- Published on
We jump back briefly to 1928 to take a look at a film considered long lost.
Photoplay, Nov 1928
Date of Release: Sept 23, 1928
Studio: First National
Director: Alfred Santell
Writer: James T. O'Donohue, George Marion
Costumes: Max Rée
Music: Irving Caesar, Edward Grossman, Joseph Meyer, Ted Ward
Choreography: Seymour Felix
Cast: Alice White (Dixie Dugan), Donald Reed (Álvarez Romano), Lee Moran (Denny), Charles Delaney (Jimmy), Richard Tucker (Milton), Gwen Lee (Nita Dugan), James Finlayson (Mr. Dugan) Kate Price (Mrs. Dugan), Hugh Roman (Eppus), Bernard Randall (Kibbitzer)
This film represents yet another musical missing from the AFI catalog of movie musicals, and yet was an early piece of work for many important industry players.
Show Girl was based on Joseph Patrick McEvoy’s best-selling novel of the same name. The novel was also the basis for the Dixie Dugan comic strip, a popular series which chronicled the life of a Hollywood showgirl.
The novel was heavily employed in promoting the film, with the serialized version of the novel re-released in local newspapers, and copies of the book distributed to theatre managers. Screenland (Nov 1928) also featured an article by the film’s star, Alice White, extolling the novel’s comedic value.
Studio: First National
Director: Alfred Santell
Writer: James T. O'Donohue, George Marion
Costumes: Max Rée
Music: Irving Caesar, Edward Grossman, Joseph Meyer, Ted Ward
Choreography: Seymour Felix
Cast: Alice White (Dixie Dugan), Donald Reed (Álvarez Romano), Lee Moran (Denny), Charles Delaney (Jimmy), Richard Tucker (Milton), Gwen Lee (Nita Dugan), James Finlayson (Mr. Dugan) Kate Price (Mrs. Dugan), Hugh Roman (Eppus), Bernard Randall (Kibbitzer)
This film represents yet another musical missing from the AFI catalog of movie musicals, and yet was an early piece of work for many important industry players.
Show Girl was based on Joseph Patrick McEvoy’s best-selling novel of the same name. The novel was also the basis for the Dixie Dugan comic strip, a popular series which chronicled the life of a Hollywood showgirl.
The novel was heavily employed in promoting the film, with the serialized version of the novel re-released in local newspapers, and copies of the book distributed to theatre managers. Screenland (Nov 1928) also featured an article by the film’s star, Alice White, extolling the novel’s comedic value.
Alice White's feature in Screenland, Nov 1928
The promotions paid off, and Show Girl did well at the box office. In New York, part of the appeal of Show Girl was that the Strand Theatre was one of the few theatres wired for sound. Audiences loved being able to see, and hear, up-coming talkie previews.
Although the critics thought Alice White “wasn’t so good in her part,” audiences loved her. As reported in Motion Picture Magazine (Dec 1928), one fan bemoaned the fact that while White and the chorus girls had worn as little as permitted by the censors on screen, the scantily clad scenes were only filmed in long shots.
White started out as a secretary and script supervisor, and her good looks led her to being cast as a flapper, and eventually the leading roles in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1928). White was involved in a love triangle that flared into a scandal and effectively ended her career. Even long after her career had faded however she continued to receive fan mail.
Overall the critics enjoyed Show Girl, although they thought the book was better. The usually more snarky Educational Screen (December 1928) wrote, “Some gorgeous sets and costumes, dancing and swift action make just fair entertainment.” Motion Picture News (Nov 10, 1928) described the film as one for the masses, and Variety complained that apart from a few songs and some applause effects, there wasn’t enough use of sound.
Although the critics thought Alice White “wasn’t so good in her part,” audiences loved her. As reported in Motion Picture Magazine (Dec 1928), one fan bemoaned the fact that while White and the chorus girls had worn as little as permitted by the censors on screen, the scantily clad scenes were only filmed in long shots.
White started out as a secretary and script supervisor, and her good looks led her to being cast as a flapper, and eventually the leading roles in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1928). White was involved in a love triangle that flared into a scandal and effectively ended her career. Even long after her career had faded however she continued to receive fan mail.
Overall the critics enjoyed Show Girl, although they thought the book was better. The usually more snarky Educational Screen (December 1928) wrote, “Some gorgeous sets and costumes, dancing and swift action make just fair entertainment.” Motion Picture News (Nov 10, 1928) described the film as one for the masses, and Variety complained that apart from a few songs and some applause effects, there wasn’t enough use of sound.
"Gorgeous sets and costumes" Screenland, Oct 1928
The “gorgeous sets and costumers” were designed by Max Rée, and White was lucky enough to wear 22 different costumes throughout the film. Danish-born Rée worked on Broadway and in Hollywood, and he went on to win an Oscar for Best Art Direction of Cimarron (1931). His other credits include Dixiana (1930), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935), and Carnegie Hall (1947). A wonderful summary (including pictures) of his work can be found here.
