King of Jazz: Happy Feet: Part 1 of 3

[fahreineit]

who is the two girl ? ^^

[kongoman123]

I think this video is so scary. Knowing that probably all of those peopel are dead by now

[fahreineit]

@kongoman123 i agree lol

[NormaSpinney]

I like OUR Rhythm boys better! wayyyyyyyyyyy better

[actorjdwilliams]

Looks like a 1960s TV program !!!

[fahreineit]

@actorjdwilliams 1930 early

[Impowers]

Crosby looked really weird with the that two-inch part in his hair. Evidently the only movie in which Crosby's real hair appears before its demise. They glued his ears back in other movies for awhile until the ears started popping free from the lights. I think his rendition of "Going Hollywood" has one ear flat to his head and the other one pointing straight out but I'd have to check this to make sure. BTW, I agree that the heavier, healthier women of this era looked much more alluring.

[bixchick007]

Bing is so GORGEOUS!

[jeliyful]

that man looks like bing crosby

[musc124]

i respect bing but its hard to beleave the songs were bad for the youth of the 1920s

so corn ball

[cosycleaner]

What's this criticism of the Gutchrlein sisters? they were a delight!

[webboffin]

I still say those two german sisters shouldn't be in this movie, they have the dance rhythm of a squid.

[Tap2323]

What beautiful colors...

[God088]

What the hell is going on at 0:24 !!!! He's just totally freaked out the way ahahahah

[kurtarmbruster]

Lovely girls, lovely music--and I especially love seeing Paul beating time there as the set peels away, as if nothing short of an A bomb would distract him. A great man of music! Kurt.

[carrotville]

The sisters were singing in heavily-accented English but they were Dutch, not German.

[mrwumpus]

So much style and talent, makes you wonder how American culture would have evolved if the Great Depression hadn't slapped everyone back to basics.

[GeminiNightOwl]

I agree with you on the 2 minutes of genius. Between Paul Whiteman, Bing and the Rythym Boys, the chorus line of tap dancers and of course the song and Al Rubberlegs Norman- it's nothing short of phenomenal talent and entertainment.

[GeminiNightOwl]

Actually, they aren't fat and look healthy compared to the skeletons walking around now. Back in the day, guys wanted a woman with a chest, hips and some curves.

[vicecitymayor]

@GeminiNightOwl and who could do things like that!

[newfful]

Wow...those girls are fat..

[crocostimpy]

I honestly think these two minutes might be the pinnacle of man's genius. I ask you, what two minutes before or since have equaled this? The splitting of the atom and the moon walk pale in comparison. This might even be better than Debbie Reynolds jumping out of a cake and dancing the Charleston in Singin' In The Rain...

[crocostimpy]

Those German sisters dance as poorly as Joan Crawford, but just like Joan they are mesmerizing to watch. So are the Rhythm Boys, but for a different reason. They were great! I have to see this whole movie...

[MorganPolander]

I believe they are singing in Yiddish. Yiddish was considered a kind of Jive talk then, and German was not very popular wtih WWI only 12 years before.

[soutache]

They are singing in German. The Gutchrlein sisters were a German/American dance number. Prior to 1917 German was a sort of unofficial second language in many of the Eastern and Midwestern cities. Although WWI did much damage to German-American relations, it was well on the mend by the early 30s. Unfortunately the nonsense would start all over again in a few years :(

[salesforlife]

NO THEY WERENT BELEIVE ME I KNOW!

[JubalCalif]

Al Rinker was definitely talented....wonder what Al Roker could do with a song like "Happy Feet'. Bet ol' Al is light on his feet, that dancing fool! C'mon, Get Happy, everyone! :)

[SilberPfeil666]

Who of them is Bing? I've never seen him!

[MorganPolander]

He is the one standingup and singing

[sparkster2]

Thanks so much for posting! I had seen these in 16mm film some 25 years ago (been a Crosby fan since then, and always loved his Rhythm Boys stuff.) Man, they sure put a lot of eye makeup on Bing and Al for this!

[bearmaine]

Bing had to be bailed out of jail to make this movie. He was replaced in some scenes.

[Draw4You]

WoW! Look at Bing Crosby in 1930 at the age of 26!! in COLOR! What a fun, inspired bit of Americana!

[bmarvi76]

Paul Whiteman really was that great! Dang!

[srvinfinity]

Bing------Is that YOU?

[bushoisa]

i love it!! I find its very modern style!

[misspaddylee]

Isn't that Al Rinker is a handsome young fellow? Who has more energy than Harry Barris? Whatever happened to Bing?

[78timothy]

The "Dutch Bob" or "Page Boy" hairstyle that Karla, and Eleanor Gutscherlein are wearing was the Vogue in Weimar Republic of Germany b4 Louise Brooks, especially in Berlin, not to take anything away from sexy "Brooksie" by any means, all these ladies in their appearances were epitome of the carefree Weimar days, heck all three are sexy!

[MrsVanderblit]

WOW.. just wonderfull.

