an organization for once famous child stars. The "members" (all of whom portray themselves) really were Hollywood "has\-beens", and this was the last time some of them appeared on screen. Members of the club include actor/singer [Bobby Breen](/wiki/Bobby_Breen "Bobby Breen"), [Baby Sandy](/wiki/Baby_Sandy "Baby Sandy"), former *[Our Gang](/wiki/Our_Gang "Our Gang")* stars [Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer](/wiki/Carl_%22Alfalfa%22_Switzer "Carl ") and [George "Spanky" McFarland](/wiki/George_McFarland "George McFarland") (reunited on film for the final time), musicians "Butch" and "Buddy" (Kenneth Brown and Billy Lenhart), actress [Cora Sue Collins](/wiki/Cora_Sue_Collins "Cora Sue Collins"), actor [Robert Coogan](/wiki/Robert_Coogan "Robert Coogan"), dancer Grace Costello, drummer Karl Kiffe, and the Faulkner Orchestra.

### Music

Breen performs "[Ave Maria](/wiki/Ave_Maria_%28Schubert%29 "Ave Maria (Schubert)")" by [Franz Schubert](/wiki/Franz_Schubert "Franz Schubert") in one musical segment. Songs performed in the film's grand finale "victory chorus" include:

* "It Takes a Guy Like I", "You Do My Eyes a Favor", "Baby's a Big Girl Now", "All Done, All Through", "Give the Kids a Chance", "The Victory Caravan" — music and lyrics by [Jule Styne](/wiki/Jule_Styne "Jule Styne") and [Sammy Cahn](/wiki/Sammy_Cahn "Sammy Cahn")
* "Better Not Roll Those Blue, Blue Eyes" — music and lyrics by Al Goodhart and Kay Twomey
* "Johnny Doughboy Found a Rose in Ireland" — music by [Al Goodhart](/wiki/Al_Goodhart "Al Goodhart") and [Allan Roberts](/wiki/Allan_Roberts_%28songwriter%29 "Allan Roberts (songwriter)"), lyrics by [Kay Twomey](/wiki/Kay_Twomey "Kay Twomey")

"Johnny Doughboy Found a Rose in Ireland" was one of the top 10 best\-selling songs, and songs with the most radio plays, in the United States in 1942 according to *[Billboard](/wiki/Billboard_%28magazine%29 "Billboard (magazine)")*.

### Filming

Filming took place from mid\-August to September 11, 1942\. Filmmakers had originally planned to use the exterior of Withers's own home as the home of the child star in the first scene, but decided it didn't look the part. The home of an electrician working on the set was filmed instead.


What was Jane Withers' first film after completing her seven-year contract with 20th Century Fox?