British Vintage Music Films

Films featuring British Dance Bands, 1929-1946

this page first published by John Wright, 18 Sept 1997
last update 5 January 2009vintage@jabw.demon.co.uk

As well as on records, dance band music was recorded for films during the 78 rpm era. This page continues to list the old films known to feature British dance bands, with the titles of songs and music featured in the films.

Note: there is also a list of movies who had a danceband leader as MD but I have not yet established if bands are seen and heard in those movies, see Dance Band MD's.
Also many Shorts and Newsreels featured bands.

P - S

Recent updates to danceband listing:

Updates from 'Jazz In The Movies' by David Meeker (1972)

Updates from Terry Brown, July 1999

Updates from members of the british-dancebands-egroup, 1999-2000

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.
Lists in this format (c) John A B Wright/Terry Brown, 1999

1. Major films featuring British dance bands: P - S

FILM	DATE	FEATURING
Paper Orchid	1949	Ray Ellington and his Quartet
Pathetone Parade of 1936	Feb '36	Charlie Kunz, Troise and his Mandoliers
Pathetone Parade of 1939	May '39	Rudy Starita and his Marimba Band
Pathetone Parade of 1941	June '41	Jack Jackson's Band
Penny Pool	Apr '37	Macari and his Dutch Serenaders Julian Niman and his Boys Tommy Fields Luanne Shaw Fred Tilson Jack Butler SONGS Harbour LightsSo Say All of UsKeep FitJulie and MyrtleBreak The News To MotherIt’s A Sin To Tell A LieKeep Fit
Piccadilly	Oct '29	Debroy Somers Band sound added 1930
Piccadilly Nights	May '30	Maurice Winnick's Orch Harry Shalson Ralph Goldsmith & his Band Billie Rutherford
Pity The Poor Rich	Mar '35	Nat Gonella and his Georgians SONGS Troublesome TrumpetI'm Gonna Wash My Hands Of YouGeorgiaTiger Rag
Playtime for Workers	1943	Stan Sheddon and His Playtimers Gerry Wilmot (compere) Cavendish Three (Kay Cavendish, Helen Raymond and Pat Rigold) Scott Sanders Bill Smith Maurice Taylor SONGS South Rampart Street ParadeIt ain't Watcha DoWhen You And I Were Young, MaggieAnnie LaurieComin’ Thro’ The RyeCarry Me Back To The Lone PrairieHome On The RangeUnited We StandJealousyAnd So Do IRolling Round The WorldThe Japanese, the Jerriesand the Wops
Play Up The Band	Jun '35	Louise Selkirk's Ladies Orch Stanley Holloway Betty Ann Davis SONGS Play Up the BandMusic Hath Charms
The Queen's Affair	1934	Geraldo and his Savoy Orch to be confirmed Anna Neagle Fernand Graavey SONGS TonightI Love You SoWhen I Hear Your Voice
Radio Parade	Apr '33	Roy Fox's Kit-Kat Band Elsie Carlisle Mario (Harp) Lorenzi the Carlisle Cousins Doris Arnold & Harry Pepper Houston Sisters Christopher Stone,compere SONGS You've Got Me Crying AgainIts Great to Be In Love
Radio Parade of 1935	Dec '34	Teddy Joyce and his Band Eve Becke Alberta Hunter Carlisle Cousins Gerry Fitzgerald Peggy Cochran Fay Carroll Clifford Mollison Will Hay Ted Ray Western Brothers Ronald Frankau SONGS Black Shadows (AH)You're My Everything (EB)There's No Excusin' Susan (PC, CC)Good MorningDoin' The Newer Than NewLet Me Go On DreamingWe Won't Say Good MorningWe're Not Quite What We Used To BeNo One To Care For Me
Radio Pirates	Mar '35	Roy Fox's Kit-Kat Band Teddy Brown Leslie French Mary Lawson SONGS Old FaithfulGet Along Little Dogie
The Red Shoes	1948?	Kenny Baker Swing Group
Rhythm Rackateer	Oct '37	Harry Roy's Band Princess Pearl SONGS Rhythm RacketeerI Fell In Love With A PosterSeven Different Sweeties A WeekYou Struck the Right Note
Road House	Dec '34	Geraldo and his Band Violet Lorraine Gordon Harker Stanley Holloway SONGS What A Little Moonlight Can DoDon't Cry When We Say Goodbye
Romance In Rhythm	June '33	Carroll Gibbons' Savoy Hotel Orpheans Phyllis Clare David Hutcheson
Round Rainbow Corner	1944	Chappie D'Amato and his band
Royal Cavalcade	Apr '35	Debroy Somers Band Sydney Baines & his band Bert Feldman Florrie Ford George Robey John Mills Jane Baxter SONGS How You Gonna Keep Them Down On The Farm
Saturday Night Revue	Oct '37	Billy Reid and his Band Sydney Kyte and his band John Reynders and the BBC Orchestra Strad and his Newsboys Billy Milton Sally Gray Webster Booth Dorothy Squires Bennett and Williams The Hillbillies SONGS Kiss Me GoodnightIt Was Such A Glorious NightTogether
Say It With Music	Nov '32	Jack Payne's Band SONGS Say It With MusicGood Morning Mr SunLove Is The Sweetest ThingI'll Do My Best To Make You HappySing And Smile Your Cares Away
