Varsity Show (1937): Cast & Plot

At fictional Winfield College, a spirited group of students gear up for the annual Varsity Show and aim to shake off a staid, old-fashioned approach in favor of something truly au courant. They clash with their faculty advisor, Professor Sylvester Biddle, Walter Catlett, who clings to the traditional mold of College Circa 1900. His ally is Biddle’s assistant, Professor Washburn, Roy Atwell, but the students’ high-spirited energy soon outpaces the boundaries of old-school theater. To give the production a professional edge, they recruit an alumnus, Charles “Chuck” Daly, Dick Powell, who has become a Broadway producer. They hope his experience will lift the show, even as they’re blind to the fact that Daly’s last three efforts have been big flops.