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Date of Release: July 7, 1929
Studio: Universal
Director: Nat Ross
Screenplay: John B. Clymer, Pierre Couderc, Leonard Fields, Albert De Mond
Music: Dave Silverstein, Lee Zahler
Leading Actors: George Lewis (Bob Wilson), Eddie Phillips (“Flash" Thomas), Dorothy Gulliver (Dorothy May), Churchill Ross (Jimmie Reed), Hayden Stevenson (Coach Jones), Sumner Getchell (Fat)
College Love was the first of three “college film musicals” released in 1929 (the other two were Paramount’s Sweetie, and MGM’s So This is College). The film was a feature length, all-talking version of a series of popular silent shorts released by Universal, The Collegians. The film sought to capitalize on the popularity of the series, talkie fever, and what film historian Edwin M. Bradley states was the national obsession with collegiate football in the 1920s.
It was difficult to decide whether or not to include this film in the list. None of the online databases (AFI, IMDb) list it as a musical, but it receives a line of mention in both Barrios’ A Song in the Dark and Bradley’s The First Hollywood Musicals. Unlike other films of the day, it was not heavily promoted in the trade magazines, however the ads that do exist make heavy use of images of music and dance, suggesting that, even if the movie was low on song and dance, marketing it as "all singing and all dancing" had perceived appeal.
Studio: Universal
Director: Nat Ross
Screenplay: John B. Clymer, Pierre Couderc, Leonard Fields, Albert De Mond
Music: Dave Silverstein, Lee Zahler
Leading Actors: George Lewis (Bob Wilson), Eddie Phillips (“Flash" Thomas), Dorothy Gulliver (Dorothy May), Churchill Ross (Jimmie Reed), Hayden Stevenson (Coach Jones), Sumner Getchell (Fat)
College Love was the first of three “college film musicals” released in 1929 (the other two were Paramount’s Sweetie, and MGM’s So This is College). The film was a feature length, all-talking version of a series of popular silent shorts released by Universal, The Collegians. The film sought to capitalize on the popularity of the series, talkie fever, and what film historian Edwin M. Bradley states was the national obsession with collegiate football in the 1920s.
It was difficult to decide whether or not to include this film in the list. None of the online databases (AFI, IMDb) list it as a musical, but it receives a line of mention in both Barrios’ A Song in the Dark and Bradley’s The First Hollywood Musicals. Unlike other films of the day, it was not heavily promoted in the trade magazines, however the ads that do exist make heavy use of images of music and dance, suggesting that, even if the movie was low on song and dance, marketing it as "all singing and all dancing" had perceived appeal.
Universal's focus in the summer of 1929 was on Show Boat, and as a result, College Life was not heavily promoted in print media. It is often only advertised as part of Universal’s catalogue, and very few pictorial adverts can be found in the trade magazines.
The pictorial adverts that do exist heavily promote the musical aspects of the film, with cartoon images of musicians playing saxophones and drums, and people dancing. An ad in the Exhibitor’s Herald World (Aug 10, 1929), describes College Love as "the 100% singing and talking sensation!” In a herald from the Wellington Talkies (currently available on Ebay), the film is advertised with the words “Youth! Beauty! Jazz!”
The pictorial adverts that do exist heavily promote the musical aspects of the film, with cartoon images of musicians playing saxophones and drums, and people dancing. An ad in the Exhibitor’s Herald World (Aug 10, 1929), describes College Love as "the 100% singing and talking sensation!” In a herald from the Wellington Talkies (currently available on Ebay), the film is advertised with the words “Youth! Beauty! Jazz!”
While print adverts were few in number, Universal did attempt some unusual forms of advertising. The Exhibitors Herald World (Aug 10, 1929) reported that Universal had bought several radio stations to broadcast music and dialogue from new films. The first was Station KRLD in Dallas, Texas, which was scheduled to broadcast the score and dialogue of College Love in its entirety. As College Love is a lost film, it would be interesting to see if any of the stations bought by Universal still hold archival copies of the sound discs.
Another form of advertising were "ballyhoo stunts," events in towns and cities designed to attract attention and promote upcoming features. Exhibitors Herald World (Aug 10, 1929) reported that a car decked out with signage for College Love drove around Milwaukee for two days and "attracted a lot of attention." The stunt seems to have worked, as the Hollywood Filmograph reported that the film broke "house records in Milwaukee theaters."
A second event occurred in Oregon, with Exhibitors Herald World (Sept 28, 1929) reporting that in Grants Pass the picture house had run a "flivver parade" (slang term for a small car, imagine what we call a "vintage car" today) sponsored by Ford Motors and other local businesses. The parade "was a wow, with resulting good business at the Rivoli."