School For Stars	May '35	Geraldo and his Music Jean Gillie Fred Conyngham
Send 'Em Back Half-dead	May '33	Jack Harris Band
She Shall Have Music	Dec '35	Jack Hylton Orch Brian Lawrance June Clyde Freddy Schweitzer SONGS She Shall Have MusicWhy Did She Fall For The Leader Of The BandMoaning MinnieThe Blue DanubeSailing Along On A Carpet of BlueNothing On EarthDon't Ask Me Any Questions (BL)The RunaroundThe Hylton StompMay All Your Troubles Be Little OnesMy First Thrill (BL)
Shipmates Of Mine	Mar '36	Horace Sheldon and his Band John Garrick Jean Adrienne Polly Ward SONGS You’re Driving Me Crazy
Shooting Stars	Oct '37	Debroy Somers Band Fred Duprez Phyllis Robins SONGS I Saw A Ship A SailingBoo HooThe Meanest Thing You Did To meI Took My Harp To A Party
The Show's The Thing	Dec '36	Billy Merrin and his Commanders with Peggy Dew (Rita Williams - vocal) and The Dorchester Girls Ronald Frankau Jessie (child singer) SONGS The Show's The Thing(DG)Miracles Can Sometimes Happen(BM)You Gotta Have Swing(RW)Give Me A Mustang And Rifle(RF)Is It True What They Say About Dixie?(J)
Sing As You Swing	July '37	Nat Gonella and his Georgians Mantovani & his Tipica Orch Clapham & Dwyer The Mills Brothers Evelyn Dall SONGS GeorgiaBlack EyesLet's DanceSing As You SwingThat’s As Far As It Goes
The Small Back Room	Feb '49	Kenny Baker's Swing Group (from Ted Heath's Band)
Soft Lights And Sweet Music	Feb '36	Bert Ambrose Orch Evelyn Dall Elizabeth Welch Turner Layton Donald Stewart The Western Bros Three Rhythm Brothers Max Bacon SONGS We're Tops On Saturday NightLost My Rhythm, Lost My Man(ED)I'm All In(ED)PiccadillyLimehouse BluesAlohe oeDiga Diga DooSheSouth American JoeWhen Day Is DoneRidin’ up The River RoadWe Can’t Find The Tiger Any MoreAfter All ThatDon’t Be a CadCohen The Crooner
Somewhere In England	July '40	Percival Mackey's Band Frank Randall SONGS Somewhere In England
Somewhere On Leave	Nov '41	Percival Mackey's Band Frank Randall SONGS Somewhere On LeaveBoy Meets Girl
Spirit Of Variety	July '37	Eddie Carroll's Band
Splinters	1929	Carroll Gibbons 'His Masters Voice Orchestra' George Baker SONGS In Cellar CoolSweet & LowHold Your Hand Out Naughty BoyEncoreThe Old Folks At HomeSince I Fell In Love With YouThere's Room In My HeartI'll Be Getting Along
St Martin's Lane (or Sidewalks Of London)	July '38	Carroll Gibbons' Savoy Hotel Orpheans Larry Adler Charles Laughton Vivien Leigh SONGS Wear A Straw Hat In The Rain
Starlight Serenade	Jan '44	Oscar Rabin SONGS FrenesiPerfidiaHawaiian War Chant
Stars On Parade	Jan '36	Debroy Somers Band Pat Hyde Robb Wilton SONGS Say It While DancingSweet NothingsFlight Of The BumblebeeStepping OutThe Moon Is Tired Of ShiningTannhauserShanty In Old Shanty Town Heads or TailsThat Old Fashioned Mother Of MineValentineThine is my HeartSong of the Volga BoatmenI Hear You Calling Me
Stepping Stones	Jan '31	Alec Alexander & His Melody Boys Gerry Fitzgerald Jack Barty SONGS Lady of the CrinolineLadies of the NightKids! Kids!GoodnightSpringtime In County ClareIf Night Should Fall
Stepping Toes aka: Rhythm Of My Heart	1938	Hazel Ascot Gerry Fitzgerald The Three Dots Alfredo Campoli a banjo trio SONGS Rhythm Of My Heart(HS)Little Dutch Tulip(HS)You Must Have This(HS)Join The Army(HS)Ten Pretty Girls(TTD)If Night Should Fall(GF)waltz medley(AC)
Strange Cargo	Mar '36	Alvin Saxon's Murray's Club Band George Saunders Kathleen Kelly
Strawberry Roan	1944	Jack Simpson and his Sextette William Hartnell Carol Raye
The Street Singer	Apr '37	Lew Stone and his Band Arthur Tracey Margaret Lockwood SONGS Halfway To HeavenStreet SerenadeHaroun El Rashid
Sweet Devil	Jul '37	Eugene Pini and his Tango Orch. Bobbie Howes SONGS You should Be Set To MusicWhat's Going To Happen To Me?
Swing	1938	Reggie Barton & his Band
Sunshine Ahead	Jan '36	Jack Payne's Band Troise and his Mandoliers The Harmonica Band The Two Leslies SONGS Sunshine AheadAll Jolly Pirates
Symphony In Two Flats	July '30	Jack Payne's Band Ivor Novello Benita Hume SONGS Give Me Back My Heart
Syncopated Melodies (sound on disc?)	1927	Bands: Jack Hylton Savoy Havana Band Sidney Firman and London Radio Band Teddy Brown Jack Howard John Lester and his Cowboy Syncopaters Royal Opera House Bands not Jack Payne ?
.	.	. SONGS ..

Go to other pages of films featuring dance bands
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