Rambling 'Round Radio Row #3

I recently got a hold of the multi-disk set "Warner Brothers Big Band, Jazz & Swing Short Subject Collection". It's made up of over 11 hours of Vitaphone musical shorts. Disk 1 is a bit different in style, as it consists mostly of the "Ramblin' Round Radio Row" shorts. These mostly star Jerry Wald. Wald apparently was famous for a newspaper column on radio programs and this was parlayed into him getting the chance to produce these shorts.

In this third film, Jay C. Flippen acts as master of ceremonies down by the sea. Sometimes Flippen is pretty obnoxious (such as with his fat jokes) and I can see why he's not a household name. Of the acts shown in this film, two are of some interest today. You get to see Guy Lombardo and his brothers--but they don't perform. A bit later, some older guy sings a creepy song to a very young Baby Rose Marie--the same Rose Marie who later appeared as a regular on "The Dick Van Dyke Show". Here, she sings with a lot of gusto. I wouldn't say she was good--but she sure put her heart into it. Because a couple of the acts are of minor interest, it might be worth seeing today. Just don't expect much and you won't be disappointed.