The score included the film’s theme song, “Show Girl,”“Buy, Buy for Baby” and “She’s One Sweet Show Girl.” The excellent Vitaphone Varieties blog features the latter two, and the music is bright and fun. The music team, Irving Ceasar and Joseph Meyer, were already big names by 1928, and went on to even greater success.
Irving Caesar worked on Broadway contributing lyrics and music to over forty productions including No, No Nanette (1925) and George White’s Scandals (1931) and various revues. Over the course of his career he composed over 700 songs including “Swanee” and “Tea for Two.” He was an early member of ASCAP, and a founding member of the Songwriters Guild of America.
Joseph Meyer was a prolific composer who worked extensively on Broadway. Shows include Big Boy (1925), Ziegfeld Follies of 1934 (1934) and Shuffle Along (1952). His most well-known songs include “If You Knew Susie,” "A Cup of Coffee, a Sandwich and You," and “California, Here I Come.” He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972.
The rest of the creative team were just as accomplished.
Alfred Santell was a prolific and well regarded director. Over the course of his three decade career he worked for most of the major studios, and directed over 90 films including Daddy Long Legs (1931), Winterset (1936), The Hairy Ape (1944), and That Brennan Girl (1946).
James T. O'Donohue wrote scripts primarily during the silent era.
George Marion was a prolific writer who worked in Hollywood for over twenty years. His other credits include Sweetie (1929), The Gay Divorcee (1934) and Too Many Girls (1940).
Edward Grossman was a composer and teacher, who had also trained to be a lawyer. He composed mainly for piano, and was active in several synagogues and Jewish organizations.
Joseph Meyer was a prolific composer for stage and screen. His hit songs include “California Here I Come,” “If You Knew Susie,” “Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie,” and “Singing a Song to the Stars.”
Ted Ward was a well-regarded composer who was nominated for seven Academy Awards – twice for Best Original Song, “Always and Always” from Mannequin (1939) and “Pennies for Peppino” from Flying with Music (1943); and five times for Best Scoring, Cheers for Miss Bishop (1942), Tanks a Million (1942), All-American Co-Ed (1942), and Phantom of the Opera (1944). Over the course of his career Ward worked for MGM, United Artists, and Universal.
After starting out as a vaudeville dancer, Seymour Felix became a well-known Broadway dance director. He contributed choreography for over thirty films including Sunnyside Up (1929), Everybody Sing (1938), Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), Dancing in the Dark (1949), and the television series Our Miss Brooks (1955).
For the most part, the cast of Show Girl went on to substantial acting careers.
Mexican born Donald Reed appeared in over forty films over fifteen years.
Lee Moran was an incredibly prolific actor, writer and director, predominantly during the silent era. He started out in vaudeville, and along with writing partner Earle Lyons created popular situational humor comedies. In a career spanning over twenty years, Moran appeared in nearly five hundred films, directed over a hundred, and wrote ninety-one scripts.
Starting out in silent film, Charles Delaney was an actor whose career spanned over five decades. He appeared predominantly in action and Western films.
Richard Tucker appeared in close to three hundred films, including The Jazz Singer (1927), Lucky Boy (1928), My Man (1928), Puttin on the Ritz (1930), and Stepping Out (1931). He was reportedly the first official member oF the Screen Actors Guild.
Named as a WAMPAS Baby star in 1928, Photoplay (January 1929) described Gwen Lee as “beautiful and attractive and a splendid dancer.“ Lee appeared in over sixty films including Lucky Boy (1928), and Untamed (1929). According to IMDb, Lee’s star faded after an unfortunate synchronization issue in Untamed led to her voice appearing “switched“ with her male co-star.
Scottish born James Finlayson was a highly popular and well-regarded comedic actor. He worked as an actor in the UK before moving to the US and working in vaudeville. An original Keystone Kop, Finlayson appeared in many Laurel and Hardy films.
Irish born Kate Price started out as a stage actress, and went on to appear in nearly three hundred films.
Russian born Bernard Randall emigrated to the USA as a child. He started out in vaudeville and was soon acting in film. He went on to appear in over thirty films and television shows.
The score included the film’s theme song, “Show Girl,”“Buy, Buy for Baby” and “She’s One Sweet Show Girl.” The excellent Vitaphone Varieties blog features the latter two, and the music is bright and fun. The music team, Irving Ceasar and Joseph Meyer, were already big names by 1928, and went on to even greater success.
Irving Caesar worked on Broadway contributing lyrics and music to over forty productions including No, No Nanette (1925) and George White’s Scandals (1931) and various revues. Over the course of his career he composed over 700 songs including “Swanee” and “Tea for Two.” He was an early member of ASCAP, and a founding member of the Songwriters Guild of America.
