James Cagney's Screen-Worn Suit from Yankee Doodle Dandy....

Description

James Cagney's Screen-Worn Suit from Yankee Doodle Dandy. James Cagney delivered the goods with a rare song-and-dance performance for this 1942 classic, and in the process he earned an Academy Award for Best Actor. Michael Curtiz (The Adventures of Robin Hood, Casablanca, White Christmas) directed this nostalgic biography of iconic actor/singer/songwriter/playwright George M. Cohan, told largely in flashbacks. Cagney's own background as a struggling vaudeville song-and-dance man made him the ideal choice to play Cohan, and it allowed him a respite from the tough-guy gangster roles that made him a household name during the 1930s. Filming on Yankee Doodle Dandy began the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred, which greatly informed its patriotic theme and Memorial Day 1942 release date.

This three-piece suit with houndstooth pattern consists of a vest, jacket, slacks, and set of suspenders, all in Excellent condition. The vest and slacks have American Costume Co. stamps on the lining, and all three bear Warner Bros. property labels with Cagney's name written on them in ink (though the writing has faded considerably on the pants label). It was reused for subsequent productions, and as such the cuffs on both the jacket and pants have been altered (the jacket cuffs now have two buttons instead of the original three). The suit is accompanied by two b&w 8" x 10" publicity photos and an 11" x 14" lobby card for the movie, each featuring Cagney wearing the suit in the movie.

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