1920s Music Movies

Marquis Sévéro, a rich, lazy Parisian, wants to divorce his wife so that he can marry his own goddaughter Denise. But Denise herself loves André Berval, an engineer employed by the marquis. Filled with jealousy, the marquis sends André to the Antilles, to prospect some land he has just acquired. He promises André that he can marry Denise if he is successful in the tropics, but he then writes to Alvarez, his manager at the site, asking him to prevent André from ever returning to France. The brutal Alvarez forms an instant hatred for André when the engineer breaks up Alvarez's attempt to rape Papitou, a beautiful native girl. Papitou becomes devoted to André, and protects him against Alvarez's schemes. But she faces a crisis herself when she learns that André plans to marry Denise.

The deformed Phantom who haunts the Paris Opera House causes murder and mayhem in an attempt to make the woman he loves a star.

Maud Goodin is the daughter of a millionaire, content with her present life, but she is an interesting conquest for those wants to get on the social ladder.

No overview available

A young Jewish man is torn between tradition and individuality when his old-fashioned family objects to his career as a jazz singer. This is the first full length feature film to use synchronized sound, and is the original film musical.

A black laborer turns preacher after accidentally killing a man.

The clock strikes midnight, the bats fly from the belfry, a dog howls at the full moon, and two black cats fight in the cemetery: a perfect time for four skeletons to come out and dance a bit.

In Fox's contribution to the all-star revue cycle of early talkies, showboat singer Margie, hearing that the show is in arrears, goes to New York to gather all of the former stars to stage a minstrel show as a benefit.

A short, hand-tinted promotional film made by the D'Oyly Carte Opera company to show off the new wardrobe and set dressing for the 1926 production of The Mikado. About six scenes from The Mikado are shown, then designer Charles Rickets steps onto the stage with a final look at the costumes and the film ends. The players in the production are legendary Savoyards, well-known from recordings of the period, but this is the only time a movie camera caught them in their roles, though sadly minus the singing. About four nitrate prints of this film are known to exist; two of which are at the BFI in London.

At the conclusion of World War I, a French girl is romanced by an American doughboy even though she is promised to a French soldier who was sent to the front.

Broadway dancing star Adele Dorey who, overworked and exhausted, suddenly ups and leaves New York in favor of a country village. But when promoter Bobby Lewis (Egan) of the barnstorming Gay Girlies Burlesque Company arrives in town, he picks an incognito Adele among all the pretty village girls to star in his new show. On a lark, Adele introduces her maid Jane (Louise Fazenda) as her mother and accepts a contract. When Adele's identity is finally revealed, the slumming star apologizes for her deception by offering Bobby a Broadway job.

A family of down-and-out vaudevillians discover that they are the last of the Van Revels, heirs to a Southern plantation and a blood feud with the Carstairs family that began 60 years earlier over a game of croquet. After Eddie falls in love with the neighbors' daughter, a mountaineer branch of the Carstairs clan resumes the feud with the intent of annihilating the Van Revels.

The vaudeville act of Harriet and Queenie Mahoney comes to Broadway, where their friend Eddie Kerns needs them for his number in one of Francis Zanfield's shows. When Eddie meets Queenie, he soon falls in love with her—but she is already being courted by Jock Warriner, a member of New York high society. Queenie eventually recognizes that, to Jock, she is nothing more than a toy, and that Eddie is in love with her.

Phil and Pete compete for Mary's love and also in a contest for best song written by a college student.

In this Vitaphone short, Jay C. Flippen performs "Keep Sweeping the Cobwebs Off the Moon" and "Magnolia," as well as a vaudeville comedy routine.

Fay Wray plays a beautiful showgirl who falls for a rich Park Avenue guy played by Phillips Holmes. William Powell is a producer in love with Miss Wray, but he won't use his influence to take any advantage... as usual, he's a perfect gentleman.

During the Florida land boom, the Marx Brothers run a hotel, auction off some land and thwart a jewel robbery.

Jack White serves as an energetic and highly vocal emcee and bandleader, rapid-firing jokes and enthusiastic commentary between songs. The group performs catchy musical numbers, including the tunes "Crazy for You" and "Mean to Me". The 10-minute short also highlights vocal performances by artists Mary Lee, Billy (or Billie) Lee, and Ruth Petty.

Rough sea dog John Patrick Duke has a weakness for women and strong drink. Little does he know that he won a million dollars on Longchamp with the horses. Earlier, he caused a riot in a French hotel. He therefore thinks he is being pursued when officials try to inform him of that cash prize. In the end, John and his friend Axel are forced to take the money. This allows them to have a party with their French friends. The film is believed to be lost.

Two Marines are sent to South Sea island where they fight over a local island girl.