Joseph Meyer was a prolific composer who worked extensively on Broadway. Shows include Big Boy (1925), Ziegfeld Follies of 1934 (1934) and Shuffle Along (1952). His most well-known songs include “If You Knew Susie,” "A Cup of Coffee, a Sandwich and You," and “California, Here I Come.” He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1972.
The rest of the creative team were just as accomplished.
Alfred Santell was a prolific and well regarded director. Over the course of his three decade career he worked for most of the major studios, and directed over 90 films including Daddy Long Legs (1931), Winterset (1936), The Hairy Ape (1944), and That Brennan Girl (1946).
James T. O'Donohue wrote scripts primarily during the silent era.
George Marion was a prolific writer who worked in Hollywood for over twenty years. His other credits include Sweetie (1929), The Gay Divorcee (1934) and Too Many Girls (1940).
Edward Grossman was a composer and teacher, who had also trained to be a lawyer. He composed mainly for piano, and was active in several synagogues and Jewish organizations.
Joseph Meyer was a prolific composer for stage and screen. His hit songs include “California Here I Come,” “If You Knew Susie,” “Clap Hands, Here Comes Charlie,” and “Singing a Song to the Stars.”
Ted Ward was a well-regarded composer who was nominated for seven Academy Awards – twice for Best Original Song, “Always and Always” from Mannequin (1939) and “Pennies for Peppino” from Flying with Music (1943); and five times for Best Scoring, Cheers for Miss Bishop (1942), Tanks a Million (1942), All-American Co-Ed (1942), and Phantom of the Opera (1944). Over the course of his career Ward worked for MGM, United Artists, and Universal.
After starting out as a vaudeville dancer, Seymour Felix became a well-known Broadway dance director. He contributed choreography for over thirty films including Sunnyside Up (1929), Everybody Sing (1938), Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), Dancing in the Dark (1949), and the television series Our Miss Brooks (1955).
For the most part, the cast of Show Girl went on to substantial acting careers.
Mexican born Donald Reed appeared in over forty films over fifteen years.
Lee Moran was an incredibly prolific actor, writer and director, predominantly during the silent era. He started out in vaudeville, and along with writing partner Earle Lyons created popular situational humor comedies. In a career spanning over twenty years, Moran appeared in nearly five hundred films, directed over a hundred, and wrote ninety-one scripts.
Starting out in silent film, Charles Delaney was an actor whose career spanned over five decades. He appeared predominantly in action and Western films.
Richard Tucker appeared in close to three hundred films, including The Jazz Singer (1927), Lucky Boy (1928), My Man (1928), Puttin on the Ritz (1930), and Stepping Out (1931). He was reportedly the first official member oF the Screen Actors Guild.
Named as a WAMPAS Baby star in 1928, Photoplay (January 1929) described Gwen Lee as “beautiful and attractive and a splendid dancer.“ Lee appeared in over sixty films including Lucky Boy (1928), and Untamed (1929). According to IMDb, Lee’s star faded after an unfortunate synchronization issue in Untamed led to her voice appearing “switched“ with her male co-star.
Scottish born James Finlayson was a highly popular and well-regarded comedic actor. He worked as an actor in the UK before moving to the US and working in vaudeville. An original Keystone Kop, Finlayson appeared in many Laurel and Hardy films.
Irish born Kate Price started out as a stage actress, and went on to appear in nearly three hundred films.
Russian born Bernard Randall emigrated to the USA as a child. He started out in vaudeville and was soon acting in film. He went on to appear in over thirty films and television shows.
Photoplay, April 1929
Long considered a lost film, a silent version was found in Milan and screened at the Italian Podenone Silent Film Festival (Giornate del Cinema Muto) in 2015. The sound version is scheduled to play at this year’s festival and if anyone wants to spot me a ticket to the festival (and a plane ticket to Italy), I’ll happily accept!
Reading the plot notes and advertising for Show Girl, I had dismissed it as another fluffy backstage musical comedy. After reading through Podenone’s program notes however, I really want to see this film.
The notes describe Show Girl as “socially historic and deliciously cynical” and “exemplary for its pace and economy.” The protagonist, Dixie Dugan is characterized as “the new “New Woman” – the post-Flapper, symbolizing the final days of the Roaring Twenties… while her predecessors were “smoking, drinking, never thinking…” Dixie calculates, cooly. She has big ambitions and knows how to use her looks and her sexuality to achieve them.” It would be so refreshing to see a film from this era where at least one woman has agency in her world!
A second film based on the same material, Show Girl in Hollywood, was released in 1930.
The next post will be back to 1929, and in the meantime I’ll be keeping my eyes and ears open for a New York screening.
Reading the plot notes and advertising for Show Girl, I had dismissed it as another fluffy backstage musical comedy. After reading through Podenone’s program notes however, I really want to see this film.
