When burlesque sensation Doll Face Carrol (Vivian Blaine) reads about tryouts for Flo Hartman's (Reed Hadley) new Broadway operetta "Park Avenue," her manager Michael Francis Hannegan (Dennis O'Keefe) hustles her to the rehearsal. Doll Face introduces herself as "May Beth," fresh off the bus from the middle of small-town America. However, her looks cannot be disguised and she is almost instantly recognized as the sexy star of "The Gayety Follies." Legitimate producer Hartman won't hire a stripteaser like Doll Face to star in his show no matter how talented she is. Disappointed and discouraged, Doll Face returns to the grimy world of downtown vaudeville. Manager Mike schemes to use Dollface's sexy reputation to her advantage. He hits on the idea of her writing a scandalous biography. Dollface and Mike search for a ghost writer to pen Dollface's ticket to stardom.
Based on "The Naked Genius," a play by Louise Hovick (a.k.a., the legendary burlesque queen Gypsy Rose Lee) and featuring Perry Como and Carmen Miranda in supporting roles, Doll Face is a backstage look at the steamier side of the theater world.