Footlight Parade (1933)

James Cagney: Chester Kent

Photos 

Quotes 

• Chester Kent : Hello, Vivian. This is Miss Rich. My secretary, Miss Prescott.

  Nan Prescott : I know Miss Bi... Rich, if you remember.

• Charlie Bowers : Is there, is there anything I can do?

  Chester Kent : Yeah. See that window over there?

  Charlie Bowers : Yeah.

  Chester Kent : Take a running jump and I think you can make it.

• Chester Kent : Listen, Nan, send a new boy and girl on right away, and make sure they're not in love with each other.

  Nan Prescott : Right.

  Chester Kent : Uh, get a couple already married.

• Nan Prescott : I've got an idea.

  Chester Kent : Keep it to yourself or the wife'll cash in on it.

  Nan Prescott : And when I get an idea I do something about it.

  Chester Kent : Most dames do.

• Chester Kent : I certainly have a genius of picking dames to fall for.

  Nan Prescott : You said it, Papa.

  Chester Kent : Maybe you better help me next time.

  Nan Prescott : What do you think I've been doing?

• Chester Kent : [to Vivian Rich]  I'd rather you sue me than marry me.

• Vivian Rich : Chester, it's like being in jail.

  Chester Kent : Sorry, dear, better get used to it.

  Nan Prescott : She is used to it.

• Chester Kent : Sometimes I get the feeling you don't like anybody.

  Nan Prescott : If you only knew.

• Chester Kent : Where's Thompson?

  Bea : Out for a few minutes.

  Chester Kent : He'll be out for life if he doesn't stick closer to business.

• Policeman : Mr. Kent, seeing all these girls gives me a lot of ideas.

  Chester Kent : And don't let them keep you awake.

• Chester Kent : Aw, talking pictures, it's just a fad.

• Chester Kent : [referring to Bea]  There's a girl for you.

  Nan Prescott : What kind of a girl?

  Chester Kent : With brains! You can buy beautiful women a dime a dozen. She's got it up here.

  Nan Prescott : So have I.

  Chester Kent : What?

  Nan Prescott : A headache.

• Chester Kent : Is it my fault if somebody invented talking pictures?

• Chester Kent : Bingo! I got an idea. Cats! I was walking on the street and saw some cats. You ever see cats walk? Just like that. A regular dance rhythm.

  Nan Prescott : So, you came right back here?

  Chester Kent : That's just what I did. I got the whole thing all mapped out. Seven boys and seven girls, tomcats and pussycats, cast down in one. Then we go to full stage with an alley drop with the ash cans and a board fence. Then we have 12 little girls come out in kitten costumes.

• Chester Kent : Come with me and I'll put you in the cat unit.

  Scotty : Oh, that's keen.

  Chester Kent : Don't be so optimistic.

  Bea : Meow.

  Scotty : Meow!

• Chester Kent : Hello, Fanny.

  Myrtle : My name's Myrtle, Mr. Kent.

• Drugstore Clerk : We buy in big lots. When you're buying for one store, you get soaked. When you're buying for 100...

  Chester Kent : I see, practically name your own price.

  Drugstore Clerk : That's it.

  Chester Kent : Say, that's marvelous!

• Nan Prescott : What a memory!

  Chester Kent : Old Faithful, I calls it. Hoofers, like elephants, never forget, baby.

• Chester Kent : Some life and some pep! Dance on your feet, don't die on 'em.

• Chester Kent : Call them for rehearsal tomorrow morning. We'll put them in the mechanical doll unit.

  Charlie Bowers : You must put brassieres on those dolls.

• Francis : I can't get away from him. I've done everything but sleep with him.

  Chester Kent : Well, sleep with him!

• Chester Kent : I can see it now. Pretty girls in black face. "Slaves of Old Africa. " White men capture them.

• Gracie : Mr. Kent, I have here got all the cat music from our library.

  Chester Kent : Anything good?

  Gracie : Yeah, sure. "Cat and the Fiddle", "Kitten on the Keys", "You are the Cats", "Cats on Parade", "Cat's Meow", "Crazy Cat", "Pussycat, Pussycat, Where Have You Been?" "Me and My Cat, Both Love You and Love Me and Love My Cat".

• Francis : All right, girls, stand up! Show Mr. Kent your legs. Oh, higher, higher.

  Chester Kent : This is an audition, not an exhibition.

  Francis : I'm not a mind reader, you know.

• Chester Kent : You're reading those magazine ads again, "How I Became President of the Atlas Pickle Works. "

• Chester Kent : Another good gal gone wrong.

• Chester Kent : How'd you like the job of teaching new kids the routines?

  Bea : Gee, Mr. Kent, that'd be swell!

• Bea : I got sick of looking like a schoolteacher and I'm sick of working in an office. I wanna go back on the stage!

  Chester Kent : Well, it was just a question of time before this place got to you. Did you say she could dance?

  Nan Prescott : One of the best!

• Chester Kent : Old Faithful's gone blank on me. I thought of a thousand ideas and every one of them moth-eaten.

  Nan Prescott : If the little girl's not too bold, how's for me sticking with you to get it.

• [repeated line] 

  Chester Kent : Oh, nertz!

• Nan Prescott : Do you know this dizzy dame?

  Chester Kent : Yeah, I still have nightmares about her.

• Chester Kent : How do you suppose an insane asylum idea would go? I could play the lead myself without any trouble.

  Nan Prescott : Me, too.

• Vivian Rich : Listen, you silly-looking baboon, who do you think you're running around? Some little punk from the sticks?

  Chester Kent : What's this?

  Vivian Rich : I wrote the book and I know all the answers.

• Nan Prescott : Take it and ask no questions.

  Chester Kent : There's something phony here. How'd you get it?

  Nan Prescott : Blackmail.

  Chester Kent : Come on, spill it.

  Nan Prescott : I played a pair of deuces like four aces and they paid.

• Chester Kent : Look at that. Hey, that's what that wood nymph prologue needs. A mountain waterfall splashing on beautiful white bodies. You get it?

• Silas Gould : What about that accounting mistake?

  Chester Kent : Mistake, your Aunt Fanny.

  Frazer : We're giving you a new deal.

  Chester Kent : Yeah, and I'm the dealer.

• Chester Kent : [singing]  The stars that hang high over Shanghai, Bring back the memory of a thrill, I've been looking high, And I've been looking low, Looking for my Shanghai Lil...

• [last lines] 

  Chester Kent : You like it?

  Nan Prescott : Whatever you say, boss.

  Chester Kent : I'll make you love it!