Gloria Jean sings Johann Strauss II "Frühlingsstimmen" (Voices of Spring) with Franklin Pangborn

[From "Kovacs Corner" on YouTube.com] - Could part of Ernie's satirical streak surrounding classical music been inspired by this movie? It seems very possible! In the 1941 W.C. Fields classic "Never Give a Sucker an Even Break", Universal Studios contract players Gloria Jean (Schoonover), and Franklin Pangborn are shown in this scene where Franklin is supervising a singing rehearsal session on a crowded sound studio. The comedic interaction between Pangborn and the stage hands is hilarious! Everyone who grew up watching The Three Stooges remembers hearing this Johann Strauss II waltz from their two classic shorts "Micro-Phonies" and "Brideless Groom". I would guess that this was one of the scenes that studio added in order smooth out Fields' surreal story line, which was credited under the nom de plume "Otis Criblecoblis". Also seen in this clip as the Assistant Director are actors Dave Willock, Billy Wayne as the Stage Forman, and Billy Lenhart and Kenneth Brown (the two bratty kids) who are billed as "Butch and Buddy".

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• W.C.
• Fields
• Franklin
• Pangborn
• Gloria
• Jean
• waltz
• piano
• Frühlingsstimmen
• Johann
• Strauss
• II
• Dave
• Willock
• Billy
• Wayne
• Lenhart
• Kenneth
• Brown
• Butch
• and
• Buddy
• Universal
• Studios

[rolko52]

After a year and one-half of misidentifcation, I think the piano player is character actor Leon Belasco.

[rolko52]

A fact that is not well known is that Franklin Pangborn was the first Tonight Show announcer hosted by Steve Allen.

[chrisz78]

That's not Irving Berlin but Charles Previn, one of Universal's musical directors at the time, who also conducts the orchestra for most of Gloria's musical numbers, as well as on her (all to few) gramophone records.

[rolko52]

@chrisz78 Andre's father?

[TomBarristerX]

The pianist in this scene is the well-known composer Irving Berlin.

[moenge1995]

Nice song !! !

[chrisz78]

@rolko52 no, a cousin of his (if we can believe English-language Wikipedia: Their German article about Charles just says "a distant relative", more likely as he was André's senior by 41 years (born 1888 in Brooklyn)

[carrotjuse]

No one did fussy and prissy better than Franklin! He was a great character actor.

[johnnycchops]

Not Irving Berlin by any stretch of the imagination.

[aWhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

this is a great movie.

Never Give A Sucker An Even Break