SAMMY LEE Convicts 1930 Jazz Prison

Watch in 480p for best sharpness. Sammy Lee's snappy convict chorus idea. 1930 technicolor jazz prison short featuring the Dodge Sisters, MGM's answer to Universal's "Sisters G", who appeared in Paul Whiteman's technicolor revue, "The King of Jazz".
Beth and Betty Dodge were featured dancers in MGM's unreleased All Talking, All Singing, All Dancing 1930 technicolor catastrophy, 'The March of Time". This hot production clip was discovered in the Technicolor company vaults in the 1970s.

Sammy Lee was Ziegfeld's dance director, of the famous ''Ziegfeld Follies'' showgirl revues in New York. He was lured away by MGM execs in 1929 to work for them and direct the dances in the new talkies.

Rare dance film clip (courtesy of my friend Stjn00) re-edited, plus my new (old style) titles and sing-a-long animation make this a finished two strip technicolor musical short. Watch Sammy Lee's early Hollywood choreography at his most descriptive and unique! Enjoy!


Be sure and see my other Sammy Lee dance from 1929, here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-yGeTYNUao

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• SAMMY
• LEE
• Convicts
• 1930
• Jazz
• Prison
• chorus
• dance
• Dodge
• Sisters
• inmates
• Lock
• Step
• sing
• talkie
• musical
• number
• 2 strip
• two
• strip
• technicolor
• jail
• guards

[JCJasion]

All that Vaudeville talent, honed by night-after-night performing, harnessed by Hollywood. We need to put together another 'farm-system' for our entertainers and musicians. That's why the years 1925-35 were of such a high quality entertainment-wise.

[2reeler]

@JCJasion thanks for your brilliant comment. You are so right. That age developed such great talent and personalitites. Unlike today. Im all for your idea!

[JCJasion]

@2reeler - Today, a number of us in Central NJ are promoting straight-ahead Jazz jam sessions and events where people of all ages can get their feet wet, performing in front of an audience. It's more a weekly thing though, and not night after night. Would that I could find a place that would pay me a living wage to do that nightly.

[2reeler]

@JCJasion Great idea! Playing music is so gratifying. I hope your jams keep building!

[paulj0557]

Is the dancer on the left ( looking at the screen) Marion Shilling, the 'Free and Easy dancer in Buster Keaton's movie 'Free and Easy'?

Thank you for uploading. The years 1925 to 1935 are IT for me, but I could spend life in that prison any day! So to speak.

[2reeler]

@paulj0557 Theres a great book written by a chorus girl who joined the Fanchon Marco prolog troupe in 1929 you must have! Its called "On Stage Gypsies" and was published in Berkely CA in about 1980. Its a yellow paperback.Check the used book seller web sites for a copy!

[Zylstra555]

Wow, fantastic! Wonderfully saturated colors of technicolor as well.

[OlymPigs2010]

...Now I know where Elvis got the idea for his Jailhouse Rock dance set!

[mikemcgee]

isn't this funny that this clip plus film like its a great life and lord byron of broadway and the viking exist in good conditon and yet the rogue song , due to carlessnes only exist in two scenes and a faded trailer

[paulj0557]

@JCJasion Bring back the prolog! AKA 'Footlight Parade'

[2reeler]

@RobinPratt Agreed! Lots of fun going on here! Jailhouse Rock seems like a 50s clone of the Lock Step now! Thanks for your comments!