In his career Danny Kaye played two real life people in biographical films. One was Hans Christian Andersen, the second was Ernest Lorring 'Red' Nichols in The Five Pennies. Nichols was a redhead and with his flaming carrot top Danny Kaye was only one of two people that could have done the role, the other being Red Buttons.The real Red Nichols was a jazz pioneer who played Dixieland with a lot of the great musicians of the time. The film sticks pretty close to the facts of his life. Jimmy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman all did play with his band and all became legends of their own. The part that Harry Guardino plays as Tony Valenti in real life was a gentleman named Miff Mole who was Nichols best friend and fellow organizer of his Dixieland group. According to the Wikipedia article on Nichols he never stuck with only five musicians, but always kept that band name while he led it. Probably there was more of Danny Kaye than the real Red Nichols in The Five Pennies. But for those of us who are big fans of his that's all right too. Danny's wife and collaborator Sylvia Fine contributed a few songs for him and some jazz standards are interpolated.It is absolutely true that Nichols did leave the music business for a while when his daughter contracted polio. The daughter is played by Susan Gordon and Tuesday Weld at various ages and Barbara Bel Geddes gives some good support as his loyal and faithful wife.No film about Dixieland would have been complete without Louis Armstrong making an appearance. That impromptu jam session with Armstrong wailing out Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey is a solid sender with the real Red Nichols playing with Danny Kaye miming the effect. Just like Harry James did for Kirk Douglas in Young Man With A Horn.Certainly with Red Nichols doing the trumpet for Kaye his seal of approval on the film is without saying. As they did say in Nichols line of work, this film is a solid sender.

When I was growing up Danny Kaye was a huge figure.All over the radio,on records TV and the movies,you couldn't escape from his face or voice. He made successful tours of top rate theatrical venues in the uk,he could sing,dance,act,write comedy routines and song lyrics.His stage act was an explosion of energy and sheer talent.He was-in the ludicrously overused sense of the term-a superstar. In "The Five Pennies" we catch him at the height of his powers as an actor,singer and lyricist(to his wife Sylvia Fine's enchanting tunes) With a strong guest appearance by arguably the finest jazz musician who ever lived and some really clever songs(The Five Pennies,Lullaby in Ragtime and Goodnight all use the same chord sequence). It was a success de cash rather than a success d'estime like most of Kaye's movies,and perhaps that's why his work is largely neglected in critical circles today. As Gloria Swanson said in "Sunset Boulevard,"I'm still big,the movies got smaller"

my favorite bit of this film is at the end, I care not how factual it is. I find a lump in my throat every single time I see it and I am usually blubbing like a baby by the end credits. It is a wonderful story of a very talented man and of a great time in musical history, the scenes with 'Satchmo' Louis Armstrong are another particular favorite as he usually steals the scene. The little girl actress put s in a fine and mature performance as 'Red' Nicols's daughter. But as usual Danny Kaye is nothing short of majestic he is perfectly at home miming to Lorne 'Red' Nicols cornet playing. The story is beautiful as is the acting. Don't forget to pack your Kleenex when you watch it though. Excellent family entertainment twenty out of ten......

My favorite parts of this movie are when Danny Kaye sings the title song to the little girl(Susan Gordon) and then later she sings the song while Danny Kaye and Louis Armstrong sing other songs. Does anyone know where or how to get the sheet music for the title song from this movie?