On San Francisco's vibrant Barbary Coast, a group of performers, including Trudy Evans, Johnnie Cornell, and Beulah, entertain crowds at Sharkey's Colosseum. After being fired, they stage a series of street carnivals, attracting large crowds and earning money from saloon owners. Johnnie opens his own saloon, The Grizzly Bear, and becomes a successful impresario, with Trudy as the star. However, he soon marries Bernice, a haughty socialite, to gain prestige, leaving Trudy heartbroken. After a European honeymoon, Johnnie's fortunes decline, and he loses his saloons. Trudy returns and is shocked to find the Grizzly Bear closed, but she helps Johnnie reopen it and eventually reunites with him.

Hello Frisco, Hello
A talented vaudeville performer rises to fame in 1920s San Francisco, choosing a life of luxury with a wealthy socialite over a passionate romance with a gifted singer.