Jimmy Dorsey Movies
A saxophonist and orchestra leader who appeared in several films, Jimmy Dorsey is the brother of musician Tommy Dorsey. ~ All Movie Guide- 2001
The 1940s was a monumental decade for the United States. Amid World War II, economic recovery, and the start of the Cold War, American music provided a soundtrack to a generation. The Music Classics line from MPI Home Video attempts to offer the chance to relieve the era with a ten-volume series of restored film footage featuring performances by many of the 40's most revered artists. Music Classics, Vol. 4 features the likes of The King Sisters, Artie Shaw, Tex Beneke, and Duke Ellington. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- 2001
The 1940s was a monumental decade for the United States. Amid World War II, economic recovery, and the start of the Cold War, American music provided a soundtrack to a generation. The Music Classics line from MPI Home Video attempts to offer the chance to relieve the era with a ten-volume series of restored film footage featuring performances by many of the 40's most revered artists. Wrapping up the series, Music Classics, Vol. 10 features clips of Duke Ellington, Lawrence Welk, Lorraine Page, The Slim Gailard Trio, Benny Goodman, and several others. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- 1990
See "soundies" from the 1940s. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1988
- Add Harlem Roots, Vol. 1: The Big Bands to QueueAdd Harlem Roots, Vol. 1: The Big Bands to top of Queue
Storyville Films presents this series of short music programs, originally produced between 1941 and 1947. Called "Soundies," these popular films were shown in a jukebox machine called a Panoram. In Harlem Roots, Vol. 1: The Big Bands, four of the most famous big band leaders perform, including Duke Ellington ("I Got it Bad, and That Ain't Good"), Cab Calloway ("Foo a Little Boogaloo"), Count Basie ("Take Me Back Baby"), and Lucky Millinder ("Hello, Bill"). ~ Alice Day, All Movie Guide
- 1987
The Swing era conjures up images of sophisticated ladies, debonair gentlemen, and the big bands who entertained them with a certain élan. This program is the third volume in a series that captures that elegant era on film, with a look at the big bands. This episode features Gene Krupa, the Glenn Miller Band, the Ink Spots, and the Count Basie Orchestra. The viewer can enjoy 19 numbers, such as "Stompin' at the Savoy," "Red Bank Boogie," and "If I Didn't Care." Archival clips, photographs, and personal recollections of performers and fans recall the charm of this great time in American music. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide
- 1987
The Swing era conjures up images of sophisticated ladies, debonair gentlemen, and the big bands who entertained them with a certain élan. This program is the second volume in a series that captures that elegant era on film, with a look at the big bands. This episode features the unforgettable voice of Nat King Cole, who made tunes such as "Route 66" and "Nature Boy" his own. The Tommy Dorsey and Jimmy Dorsey Orchestras and Woody Herman also play for the audience. Archival clips, photographs, and personal recollections of performers and fans recall the charm of this exuberant time in American music. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide
- 1987
The Swing era conjures up images of sophisticated ladies, debonair gentlemen, and the big bands who entertained them with a certain élan. This program is the fourth volume in a series that captures that elegant era on film, with a look at the big bands. In this episode, the sounds of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Louis Prima, Buddy Rich, and Tex Beneke fill the airways. "Satin Doll," "Sophisticated Lady," and "That Old Black Magic" are among the many tunes presented in their entirety. Archival clips, photographs, and personal recollections of performers and fans recall the charm of this exuberant time in American music. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide
- 1985
Swing out with the best of the big band era. This volume includes many favorites like "Stardust" and "Dipsy Doodle." ~ All Movie Guide
- 1956
This episode of the television program included Elvis Presley and Henny Youngman as the guests. Originally broadcast March 17, 1956. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1955
Elvis Presley made his national television debut singing "Heartbreak Hotel" in this memorable episode of the mid-'50s variety show that was hosted by the Dorsey Brothers, Tommy and Jimmy, and produced by Jackie Gleason. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Based on the lives of big-band stars Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, this biographical chronicle begins with their childhood in an industrial Pennsylvania town. Encouraged in their musical talents by their father, the Dorsey brothers' sibling rivalry proves to be a stumbling block until the their father's death gives them the momentum they need to rise to fame, and they are eventually considered to be among the best bandleaders of the swing era. Appearances by Charlie Barnet, Art Tatum, and Bob Eberly jazz up the musical numbers, featuring such songs as "Green Eyes," "Everybody's Doin' It", "Marie," and "I'll Never Say Never Again." ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sara Allgood, William Bakewell, (more)
