Hollywood Hotel (1937)

Director:

Busby Berkeley

Writers:

Jerry Wald (screenplay) &
Maurice Leo (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

15 January 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical | Romance

Plot:

Ronny Bowers, a saxophonist in Benny Goodman's band has won a talent contest an got a ten week contract with a film studio...

Plot Keywords:

Actor | Double | Movie Premiere | Drive In | Hotel

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Dick Powell	...	Ronnie Bowers
Rosemary Lane	...	Virginia
Lola Lane	...	Mona Marshall
Hugh Herbert	...	Chester Marshall
Ted Healy	...	Fuzzy Boyle
Glenda Farrell	...	Miss Jones aka Jonesy
Johnnie Davis	...	Georgia
Louella Parsons	...	Louella Parsons
Alan Mowbray	...	Alexander 'Alex' Duprey
Mabel Todd	...	Dot Marshall
Frances Langford	...	Alice Crayne
Jerry Cooper	...	Jerry Cooper
Ken Niles	...	Ken Niles
Duane Thompson	...	Duane Thompson
Allyn Joslyn	...	Bernie Walton
Grant Mitchell	...	B.L. Faulkin
Edgar Kennedy	...	Callaghan
Fritz Feld	...	The Russian
Curt Bois	...	Butch
Perc Westmore	...	Perc Westmore
Eddie Acuff	...	Joe
Clinton Rosemond	...	Tom
William B. Davidson	...	Director Walter Kelton (as William Davidson)
Wally Maher	...	Asst. Director Drew
Georgie Cooper	...	Seamstress (as Georgia Cooper)
Libby Taylor	...	Cleo
Joseph Romantini	...	Headwaiter (as Joe Romantini)
Paul Irving	...	Bramwell
Raymond Paige and His Orchestra	...	Raymond Paige Orchestra
Benny Goodman and His Orchestra	...	Benny Goodman Orchestra
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Benny Goodman	...	Benny Goodman
Raymond Paige	...	Raymond Paige
Pearl Adams	...	Mammy in Civil War Drama (uncredited)
Marvin Bailey	...	Singer at Callahan's Drive In (uncredited)
Don Barclay	...	Friend (uncredited)
Ralph Brooks	...	Man at Premiere (uncredited)
Sonny Bupp	...	Little Boy (uncredited)
Leonard Carey	...	Dupre's Butler (uncredited)
James Conaty	...	Man at Premiere / Man at Restaurant / Guest at Orchid Room (uncredited)
Allan Conrad	...	Casting Assistant (uncredited)
Jack Curtis	...	Guest at Orchid Room (uncredited)
Alan Davis	...	Assistant (uncredited)
Vince Degen	...	Singer at Callahan's Drive In (uncredited)
Helen Dickson	...	Onlooker at Premiere (uncredited)
Lester Dorr	...	Casting Assistant (uncredited)
Marianne Edwards	...	Little Girl (uncredited)
Demetris Emanuel	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Betty Farrington	...	Woman Onlooker (uncredited)
Jerry Fletcher	...	Bellboy (uncredited)
Allen Fox	...	Casting Assistant (uncredited)
Harry Fox	...	Shoe Salesman (uncredited)
Eddie Graham	...	Eddie (uncredited)
Sid Grauman	...	Sid Grauman (uncredited)
Harrison Greene	...	Drive-in Patron with 3 Boys (uncredited)
George Guhl	...	Police Officer (uncredited)
Lionel Hampton	...	Benny Goodman Vibraphonist (uncredited)
John Harron	...	Radio Representative (uncredited)
Susan Hayward	...	Starlet at Table (uncredited)
Al Herman	...	Casting Man (uncredited)
Robert Homans	...	Hollywood Bowl Watchman (uncredited)
Howard Hudson	...	Singer at Callahan's Drive In (uncredited)
Harry James	...	Benny Goodman Trumpeter (uncredited)
Patsy 'Babe' Kane	...	Casting Assistant (uncredited)
Milton Kibbee	...	Chauffeur (uncredited)
Owen King	...	Casting Assistant (uncredited)
Gene Krupa	...	Benny Goodman Drummer (uncredited)
Carole Landis	...	Hat Check Girl with Coat (uncredited)
Ethelreda Leopold	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Al Lloyd	...	Man in Movie Theater (uncredited)
Jean Maddox	...	Hotel Maid (uncredited)
Jerry Mandy	...	Waiter (uncredited)
William Mansell	...	Dot's Partner (uncredited)
Frank McClure	...	Man at Premiere (uncredited)
Harold Miller	...	Man at Premiere (uncredited)
Bert Moorhouse	...	Man at Orchid Room (uncredited)
Frances Morris	...	Casting Assistant (uncredited)
Jackie Morrow	...	Page Boy (uncredited)
Jack Mower	...	Airport Guard (uncredited)
David Newell	...	Casting Assistant (uncredited)
Barry Norton	...	Man at Premiere (uncredited)
Spec O'Donnell	...	Youth in Lobby (uncredited)
George O'Hanlon	...	Casting Assistant (uncredited)
George Offerman Jr.	...	Elevator Boy (uncredited)
Jean Perry	...	Frenchy (uncredited)
Ronald Reagan	...	Radio Host at Premiere (uncredited)
John Ridgely	...	Tall Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)
Constantine Romanoff	...	Falsetto-Voiced Man with Ice Cream Cone (uncredited)
Ronald R. Rondell	...	Man in Hollywood Hotel Lobby (uncredited)
Jeffrey Sayre	...	Co-pilot (uncredited)
Bill Seckler	...	Singer at Callahan's Drive In (uncredited)
Janet Shaw	...	Girl at Premiere (uncredited)
John Sheehan	...	Premiere Guest Missing Coat (uncredited)
Dina Smirnova	...	Russian Woman (uncredited)
Bert Stevens	...	Guest at Orchid Room (uncredited)
David Leo Tillotson	...	Little Boy (uncredited)
Rosella Towne	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Joan Valerie	...	Girl at Premiere (uncredited)
Dale Van Sickel	...	Man at Hollywood Hotel Desk (uncredited)
Bobby Watson	...	Casting Assistant (uncredited)
Billy Wayne	...	Photographer (uncredited)
Leo White	...	Hotel Guest / Autograph Seeker (uncredited)
Paul Whiteman	...	Producer at Callahan's Drive In (uncredited)
Poppy Wilde	...	Chorus Girl (uncredited)
Teddy Wilson	...	Goodman Pianist (uncredited)
Dan Wolheim	...	Guest at Orchid Room (uncredited)
William Worthington	...	Man at Premiere (uncredited)