The notes describe Show Girl as “socially historic and deliciously cynical” and “exemplary for its pace and economy.” The protagonist, Dixie Dugan is characterized as “the new “New Woman” – the post-Flapper, symbolizing the final days of the Roaring Twenties… while her predecessors were “smoking, drinking, never thinking…” Dixie calculates, cooly. She has big ambitions and knows how to use her looks and her sexuality to achieve them.” It would be so refreshing to see a film from this era where at least one woman has agency in her world!
A second film based on the same material, Show Girl in Hollywood, was released in 1930.
The next post will be back to 1929, and in the meantime I’ll be keeping my eyes and ears open for a New York screening.
- Published on
image from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_(1929_film)
Date of Release: Nov 7, 1929
Studio: First National Pictures
Director: Clarence Badger
Screenplay: Hope Loring
Music: Al Bryan, Edgar Leslie, Horatio Nicholls, Eddie Ward
Choreographer: Larry Ceballos (dance director)
Leading Actors: Irene Bordini, Jack Buchanan, Louise Closser Hale, Jason Robards, ZaSu Pitts, Margaret Fielding
Based on the Martin Brown Broadway musical of the same name, Paris is the story of an American art student living in Paris who falls in love with a French actress. She agrees to marry him, but only with his mother’s blessing.
The plot initially sounds like An American in Paris, and interestingly, the original Gershwin symphonic poem was composed in the same year as Brown’s play premiered on Broadway, 1928. It seems stories about American artists falling in love in Paris were very much in vogue in the late 1920s!
Unfortunately, we cannot compare the two films as Paris only survives in fragmentary sound reels at the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
Paris was produced by First National Pictures, an independent movie studio that merged with Warner Bros in 1928. The movie was filmed in black and white with two technicolor (and by most accounts, extravagant and unnecessary), revue scenes. Paris received mixed reviews and was considered a moderate success, playing better overseas where its leading lady, French actress Irene Bordini, was more well known.
Like many other stage to screen adaptations of the period, the Broadway score was largely replaced for the film version. A great shame, as the Broadway show featured songs by Cole Porter including “Let’s Fall in Love”.
The Vitaphone Varieties blog has a fascinating, and incredibly detailed, history of Paris. The post includes beautiful stills of the technicolor sequences, and transcripts of the remaining sound reels.
What is fascinating to me about Paris is that it features something I have not yet come across in this project: a female screenwriter. Hope Loring was a prolific screenwriter in Hollywood, often working in partnership with her husband Louis "Buddy" Lighton. You can read more about her here.
Final tidbit, in researching this post I discovered that director Clarence Badger retired to Sydney, Australia (where I grew up), and Hope Loring retired to Mallorca, Spain (where some of my ancestors hail from)! Small world.
Studio: First National Pictures
Director: Clarence Badger
Screenplay: Hope Loring
Music: Al Bryan, Edgar Leslie, Horatio Nicholls, Eddie Ward
Choreographer: Larry Ceballos (dance director)
Leading Actors: Irene Bordini, Jack Buchanan, Louise Closser Hale, Jason Robards, ZaSu Pitts, Margaret Fielding
Based on the Martin Brown Broadway musical of the same name, Paris is the story of an American art student living in Paris who falls in love with a French actress. She agrees to marry him, but only with his mother’s blessing.
The plot initially sounds like An American in Paris, and interestingly, the original Gershwin symphonic poem was composed in the same year as Brown’s play premiered on Broadway, 1928. It seems stories about American artists falling in love in Paris were very much in vogue in the late 1920s!
Unfortunately, we cannot compare the two films as Paris only survives in fragmentary sound reels at the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
Paris was produced by First National Pictures, an independent movie studio that merged with Warner Bros in 1928. The movie was filmed in black and white with two technicolor (and by most accounts, extravagant and unnecessary), revue scenes. Paris received mixed reviews and was considered a moderate success, playing better overseas where its leading lady, French actress Irene Bordini, was more well known.
Like many other stage to screen adaptations of the period, the Broadway score was largely replaced for the film version. A great shame, as the Broadway show featured songs by Cole Porter including “Let’s Fall in Love”.
The Vitaphone Varieties blog has a fascinating, and incredibly detailed, history of Paris. The post includes beautiful stills of the technicolor sequences, and transcripts of the remaining sound reels.
What is fascinating to me about Paris is that it features something I have not yet come across in this project: a female screenwriter. Hope Loring was a prolific screenwriter in Hollywood, often working in partnership with her husband Louis "Buddy" Lighton. You can read more about her here.
Final tidbit, in researching this post I discovered that director Clarence Badger retired to Sydney, Australia (where I grew up), and Hope Loring retired to Mallorca, Spain (where some of my ancestors hail from)! Small world.