Footlight Parade (1933)
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From Wikipedia (adapted):
The musical film Footlight Parade (1933) starred James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell. The screenplay was written by Manuel Seff and James Seymour from a story by Robert Lord and Peter Milne. It was directed by Lloyd Bacon. The spectacular Busby Berkeley-choreographed musical numbers feature songs written by Harry Warren (music) and Al Dubin (lyrics), and by Sammy Fain (music) and Irving Kahal (lyrics).
Musical numbers
- Honeymoon Hotel – by Harry Warren (music) and Al Dubin (lyrics)
- Shanghai Lil – by Harry Warren (music) and Al Dubin (lyrics)
- By a Waterfall– by Sammy Fain (music) and Irving Kahal (lyrics)
- One Step Ahead of My Shadow – by Sammy Fain (music) and Irving Kahal (lyrics)
- Ah, the Moon Is Here – by Sammy Fain (music) and Irving Kahal (lyrics)
- Sitting on a Backyard Fence – by Sammy Fain (music) and Irving Kahal (lyrics)[5]
Production
Early casting had Stanley Smith playing the juvenile lead eventually played by Dick Powell, and Dorothy Tennant playing Mrs. Gould instead of Ruth Donnelly. Other actors considered for various roles included Eugene Pallette, George Dobbs and Patricia Ellis. Remarkably, considering that his musical numbers are the highlight of the film, Busby Berkeley was not the original choice to choreograph – Larry Ceballos was signed to direct the dance numbers, and sued Berkeley and the studio for $100,000 for breach of contract when he was not allowed to do so. (Ceballos also claimed to have created a number later used in the Warner Bros. film Wonder Bar, which was credited to Berkeley.) Cagney’s character, Chester Kent, was modelled after Chester Hale, a well-known impresario at the time, and the offices he worked in were based on the Sunset Boulevard offices of the prologue production company “Fanchon and Marco” in Los Angeles.[3] Footlight Parade was shot at the Warner Bros. studio in Burbank, California, and cost an estimated $703,000 to make. It premiered on 30 September 1933, and was released generally on 21 October.[6][7][8]
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Trailer
Honeymoon Hotel (m. Sammy Fain, w. Irving Kahal) Danced by Ruby Keeler — Vocals are distributed between Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, a studio chorus, and bit part players in the hotel (staff, family members, other guests).
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Freddy Martin & his Orchestra, vocal by Terry Shand — recorded 31 August 1933 and issued as Brunswick 6654 c/w Sittin’ On a Backyard Fence (m. Sammy Fain, w. Irving Kahal)
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Ah, The Moon is Here (m. Sammy Fain, w. Irving Kahal) – Sung by Frank McHugh, Dick Powell, and three members of the Chorus
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Shanghai Lil (Harry Warren, Al Dubin) Sung by James Cagney, Ruby Keeler and Chorus, Danced by James Cagney and Ruby Keeler and Chorus
complete number
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(below) high quality, but incomplete
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Gene Kardos and his Orchestra, vocal by Dick Robertson — 1933 recording
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By a Waterfall (m. Sammy Fain, w. Irving Kahal) Sung by Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler and Chorus – Swum by Ruby Keeler and Chorus, choreography by Busby Berkeley
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Sittin’ on a Back Yard Fence (m. Sammy Fain, w. Irving Kahal) Danced by Ruby Keeler — Sung by Ruby Keeler, Billy Taft and Chorus
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Songbook 