For other things with similar names, see the disambiguation at fireball.

Ball of Fire (also known as The Professor and the Burlesque Queen) is a 1941 comedy film which tells the story of a group of university professors who protect a nightclub singer on the lam for testifying against her mobster boyfriend. It stars Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Oskar Homolka , Henry Travers, Richard Haydn , Dana Andrews, Dan Duryea and Elisha Cook Jr..

The movie was written by Charles Brackett , Thomas Monroe and Billy Wilder. It was directed by Howard Hawks.

It was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Barbara Stanwyck), Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic Picture, Best Sound, Recording and Best Writing, Original Story.