When the studios reject her because she's too young, a young actress sets out to build a career on her own.

At Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Amalgamated Pictures, Inc. previews Dancing Debutante , starring its latest discovery, Lorraine Lorey. Thomas Brooke, an ex-film star who is now Amalgamated's top talent scout, nervously awaits the crowd's response to his find. The film and Lorey are a hit, much to Thomas' and acting coach Lola Langdon's pleasure. Dane Wharton, the studio boss, congratulates Thomas, but needles him about the starlet he had stolen from Dane years before. Thomas heads off on another talent search. On a train in Arizona, he discovers singing football star Bud Borden and offers him a screen test. Bud doesn't believe Thomas at first, but agrees to consider his offer. At Randolph College in Rockville, Arkansas, Thomas' mission is discovered by co-ed Carolyn Sayres. Learning that Thomas is in an old opera house he had played years before, Carolyn sneaks an audition. Thomas is impressed but, upon discovering that she is the daughter of an old love, decides that she is too young and heads for New Orleans. Carolyn fakes a letter from Thomas to Dane, then mail it with her photo enclosed. Back at the studio, Dane, Thomas, Lola and casting director Sam Wellman examine the photos from Thomas' trip. Dane decides to test Carolyn, Bud and Mary Andrews, a singer Thomas discovered in Texas. The three are met at the Hollywood train station by Thomas, who forgives Carolyn her actions. At her hotel, Carolyn meets June Lawrence, Sam's latest discovery, who tells Carolyn that, unlike her, she has little chance of making it in films. Carolyn and Bud go out on the town together, and compare their feet to the stars' immortalized in cement at Grauman's Chinese Theatre. Carolyn, Bud and Mary have their screen test, then await the verdict in Sam's office. Sam, deciding that Thomas is having too much success, signs Mary, but sends Carolyn and Bud back home, despite their talent. Bud decides to stay in Hollywood and try the other studios. Carolyn wants to do the same, but is personally put on the train by Thomas. After turning around in San Bernardino, Carolyn returns to her old hotel room in Hollywood, where June asks her to answer her phone, as she is going away for the weekend. Carolyn discovers that Sam has cancelled all the other screen tests for a specific role. Bud arrives and helps Carolyn practice the role. Thomas enters, determined to send Carolyn home again, but when he learns of Sam's deception, he prepares a screen test. When Sam discovers this, he interupts the test and tries to have it destroyed, but Lola uses her old friendship with a lab man to save it. Thomas quits his job when Dane refuses to view Carolyn's test. Bud tells Carolyn he has a new test at another studio, but she tells him she is going home. At another premiere, Thomas and Lola sneak the test into the newsreel. It is a big hit with the audience and Dane, who immediately fires Sam. Back at her aunt's soda fountain in Arkansas, Carolyn and Bud complain about Hollywood until she gets a telegram from Thomas calling her back. In Hollywood, Sid Grauman places Carolyn's footprints in cement as Thomas, Lola and Bud look on. When Dane offers him a new test, Bud breaks his nose on a microphone.