Rambling 'Round Radio Row #1

Rambling 'Round Radio Row #1 (1932)

** (out of 4)

The first of nine films in the Vitaphone series, which shined the spotlight on various radio acts. Jerry Wald and Sid Gary act as hosts for this 9-minute short where they introduce a wide range of acts from musicals one to those just doing funny things (like quickly drinking down a beverage). If one was to go through this series then more than likely they're going to be major film buffs or perhaps music buffs. Normally if one wants to watch or listen to something from a certain era then they search out the best material from the greatest groups. This short, on the other hands, features unknown acts who were probably on their way out as talking pictures became more famous. The idea of movies borrowing radio acts is an interesting one and we get musical numbers from The Boswell Sisters and Kate Smith. We also get a few comic bits from Stoopnagle and Bud. This short is the first time I've seen or head from any of them and they are minor talents at the most. This is certainly nothing great but it's an interesting curio piece.

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.

In this very first in the series, the plot is very thin and is just an excuse to film some radio acts. Jerry and his friend Sid head to the local radio station so Jerry can write some story. I assumed Jerry was some sort of famous newspaper man--but found almost nothing on him on IMDb. So, I checked Wikipedia and found he wrote a newspaper column about radio programs. And, because of this knowledge, he was able to parlay that into producing this series of shorts.

Most of the acts are only okay and names you'd never recognize today (such as the Boswell Sisters). However, buried within these folks is a young Kate Smith who sings and dances at the end in one of her first movie performances. This alone makes the short worth seeing.

One reviewer called these performers second rate. Well, in 1932 they were at the top of the radio game. Abe Lyman, Kate Smith and the Boswell Sisters were featured on network radio every week.

You can't compare these guys to the Garbos, Lombards and Cagney's of the day...It would like be comparing Marlon Brando to William Shatner. Still, like we know the voice of Captain Kirk they knew the voices of these stars...and they were stars.

There was a lot of curiosity about the people whose voices were coming into the homes of Americans and these shorts helped satisfy that desire. The short itself suffers from the choppiness of a low budget, and was probably filmed in Queens rather than Hollywood, but in its day this was hot stuff.

Its fun to watch, once you put everything into perspective.

See if you can find some of these to watch.

They are shorts and hard to find. The experience of watching is mundane in itself. After all, these are second rate players doing offhand skits and songs. Its the idea that's worth dipping into.

Movies and radio grew up together, each searching for its identity. By this time, movies were firmly mature as storytelling vehicles. while radio was turning out skits and songs. Often they overlapped, and where they do its fascinating.

What we have here is radio with pictures: skits directed at faint amusement and songs. But radio had already become cinematic. Just imagine Charlie McCarthy, a radio ventriloquism act! So what movies are borrowing from radio are what radio borrowed from movies and refined.

Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.