An orphaned girl is taken in by a snobbish family at the insistence of their rich, crotchety uncle, even as her devoted aviator godfather fights for custody.
Marilyn Miller grows up in a showbiz family and hits Broadway before she is sixteen. She falls in love with her dancer-mentor Jack, but he is married. When she marries her stage partner Frank he soon is called to arms in World War I.
Patricia O'Grady is the daughter of Irish Vaudeville performer, Rosie O'Grady, and is being raised along with her sisters by her father who believes the Vaudeville life contributed to his wife's early demise. Thus he doesn't want his daughters involved in any way with performing arts, so when she falls for a performer, successful Tony Pastor, their love faces a challenge from dad. As might be expected, there are some complications, but there is finally acceptance and reunion as father and daughter reconcile by the end of the movie. Thirteen songs and eight dances surround the dialog in this comedy/ musical. This film is also the first major role for Debbie Reynolds (Maureen O'Grady).