[AngelaRed]

wow Bing looks really young here!!! Love it!!

[78timothy]

Sisters G were the embodiment of Expressive Interpretive Dance, which was popularized in Europe by Isadora Duncan. Note all their dance sequences in this movie, including This number, Rhapsody in Blue and the Melting Pot finale. Very smooth and quite sensual especially their use of feathered fans in Rhapsody in Blue. WOW. To dance is to live.

They made another movie for Univerwal in 1930 as well. Can't Think of the Title though.

[webboffin]

Those two sisters are completely talentless singers and dancers. They must of been bedding the producer to get away with it and even performing in the same show as Bing. But the dancer at the start of part 2 is something else.

[horarwgt]

Amazingly, "Happy Feet" was not also a hit record in 1930 when the film this scene is taken from, "The King of Jazz," was released. Only "It Happened In Monterey" and "I Like To Do Things For You" were soundtrack hits. The wonderful Whiteman, who'd go on to host TV shows full of young talent (like Bobby Rydell) in the '50s was, of course, known as "The King of Jazz." Crosby left him and the Rhythm Boys in 1931 and thus began his incredible solo career.

[johnnyjackpot]

Quality

[Mr1920s]

This really has marvelous color for its time. I can't even tell that its only two-strip technicolor!

[jimmbo13]

wow, bing was pretty handsome when he was young!

[MikeJohnstonguitar]

love this video...love Bing and the boys and really love the 'G' Sisters...Paul Whiteman's orchestra is fabulous as well...incredible stuff.

[dumbek3]

I've totally got a retroactive crush on the sisters G

[LazlosPlane]

I'm with you.  Hot stuff!!!

[2speakfreely]

Just at the start of the Great Depression this film should have cheered folks up, but like today people who a few months before were living the good life were getting used to having nothing. Any film would have suffered during that time. Thanks so much for sharing this...we need cheering up during these hard times, too!

[ToddCMorgan]

Yeah, that's probably why movies from the '30's were so super entertaining, and so were the entertainers and musicians! To be successful back then you had to be truly talented and a pleasure to watch! People need to see and hear stuff that makes 'em feel good! I don't think we get enough of that today!

[rickjolley]

Now I can see what they were parodying in the movie, "Singing in the Rain."!!

[marvi858]

Was Louise Brooks doing her German movies at this time?

[sandrute09]

i love it too :)

[Wcross34]

Those sister were clearly Louise Brooks fans, judging by their haircuts!

[oafishlout]

swelllllllllll...amazing......­love it.

[marvi858]

Karla Gutchrlein and Eleanor Gutchrlein!Ah yes, Art Deco and the Roaring Twenties at its finest.

[madboy65]

RARE: early Technicolor. 1930. A young Bing & friends. And two very strange showgirls. What could be more swell?

[madboy65]

RARE early Technicolor. 1930. A young Bing & friends. And two very weird showgirls. What could be more swell?

[rgsfield]

If I'm not mistaken, Al Rinker was younger brother of 1930s torch singer Mildred Bailey, famous around 1937 for her definitive version of OLD ROCKING CHAIR'S GOT ME.

[carrotville]

You're right, Mildred and Al were siblings. She was the very first woman to join a band (Whiteman's) as a full-time singer.

[albert71292]

I want Universal to release a DVD!! Not too concerned about "bonus features", just want the movie!

[bingcrosby1903]

You can find a few DVD's of this sometimes on eBay...

[ashputtel2]

Wow, the Rhythm Boys are my new favourite thing

[klkl2001]

The G sisters (Gerstesherlichte, Merkwürdigeliebe, or something equally unpronounceable) have absolutely no talent: they can't sing, dance, do somersaults, or even sit on pianos correctly. One suspects that they got the part by doing a 3-way with the producer. And frankly, if it weren't for the fact that they'd be about 100 by now, I'd happily do so also.

But BOY, don't they just totally embody the deco ethic and Wiemar/prohibition abandon of the 20's! They totally make the movie.

[seeburgg]

The Sister G Rock! You try doing that routine under hot technicolor lighting, take after take, with primitive equipment! Karla Gutchrlein and Eleanor Gutchrlein actually had a third identical triplet sister in the act, but she only performed with them in Europe, not the States. I'll have to look her up in one of my old Film Fun magazines and repost with her name.

[invention13]

@klkl2001 Yes, in their case, talent is totally irrelevant. Sometimes just being yourselves is enough.

[Ulysses61]

That's Al Rinker, one of the Rhythm Boys. He was Bing's friend back in Washington and then they traveled to LA together in the mid 20's.

[bearcub410]

whos the guy on the right at the piano , very sexy!!!! what a dish , thanks!!!!

[mitchelf]

love the g sisters. i always notice that one almost falls of the piano when she jumps up on it.

[OldMovieDude]

True, b ut...1:59: try jumping backwards onto a set that is bisecting & moving away from you!

[jinglesbelle]

Bing (Harry Lillis) Crosby, Harry Barris, and Al Rinker. Great fun...makes my feet so happy!!!