- 1944
Lost in a Harem is arguably the best of Abbott & Costello's trio of MGM films; it's certainly the silliest, with any number of nonsensical plot twists and sidesplitting gags. This time, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello play Pete and Harvey, two American magicians stranded in a mythical Arabian Nights kingdom with songstress Hazel Moon (Marilyn Maxwell). Our heroes and heroine become involved with the trials and tribulations of Prince Ramo (John Conte), who hopes to rightfully reclaim his throne from his evil usurping uncle Nimativ (Douglas Dumbrille). Alas, the villain is armed with a pair of hypnotic rings with which he forces everyone to do his bidding: his most anti-social act is to kidnap and hypnotize the entire Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra! Pete, Harvey, Ramo and Hazel risk death at every turn to thwart Nimativ, encountering a giant guard (Lock Martin, later to play the robot Gort in The Day the Earth Stood Still), a gibbering lunatic (Murray Leonard) and a bevy of harem beauties along the way. The film's sets and costumes, as well as the more elaborate musical numbers, are "borrowed" from the recently completed MGM superproduction Kismet. While the plot is for the birds, Lost in a Harem is saved by the fast-and-furious antics of Abbott and Costello. And as a bonus, this is the film in which Bud and Lou, accompanied by Murray Leonard, perform those deathless burlesque classics "Slowly I Turned" and "Mike's Place." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, (more)
- 1944
The West Coast's answer to Broadway's Stage Door Canteen, the Hollywood Canteen was created as a GI morale-booster by film stars Bette Davis and John Garfield. The Canteen was established so that Our Boys on leave in Tinseltown could have a good time with good food and good dancing -- and, as a bonus, rub shoulders with their favorite movie personalities, who functioned as waiters, chefs, busboys and dancing partners. Since the 1944 all-star flick Hollywood Canteen was produced by Warner Bros., it was only to be expected that the celebrities seen herein would consist mostly of Warner Bros. contract players. The frail plot concerns a soldier on medical leave (played by Robert Hutton) who falls in love with lovely leading lady Joan Leslie (played by Joan Leslie) while visiting the Canteen. Bette Davis and John Garfield are on hand to emcee the Canteen's variety acts, and to act as cupids for the Hutton/Leslie romance. The "supporting cast" includes the likes of The Andrews Sisters, Jack Benny, Joe E. Brown, Eddie Cantor, Sidney Greenstreet, Paul Henreid, Peter Lorre, Ida Lupino, Dennis Morgan, Roy Rogers, S.Z. Sakall, Barbara Stanwyck, and the Jimmy Dorsey and Carmen Cavallaro musical aggregations. Virtually everyone involved donated their salaries to the Canteen fund--even Jack Benny. As with most of these patriotic wartime star rallies, the results are a mixed bag: the best sequences include Benny's violin "duel" with Joseph Szigeti and Roy Rogers and the Sons of the Pioneers introducing Cole Porter's Don't Fence Me In. Hollywood Canteen won three Oscar nominations, more for its good intentions than its inherent excellence. Still, don't pass up the opportunity when this "movie star salad" shows up on cable TV. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Hutton, Jack Benny, (more)
- 1943
In later years, director Vincente Minnelli would dismiss I Dood It as his worst picture, though a more deserving candidate for that "honor" would be Minnelli's valedictory film A Matter of Time. In this remake of Buster Keaton's Spite Marriage, Red Skelton plays pants-presser Joseph Rivington Reynolds, who develops a crush on glamorous stage star Constance Shaw (Eleanor Powell). "Borrowing" a tuxedo from one of his customers, Joe courts Constance backstage and at a fancy nightclub. Jilted by her fiance, the temperamental Constance marries Joe out of spite, leading to a series of silly situations. In the original Spite Marriage, Buster Keaton proved his worth to the heroine by rescuing her from bootleggers: in the remake, Joe saves Constance from a nest of Nazi spies. Some of the routines-notably a scene in which Joe makes a shambles of a Civil War play, and a lengthy bit in which he puts his drunken bride to bed-were lifted directly from Spite Marriage, no surprise considering that Buster Keaton was one of the I Dood It gag writers. Musical highlights are provided by Lena Horne, Hazel Scott and Jimmy Dorsey, while the film's finale is lifted bodily from the 1936 Eleanor Powell musical Born to Dance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Red Skelton, Eleanor Powell, (more)
