Show Girl in Hollywood (1930)

'Rainbow Girls' has just opened and closed on Broadway when Dixie, a actress in it, runs into smooth talking Hollywood Director Frank Buelow. He tells her she would be a natural, promises ... See full summary »

Director:

Mervyn LeRoy

Writers:

J.P. McEvoy (based on the story by), Harvey F. Thew (adapted by),

Stars:

Alice White, Jack Mulhall, Blanche Sweet

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Alice White	...	Dixie Dugan
Jack Mulhall	...	Jimmie Doyle
Blanche Sweet	...	Donny Harris
Ford Sterling	...	Sam Otis - The Producer
John Miljan	...	Frank Buelow - The Director
Virginia Sale	...	Otis' Secretary
Lee Shumway	...	Kramer
Herman Bing	...	Bing

Storyline

'Rainbow Girls' has just opened and closed on Broadway when Dixie, a actress in it, runs into smooth talking Hollywood Director Frank Buelow. He tells her she would be a natural, promises her a movie contract, and so she goes to Hollywood, but there is no contract for her. She meets Donny, a washed-up veteran actress (Blanche Sweet), on the lot who becomes her friend. Frank is fired from his studio and the new director finds that Frank's storyline is actually a copy of 'Rainbow Girls' stage play from Broadway. They call Jimmy, the author and Dixie's boyfriend, for the rights and he goes to Hollywood to produce it as a movie. Dixie gets the lead. But things start going wrong when Dizzy Dixie, spurred on by the fired Director Buelow, thinks that she is better than the picture or the studio and starts making demands. Interesting note: Good look at early Hollywood, with cameos by Loretta Young, Walter Pigeon, Noah Beery and a young Noah Beery, Jr. make the film fun to watch

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Plot Keywords:

director | actress | suicide attempt | broadway manhattan new york city | movie producer | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical | Drama

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 April 1930 (USA)

Also Known As:

Estrelas de Hollywood

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Studios - 5800 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

First National Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Apparatus)

Color:

Color (2-strip Technicolor) (last reel) Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally, the last ten minute reel was in 2-color Technicolor, but it only presently survives in black-and-white.

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood (1980)

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Soundtracks

"I've Got My Eye on You"
(1930) (uncredited)
Music by Sam H. Stept
Lyrics by Bud Green
Sung by Alice White (dubbed by Belle Mann)
Reprised by White and Chorus

User Reviews

Appreciated Comments

Some years ago, I bought the novel for 25 cents in a library book sale. It was obviously published as a movie tie-in since it contained tantalizing stills from the film. Since I could not find a listing in any of the popular film guides, I presumed it was another "lost film" until I caught it on cable earlier this month. In this context, the quality of the film was irrelevant and I agree it was slow-going. The exception was Blanche Sweet-- a name entirely unknown to me until this film. Her performance was both understated and devastating, delineating the soul-rending panic that aging Hollywood actresses must still feel today. It's an odd feeling to be moved by performance that was filmed 70 years ago: I'm glad I wasn't alone in appreciating its underlying desperation.