Did You Know?
The number "Wedding of the Painted Doll" was filmed in two-color Technicolor, but survived only in black and white. The original choreography was rejected and had to be filmed again. Rather than have a live orchestra perform the music again, the new choreography was filmed during a playback of the music, making this to be the first film sequence filmed during a playback of pre-recorded music.
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The first all-talking musical feature. Also the first musical to spawn sequels (Broadway Melody films would appear every few years until 1940).
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Eddie Kane starred as a big shot Broadway producer named Francis Zanfield, which is an obvious take on Broadway legend Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.. While the character name Jock Warriner (played by Kenneth Thomson) was meant to sound like Jack L. Warner who was the head of Warner Bros. Studio, the main rival of MGM studio at that time.
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This movie was MGM's first all-talking picture, and it was the first sound film to win Oscar Best Picture.
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Followed by Broadway Melody of 1936, Broadway Melody of 1938 and Broadway Melody of 1940. Another film in the series was planned, "Broadway Melody of 1943" starring Eleanor Powell and Gene Kelly. However, that project was abandoned, and a dance number filmed by Eleanor Powell was edited into Thousands Cheer.
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The first film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. The category of Best Picture was introduced in the second annual Academy Awards in 1930, whereas the first in 1929 had two similar categories, "Best Picture, Production" (awarded to Wings) and "Best Picture, Unique and Artistic Production" (awarded to Sunrise).
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