Alan Ladd with the Rita Rio All Girl Band 1942

[Lengo67]

Is that Shirley Temple leading the band? It sure looks like her.

[BestPlaymateEver]

This entire series of comments is full of armchair musicians that don't have a clue. This was a real band, a 1941 "soundie", and yes they were really playing those instruments. A flat out lie that men were actually playing or some of the women didn't know how to hold their instruments. That was a claim by chauvinists during the 30's & 40's but proved to be 100 percent false. Its great that clips like this are provided on You Tube but terrible history is re-written by idiots.

[harryoakley]

@BestPlaymateEver I am a trumpeter myself and I digitalised and uploaded this film from my own 16mm filmcollection. Rita Rio had a genuine all-girl band but this clip is 100% voiced over and it is clear that several of the girls fake it and don't know how to hold their instrument. It is very doubtful that it is even the Rio band on the soundtrack and that it is actually Alan Ladd's voice.

[rcbpiccolo]

Is that really him singing?!? I just fell in love all over again.

[quigleybrown]

Golly, I wonder her height if he's taller than her?

[cushtichavi]

I read she was really involved with a serious gangster when she was very young . quite wild .

[fiftiesflashback1953]

This is a Vitagraph short from director Roy Mack.

[NorthernPlus]

Well if the band performed in real life, I can understand that they may not have had the mic setup available for them to look natural on the bandstand. So they had to do one in a recording studio and than the take we see as a live performance. From what I understand, they were a great performing orchestra.

[harryoakley]

Still it looks as if several of these girls seem very unfamiliar with their instrument and barely know how to hold it. I know that Rita Rio's was a genuine All-Girl band but it looks as if for this film a number of stand-ins were hired.

[LazloLorenzo]

I think Harry is wrong. Those girls are playing The drummer. saxophonists and pianist all are with out question. You'd be hard pressed to find a bunch of jazz majors with performance degrees today who could sound that good of either sex.

[annanoli]

they are NOT playing. you hear a tenor and they show an alto...nonsense.

"My margarita" instead shows the actual band

[aplantage]

Reportedly, Alan Ladd could sing, but comparing this with his number in VARIETY GIRL (as well as his speaking voice), I have doubts that he is singing here. I think "Soundies" just used known and unknown artists to illustrate songs. Cute though. :-)

[gnsback]

I give this a ten, awesome. Didn't know Alan, one of my favs, could sing so well. And this all girl band is very good. Always saw him typecast as the tough guy, etc., and his voice is great. I think he was framed, ie. when they found him shot, and I'll never believed he was a suicide.

[mostliketa]

I had never heard Alan Ladd sing before. I always learn something new on you tube. He's a good singer, too..

[gjohnsoningary]

@mostliketa Alan Laddmissed his second calling!

[monroe62]

That I will give you. Just don't want to shortchange the few all legitimate all female bands.

[harryoakley]

Still, several of these girls hold their instruments as if they were shown how to do it five minutes before....

[monroe62]

No playback, those girls are doing it for themselves. Rita Rio (later renamed Dona Drake) had an Orchestra for several years. Gave it up to become a film actress. Married designer William Travilla in mid 1940s and remained married to him until her death in 1989. Thanks for sharing this wonderful little nugget.

[harryoakley]

I believe you when you say the girls could really play - but this short is playbacked nevertheless, even if it's by themselves.

[Laddsdame]

Wow, thank you for this. I had no idea Ladd could sing, but he has a nice voice!

[harryoakley]

Thanks!

[rmarontar]

Great music, great conductor, great voice of Alan Ladd. What a treat.