The stunts were not quite enough however, and the film flopped at the box office, often closing within a week or two wherever it opened.
Another form of advertising were "ballyhoo stunts," events in towns and cities designed to attract attention and promote upcoming features. Exhibitors Herald World (Aug 10, 1929) reported that a car decked out with signage for College Love drove around Milwaukee for two days and "attracted a lot of attention." The stunt seems to have worked, as the Hollywood Filmograph reported that the film broke "house records in Milwaukee theaters."
A second event occurred in Oregon, with Exhibitors Herald World (Sept 28, 1929) reporting that in Grants Pass the picture house had run a "flivver parade" (slang term for a small car, imagine what we call a "vintage car" today) sponsored by Ford Motors and other local businesses. The parade "was a wow, with resulting good business at the Rivoli."
The stunts were not quite enough however, and the film flopped at the box office, often closing within a week or two wherever it opened.
The overwhelming consensus among the reviewers was that College Love was utterly inane. The critics derided the acting as mediocre, the sound as lackluster, and the plot ridiculous. Despite all this, nearly every critic noted that College Love was good fun, and worth it for the football scenes alone (the use of real life footage from a college football game was highly praised, and used in the same way in So This Is College). Film magazine The Education Screen (October 1929) had an amusing review system which rated College Love as "stupid" for "intelligent adults," and "harmless" for "youth (aged 15-20).”
College Love appears to be an example of a silent film that couldn’t make the leap to talkies. Just about all of its creative team, with the exception of Leonard Fields (who went on to write, produce, and direct several films throughout the 1930s and early 1940s, including King Kelly of the U.S.A (1934), and Manhattan Love Song (1934)), were active in Hollywood only during the silent era.
College Love appears to be an example of a silent film that couldn’t make the leap to talkies. Just about all of its creative team, with the exception of Leonard Fields (who went on to write, produce, and direct several films throughout the 1930s and early 1940s, including King Kelly of the U.S.A (1934), and Manhattan Love Song (1934)), were active in Hollywood only during the silent era.
It is a similar story for the actors. With the exception of George Lewis and Dorothy Gulliver, the cast of College Love were actors who had their heyday during the silent film era. Mexican-born George Lewis was a prolific actor who made hundreds of appearances on film and television in a career spanning over four decades. He is best remembered for his portrayal of Don Alejandro de la Vega in Disney's Zorro series.
Dorothy Gulliver was an immensely popular silent movie star. According to her obituary in The Independent, although she successfully transitioned to talkies, Gulliver did not continue on an upward trajectory as she was not signed with a studio. She eventually married Jack Proctor, and his violent and abusive ways prevented her from making a comeback, despite much interest from Hollywood. Over the course of her long, yet staggered career, Gulliver appeared in over 90 films and television shows including the early silent shorts The Collegians, and subsequent films such as The Galloping The Ghost (1931) and Faces (1968).
Dorothy Gulliver was an immensely popular silent movie star. According to her obituary in The Independent, although she successfully transitioned to talkies, Gulliver did not continue on an upward trajectory as she was not signed with a studio. She eventually married Jack Proctor, and his violent and abusive ways prevented her from making a comeback, despite much interest from Hollywood. Over the course of her long, yet staggered career, Gulliver appeared in over 90 films and television shows including the early silent shorts The Collegians, and subsequent films such as The Galloping The Ghost (1931) and Faces (1968).
The music occasionally rated a positive review, but no hit songs were generated from the film. It was the first film marking a partnership with Shapiro Bernstein Inc. and Universal, where Shapiro Bernstein Inc. would write and publish music for all upcoming Universal films. Songs for College Love, written by Lee Zahler and Dave Silverstein, included "It's You," "Oh, How We Love Our College," and "Crazy Medley.”
The music team had more enduring success than the other creatives on College Love.
Lee Zahler was a tremendously prolific composer, and music director, whose career spanned over thirty years. He wrote the music for Columbia's Batman and Phantom serials in the 1940s, and was the director of music at Columbia for almost ten years. Composer and writer Dave Silverstein eventually became a staff writer for Fox.
College Love is considered a lost film. Based on the reviews, and lackluster creative team, it seems we are better off enjoying the other 1929 college football musicals, Sweetie or So This Is College instead!
The music team had more enduring success than the other creatives on College Love.
Lee Zahler was a tremendously prolific composer, and music director, whose career spanned over thirty years. He wrote the music for Columbia's Batman and Phantom serials in the 1940s, and was the director of music at Columbia for almost ten years. Composer and writer Dave Silverstein eventually became a staff writer for Fox.
College Love is considered a lost film. Based on the reviews, and lackluster creative team, it seems we are better off enjoying the other 1929 college football musicals, Sweetie or So This Is College instead!
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