Shows · Louisiana Purchase
Louisiana Purchase
Opened 1940
444 performances
Musical, Early
After playing a Vice President Of Tree I Sing and Let ’Em Cake and an Ambassador in Leave It to Me!, Victor Moore endeared himself to audiences again by impersonating a United States Senator in Louisiana Purchase. In the libretto, prompted by recent revelations of corruption involving the late political leader Huey Long, the seemingly innocent Senator Oliver P. Loganberry goes to New Orleans to investigate the shady operations of the Louisiana Purchasing Company. Jim Taylor (William Gaxton), the company’s president, tries to block the probe by involving the incorruptible Senator first with Marina Van Linden (Vera Zorina), a Viennese refugee, then with Mme. Yvonne Bordelaise (Irene Bordoni), a local restaurateuse. Loganberry manages to get out of the trap by marrying Yvonne, but he is ultimately defeated when, being a politician, he is unwilling to cross the picket line in front of the building in which his hearings are to take place. The second of producer B.G DeSylva’s three hits in a row, Louisiana Purchase marked Irving Berlin’s return to Broadway after an absence of almost seven years. Moore, Zorina, and Bordoni were joined by Bob Hope for the 1941 movie.
- Music
- Irving Berlin
- Lyrics
- Irving Berlin
- Book
- Morrie Ryskind & B. G. DeSylva
Productions1 on Broadway
Songs9 songs
Louisiana Purchase, It’s a Lovely Day Tomorrow, Outside of That I Love You, You’re Lonely and I’m Lonely, Latins Know How, What Chance Have I?, The Lord Done Fixed Up My Soul, Fools Fall in Love, You Can’t Brush Me Off
Recordings 1 recording
Licensing 2 entries
| US | Concord Theatricals Concord Theatricals | available |
| UK | Concord Theatricals Concord Theatricals | available |
Louisiana Purchase is a musical with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin and book by Morrie Ryskind based on a story by B. G. DeSylva. Set in New Orleans, the musical lightly satirises Louisiana Governor Huey Long and his control over Louisiana politics. An honest U.S. senator travels to Louisiana to investigate corruption in the Louisiana Purchase Company; the company's lawyer attempts to divert him via the attentions of two beautiful women, but the senator maintains his integrity and ends up marrying one of them. In 1941 it was adapted for the film Louisiana Purchase directed by Irving Cummings. The show opened at the Shubert Brothers' Imperial Theatre, New York City on May 28, 1940 and ran…
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