How did That Midnight Kiss help make Mario Lanza a movie star?

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Director Norman Taurog, wearing a hat and glasses, sits beside actor Mickey Rooney, who is smiling, on the set of the film Boys Town, with camera equipment visible behind them. — Norman Taurog Norman Taurog (right) with Mickey Rooney on the set of *Boys Town* (1938).

Directed by Norman Taurog, the 1949 film That Midnight Kiss served as the screen debut for opera singer Mario Lanza. In the movie, Lanza portrayed a singing truck driver who captures the heart of a socialite, played by Kathryn Grayson. The film was a box-office success, which was instrumental in establishing Lanza as a movie star.1