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.