Parting company with her on-stage partner Professor Orco partly due to the job being potentially hazardous to her health, streetwise but kind-hearted vaudeville performer Maisie Ravier, in Chicago, goes on a search for another job. That search takes her to a commercial building where a talent agency is located. There, she encounters many people that will play a role in her immediate future. The first is Hap Hixby, a young man who is trying to break into show business with a somewhat corny comedy routine. The second is Pappy Goodring, the building manager who has a heart of gold and who has troubles collecting rent from most of the tenants, which irks his boss, the officious Mr. Stickwell. And third is Marshall Denningham, who owns his own bottled water business and who is one of the few tenants in the building who seems to be able to make his rent payments on time. Of the opportunities that come her way, she accepts Hap's offer to be his on-stage partner, as she would like another ...