It Happened on Fifth Avenue

A Christmastime TV perennial, It Happened on Fifth Avenue is a sentimental yarn starring Victor Moore as a genial hobo. Moore’s usual wintertime modus operandus is to sneak into the town house of a wealthy family that always leaves New York for their Florida home at Christmas. Taking over the deserted mansion, Moore turns the place into a haven for his fellow tramps. One winter, however, the real homeowner’s daughter (Gale Storm), having quarrelled with her boyfriend, returns unexpectedly. Informed of Moore’s “invasion,” the girl’s father visits the mansion disguised as a hobo just to see what’s going on. The warmhearted nature of Moore’s indigent pals regenerates the unhappy wealthy family, and everyone succumbs to the true spirit of Christmas., A vagabond moves into a New York City mansion while the owner is wintering down South and opens the doors to a number of unfortunates, including the vacationer’s daughter, whom the squatter mistakes for a down-on-her-luck runaway from an abusive father.