No overview available

A simple filmed performance featuring Cantor, done up in his stage minstrel makeup, allegedly at the Ziegfeld Theatre Roof Garden, but actually filmed on a soundstage at the Paramount Astoria studio.

Prince bon-vivant Levan Phantiashvili finds himself in a difficult financial situation. To make his life better he agrees to marry the merchant Adam Varakhidze’s daughter, Elo. The merchant is happy for this move opens the door in a high society for him until he finds out that Elo is not quite happy with his decision.

The demons of hell play music for Satan, whose delight turns to wrath when an insubordinate refuses to become food for Cerberus.

An all-star revue featuring MGM contract players.

Moore plays the "dual" role of a French singer in America who was originally an American chorus girl in France to acquire a new persona.

A 1925 currently lost film.

Rose Marie, aged five or six, sings three numbers, "Heigh Ho, Everybody, Heigh Ho", "Who Wouldn't Be Jealous of You", and "Don't Be Like That". She's animated throughout, acting as well as singing.

A young woman, who wants to be in the Follies, is making ends meet by working at a department store's sheet music department, where she sings the latest hits. She is accompanied on piano by her childhood boyfriend, who is in love with her, despite her single-minded interest in her career. When a vaudeville performer asks her to join him as his new partner, she sees it as an opportunity to make her dream come true. Upon arriving in New York City, our heroine finds out that her new partner is only interested in sleeping with her and makes this a condition of making her a star. Soon, however, she is discovered by a representative of Ziegfeld.

Comic cowboy piano player Ray Mayer and blonde singer Edith Evans perform "Henry's Made a Lady out of Lizzie," "It All Belongs to Me," "Sleep, Little One, Sleep" and "Side by Side."

George and Gracie enter an elegant drawing room, looking everywhere for something. Turns out, they're looking for the audience, and when George spots the camera, they start in on their patter. Gracie wants to convince George that she's smart, not dizzy - it's an uphill struggle of which she's blissfully unaware. Midway through, they break into song: "Do You Believe Me?" It includes a little bit of hoofing as the chatting continues. They end on a story Gracie whispers into George's ear.

Take your seat for an Armistice concert by military bands playing a medley of songs commonly sung during WWI.

A police raid on a night club results in the entire cast of the club's floor show being hauled into court, where they must perform their routines for the judge.

This short showcases composers and lyricists of songs that are now considered standards of American popular music. For several of these song writers, this is their only known appearance in a theatrically released film.

Tom and Anna Gibson, along with their little boy, Buddy, form a successful vaudeville song-and-dance act and a happy family. Anna, however, is worried about her son's future when she finds him playing ball, forgetting a performance.

Joe Lane, radio entertainer and songwriter, learns that the manager of the studio, Arthur Phillips, has made improper advances to his wife, Katherine. Infuriated, Lane engages him in a fight, and the encounter results in Phillips' accidental death. Joe goes to prison for a few years, and when he is released he visits his son, Little Pal, at school and is begged by him to run away together.

Hazel Green & Company play a few songs.

A hilarious musical short starring character actor John Forrest "Fuzzy" Knight and his little piano, 1928. Knight was known for playing sidekicks in 1930s and '40s "B" westerns.

Now hear this. The studio that gave the cinema its voice offered 1929 audiences a chance to see and hear multiple silent-screen favorites for the first time in a gaudy, grandiose music-comedy-novelty revue that also included Talkie stars, Broadway luminaries and of course, Rin-Tin-Tin. Frank Fay hosts a jamboree that, among its 70+ stars, features bicyclers, boxing champ Georges Carpentier, chorines in terpsichore kickery, sister acts, Myrna Loy in two-strip Technicolor as an exotic Far East beauty, John Barrymore in a Shakespearean soliloquy (adding an on-screen voice to his legendary profile for the first time) and Winnie Lightner famously warbling the joys of Singing in the Bathtub. Watch, rinse, repeat!

In Harlem, Bud Peagler's "Barbecue Lunch and Poolroom" (the home of Brunswick Stew), also serves as the meeting place and hangout for many citizens and organizations such as 'The Sons and Daughters of The I Will Arise Society," and also Mosby's Blues Blowers. It is also where Roscoe Driggers hangs out. Roscoe claims to be the world's champion cornet player, although he can't play a note, even a sour one. But when the chance to earn $500 for playing his cornet at the big concert held by the "Over the River Burying Society" arises, Roscoe signs up. Roscoe needs $500 in order to buy a beauty shop for his manicurist-fiancée, Zenia Sprowl. Roscoe makes plans for his buddy Sam Ginn, who can play a cornet, to hide under the stage and play while Roscoe fakes it on the stage. But Sam gets taken out by some dudes who have a bone to pick with Roscoe. No sweat, though, as another of Roscoe's musician friends, Willie Trout, sees this and takes Sam's place under the stage....with his saxophone.