this page first published by John Wright, 26 Oct 1997
last update 22 Oct 2007
vintage@jabw.demon.co.uk
Films featuring American Jazz or Dance Bands 1927-1947
As well as on records, jazz and dance band music was recorded for films during the 78 rpm era.
This page is the first part of a list of American films known to feature bands, seen and heard, some not identified. Note: Bands may also appear in films listed in the Entertainers and Popular Song film lists.
If you can add to this list, can fill in any of the gaps or if you know of websites or books
dealing with old movies that might have useful information
then please e-mail me.
Recent updates to listing:
Updates from 'Who Sang What On The Screen' by Alan Warner (1984)
| Updates from 'Great Songwriters Of Hollywood' by Warren Craig (1980)
| Updates from 'Black Beauty, White Heat' by Frank Driggs, Harris Lewine (1982)
| Updates from 'Halliwell's Film Guide (1993, Ninth edition)
| |
You may find videos of some of the films on the net at Amazon.com. In the list below those with Order Today! can indeed be ordered via their link. For the other films you can use the search link at the foot of this page.
| FILM | DATE | FEATURING | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Around The World | 1943 | Kay Kyser's Band Ish Kabibble Ginny Simms Joan Davis Misha Auer | |
| Artists And Models | 1937 | Louis Armstrong's Orch, Andre Kostelanetz Orch Yacht Club Boys, Connee Boswell, Martha Raye, Judy Canova | |
| Atlantic City | 1944 | Louis Armstrong Orch, Paul Whiteman Orch Belle Baker, Dorothy Dandridge, Buck & Bubbles, Jerry Colonna | |
| Ball Of Fire (GB: The Professor And the Burlesque Queen) | 1941 | Gene Krupa Orch Barbara Stanwyck voice may be that of Martha Tilton | |
| Bathing Beauty | 1944 | Harry James Orch, Helen Forrest | |
| Battle Of Paris | 1929 | a band including Miff Mole (tb) Gertrude Lawrence | |
| Beat The Band | 1947 | Gene Krupa Band, Frances Langford | |
| Behind the Eight Ball (GB: Off The Beaten Track) | 1942 | Sonny Dunham Orch Ritz Brothers Carol Bruce Dick Foran | |
| Belle Of The Nineties | 1934 | Mae West, Duke Ellington Orch (Gene Austin is NOT in this film) | |
| Best Foot Forward | 1943 | Harry James Orch Lucille Ball William Gaxton June Allyson Gloria De Haven | |
| Betty Co-Ed (GB:The Melting Pot) | 1946 | Jan Savitt Orch Jean Porter | |
| Big Broadcast | 1932 | Cab Calloway Orch, Vincent Lopez Orch, Eddie Lang, Bing Crosby, Kate Smith, Arthur Tracy, Mills Bros, Boswell Sisters, Donald Novis | |
| Big Broadcast of 1936 | 1935 | Ray Noble and his American Band, Ina Ray Hutton Orch, Bing Crosby, Ethel Merman, Richard Tauber, Lyda Roberti, Nicholas Bros., Vienna Boys Choir | |
| Big Broadcast of 1937 | 1936 | Benny Goodman's Orch Martha Raye, Benny Fields, Larry Adler, Shirley Ross, Leopold Stokowski | |
| Big Broadcast of 1938 Click and order the video Today! (NTSC format) | 1937 | Shep Fields and His Rippling Rhythm Orch, Bob Hope, Martha Raye, Dorothy Lamour, Tito Guizar, Kirsten Flagstad | |
| Big Show-Off | 1945 | Anson Weeks Orch | |
| The Big Street | 1942 | Ozzie Nelson Orch Lucille Ball (dubbed by Martha Mears) Henry Fonda Eugene Pallette | |
| Birth Of The Blues You can order the video of Birth Of The Blues Today! (NTSC format) | 1941 | Bing Crosby, Jack Teagarden Orch, Mary Martin (Danny Polo dubbed Bing's clarinet) | |
| Blockbusters | 1944 | Jimmy Noone band | |
| Blues In The Night | 1941 | Jimmy Lunceford Orch, uncredited singer Will Osbourne Orch Priscilla Lane | |
| Breakfast In Hollywood (GB: The Mad Hatter) | 1946 | Nat King Cole Trio, Spike Jones & His City Slickers | |
| Bright Lights | 1931 | Frank Fay | |
| Broadway | 1929 | Gus Arnheim and his Cocoanut Grove Ambassadors | |
| Broadway Babies | 1929 | . | |
| Broadway Gondolier | 1935 | Ted Fiorito Band Dick Powell, Mills Brothers | |
| Broadway Rhythm | 1943 | Tommy Dorsey Orch Lena Horne Hazel Scott George Murphy Ginny Simms Charles Winnegar | |
| Broadway Scandals | 1929 | . | |
| By Request | 1935 | Claude Hopkins Band | |
| Cabin In The Cotton | 1932 | Les Hite Orchestra featuring Lionel Hampton George Ordendorf Bette Davis Richard Barthelmess | |
| Cabin In The Sky | 1943 | Louis Armstrong Orch, Duke Ellington Orch, Ethel Waters, Lena Horne, Buck & Bubbles | |
| Caldonia | 1945 | Louis Jordan Orch | |
| Campus Rhythm | 1943 | . | |
| Carolina Blues | 1944 | Kay Kyser and his Band Ann Miller Victor Moore | |
| Check And Double Check | 1930 | ![]() Duke Ellington Orch | |
| Cigarette Girl | 1947 | Russ Morgan Orch | |
| Close Harmony | 1929 | Jesse Stafford Orch Buddy Rogers | |
| Convention City | 1933 | orchestra? Dick Powell, Joan Blondell, Adolphe Menjou, Dick PowellThis film is lost | |
| Convention Girl | 1935 | Isham Jones Orch | |
| Coronado | 1935 | Eddy Duchin Orch Jack haley Leon Errol Johnny Downs | |
| Crazy House | 1943 | Count Basie Band, Thelma Carpenter, Jimmy Rushing, Glenn Miller Singers with Marion Hutton, Delta Rhythm Boys | |
| Crimson Canary | 1945 | Coleman Hawkins, Josh White and others | |
| Crooner | 1932 | David Manners (voice dubbed by Brick Holton), Teddy Joyce | |
| . | . | . |
| find a DVD or VHS video at Amazon: search for title: |
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Then please e-mail me.