Photos: Filming "The Glenn Miller Story" in Denver

Posted Feb 28, 2012

By mleyba

The film, “The Glenn Miller Story” follows big band leader Glenn Miller (1904–1944) from his early days in the music business in 1929 through to his 1944 death when the airplane he was flying in was lost over the English Channel during World War II. Parts of the movie were filmed in Denver, Colorado. The movie starred James Stewart as Glenn Miller and June Allyson as Burger Miller.

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JUL 13 1953 "The Glenn Miller Story" On the screen, this will be the arrival of Glenn Miller in Denver in 1926 with the band of Ben Pollack and his Californians. Stewart is in the front right seat of the ancient auto. The entire intersection was transformed to make it appear to be an authentic 1926 scene.
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DEC 27 1953 "The Glenn Miller Story" Young Glenn Miller finds himself in Denver on tour with Ben Pollack and his Californians. In this scene he hastens to phone his girlfriend in Boulder (whom he hasn't seen in two years) for a date. State Capitol building is in background.
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JUL 13 1953 "The Glenn Miller Story" Crowd watches filming at the "Civic Center Service Station" in Denver.
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JUL 13 1953 Here's another of the scenes of "The Glenn Miller Story" filmed at the "Civic Center Service Station." Jimmy Stewart enters a telephone booth to call his girl friend, played by June Allyson, who is in Boulder. Photo shows part of the crowd that gathered and technical workers with the movie company.
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JUL 17 1953 The cameras roll, Jimmy Stewart beats out a lively dance tempo and 3,000 Denverites dance to recordings of the Glenn Miller band during the filming of scenes for "The Glenn Miller Story" Friday afternoon. The scene is the Trocadero at Elitch Gardens during the combination movie-making benefit ball. Proceeds will go into the Children's hospital building fund.
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DEC 20 1953 "The Glenn Miller Story" Jimmy Stewart being instructed by Joe Yuki on how to simulate trombone slide movements between takes at the Trocadero at Elitch Gardens.
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JUL 14 1953 "The Glenn Miller Story" The men in uniform cheer lustily as Miss Frances Langford kisses bashful, gangling Jimmy Stewart on the cheek during a scene rehearsal. In the background, airmen perch wing-to-wing on the command plane of Gen. John G. Sprague, Lowry commander. Plane was painted olive drab to fit in with wartime scene.
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JUL 14 1953 Pretty, friendly Frances Langford, who toured with Bob Hope to combat theaters during World War II, signs autographs for Lowry airmen who crowd around the stage. Although this is a scene for "The Glenn Miller Story," the airmen got a real lift from obtaining the popular singing star's autograph.
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JUL 14 1953 Airmen at Lowry Air Force Base turned actors as a Hollywood crew took over Hangar 2 for a scene in "The Glenn Miller Story." From left are singer Frances Longford, Director Anthony Mann, Assistant director John Sherwood, shouting directions to the camera crew, and actor Jimmy Stewart, playing Glenn Miller.
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JUL 15 1953 "The Glenn Miller Story" Film-making is something new out at Lowry Air Force Base and the families of air force officers and men have been crowding the location sets and hunting autographs. Barton MacLane, who appears as Gen. H.H. Arnold in "The Glenn Miller Story," signs willingly for Karen and Kendall Bower while their father, Lt. Col. T.K. Bower looks on and shares in their obvious pleasure.