Cover Girl: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A comedic musical film with the title Cover Girl. It consists of three (3) reels of color 16mm acetate film with optical sound.

The film chronicles the experiences of Rusty Parker (Rita Hayworth), a chorus girl who works in the nightclub owned by her boyfriend Danny (Gene Kelly). After winning a competition, Rusty becomes a cover girl for a magazine and her newly found popularity threatens her relationship with Danny.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1944
• Directed by: Charles Vidor, Hungarian, 1900 - 1959
• Produced by: Arthur Schwartz, American, 1900 - 1984
• Subject of: Rita Hayworth, American, 1918 - 1987
• Subject of: Gene Kelly, American, 1912 - 1996
• Distributed by: Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc., founded 1919
• Owned by: D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
• Type: sound films
• Type: color films (visual works)
• Type: feature films
• Type: 16mm (photographic film size)
• Medium: acetate film
• Dimensions: Duration (Reel 1): 37 Minutes
• Dimensions: Length (Film): 1300 Feet
• Dimensions: Duration (Reel 2): 37 Minutes
• Dimensions: Length (Film): 1300 Feet
• Dimensions: Duration (Reel 3): 37 Minutes
• Dimensions: Length (Film): 1300 Feet
• Place used: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
• Place filmed: United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Comedy
• Topic: Film
• Topic: Hollywood (Film)
• Topic: Musical films
• Object number: 2017.55.115.1abc
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Transferred from the DC Public Library
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.