Featuring bands in films was certainly not a new thing by the time the Glenn Miller Orchestra was given the opportunity in 1941. Since the dawn of “talkies,” many of the big bands had been featured in many movies, though usually as part of an act or show within the film and not necessarily part of the rest of the plot. (What little plot there was on some of these films). When the Miller band was approached about doing a film, Glenn didn’t want his band featured in some throwaway scene at the end of an otherwise forgettable movie. Instead, he asked that the band be part of the plot and that the plot be somewhat believable.
IMDb – Glenn Miller Filmography - Glenn’s filmography as listed at the Internet Movie Database.
The entire orchestra has a listing as well under both The Glenn Miller Orchestra and Glenn Miller & His Orchestra.
IMDb Search results – Glenn Miller – Interesting search results for “Glenn Miller” at the Internet Movie Database.
The IMDb – Sun Valley Serenade
Info from the Internet Movie Database
The IMDb – Orchestra Wives
Info from the Internet Movie Database
Some of Glenn Miller’s biggest hits came from Sun Valley Serenade and Orchestra Wives. The song writing team responsible for that was Harry Warren and Mack Gordon. More about the hit songs “Chattanooga Choo Choo” “I Know Why” “At Last” “Serenade in Blue” and “I’ve Got a Gal in Kalamzoo” can be found at the Harry Warren website.
The IMDb – The Glenn Miller Story
Info from the Internet Movie Database
In addition to the band being in two films and the bio-pic, Glenn Miller’s music has been used in films for many years. Most recently in The Notebook (2004), The Aviator (2004) and Pearl Harbor (2001). Although these films are set during the 1930′s/40′s, many films set in the modern day have also utilized Miller’s music such as Robin William’s Patch Adams(1998) Tom Hank’s Big (1988).
Miller’s music has also been used recently in the television shows Lost, Scrubs, Gilmore Girls and Doctor Who. Titles of Miller songs have been utilized for film titles, such as “Chatanooga Choo Choo” (1984), “Moonlight Serenade” (1998 and apparently there’s another MS titled film that was made in 2006), and “In the Mood” (2006, 1987 and a short lived 1971-72 Canadian tv series).