Three Little Words_
"A wonderful musical!"
Song-and-dance man Bert Kalmar can't continue his stage career after an injury, so he has to earn his money as a lyricist. By chance, he meets composer Harry Ruby and their first song is a hit. Ruby gets Kalmar to marry his former partner Jessie Brown, and Kalmar and Jessie prevent Ruby from getting married to the wrong girls. But due to the fact that Ruby has caused a backer's withdrawal for a Kalmar play, they end their professional relationship.
Starring
Fred Astaire, Red Skelton, Vera-Ellen
Box Office
$4.5M
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
Apple TV
3 countries
Prime Video
3 countries
YouTube
2 countries
G
Google Play
2 countries
ALL REGIONS
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Box office
Three Little Words earned $4.5M worldwide on a $1.5M budget — a 208% return on investment.
Year context
Three Little Words was released 76 years ago in 1950.
Three Little Words is a Music, Comedy, Romance film with a runtime of 1h 42m.
CAST (18)
Fred Astaire
Bert Kalmar
Red Skelton
Harry Ruby
Vera-Ellen
Jessie Brown Kalmar
Arlene Dahl
Eileen Percy
Keenan Wynn
Charlie Kope
Gale Robbins
Terry Lordel
Gloria DeHaven
Mrs. Carter DeHaven
Phil Regan
Himself
Harry Shannon
Clanahan
Debbie Reynolds
Helen Kane
Paul Harvey
Al Masters
Carleton Carpenter
Dan Healy
GM
George Metkovich
Al Schacht
HM
Harry Mendoza
The Great Mendoza
Beverly Michaels
Shipboard Woman (uncredited)
Helen Kane
Helen Kane (singing voice) (uncredited)
Pat Flaherty
Coach (uncredited)
BS
Brick Sullivan
Policeman on Street (uncredited)
BOX OFFICE
$1.5M
Budget
$4.5M
Revenue
+208%
ROI
BLOCKBUSTER
Verdict
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
102 min (1h 42m)
Country
Rating
6.1/10 (14 votes)
Budget
$1,470,000
Box Office
$4,526,000
Profit
+$3,056,000
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Three Little Words about?
Song-and-dance man Bert Kalmar can't continue his stage career after an injury, so he has to earn his money as a lyricist. By chance, he meets composer Harry Ruby and their first song is a hit. Ruby gets Kalmar to marry his former partner Jessie Brown, and Kalmar and Jessie prevent Ruby from getting married to the wrong girls. But due to the fact that Ruby has caused a backer's withdrawal for a Kalmar play, they end their professional relationship.
How long is Three Little Words?
Three Little Words has a runtime of 102 minutes (1h 42m).
Who stars in Three Little Words?
The cast of Three Little Words includes Fred Astaire, Red Skelton, Vera-Ellen, Arlene Dahl, Keenan Wynn.
How much did Three Little Words make at the box office?
Three Little Words earned $4,526,000 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $1,470,000.
What is the rating of Three Little Words?
Three Little Words has a rating of 6.1 out of 10 based on 14 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (3)
Music
Comedy
Romance