Directed by
Busby Berkeley

Writing credits
Jerry Wald		(screenplay) &
Maurice Leo		(screenplay) and
Richard Macaulay		(screenplay) (as Richard Macauley)
Jerry Wald		(original story) and
Maurice Leo		(original story)

Produced by
Samuel Bischoff	....	associate producer (uncredited)
Bryan Foy	....	associate producer (uncredited)
Hal B. Wallis	....	executive producer (uncredited)
Jack L. Warner	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Ray Heindorf		(uncredited)
Heinz Roemheld		(uncredited)

Cinematography by
George Barnes		(musical numbers photographed by)
Charles Rosher		(photography)

Film Editing by
George Amy

Art Direction by
Robert M. Haas		(as Robert Haas)

Costume Design by
Orry-Kelly		(gowns)

Production Management
Robert Fellows	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Russell Saunders	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Charles David Forrest	....	sound (as David Forrest)
Oliver S. Garretson	....	sound

Stunts
Vivian Austin	....	stunt double: Rosemary Lane (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eugene Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)

Music Department
Leo F. Forbstein	....	musical director
Ray Heindorf	....	orchestrator
Fletcher Henderson	....	music arranger (uncredited)
Tony Romano	....	vocal arranger (uncredited)

Other crew
Gene Lewis	....	dialogue director
Busby Berkeley	....	dances created and directed by (uncredited)
Matty King	....	assistant dance director (uncredited)
Anita Weber	....	stand-in: Rosemary Lane (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros (A First National Picture)

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1937) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #3718) | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Glendale Grand Central Air Terminal - Grandview Avenue, Glendale, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros

Trivia:

The actual "Hollywood Hotel" on which this movie is based, was a Hollywood institution. It was a sprawling building built at the turn of the century and had formal gardens, grand lobby, 2 towers and a ballroom. It was the hangout for many stars over the years. It was finally torn down in 1956. The site today is occupied by the new Hollywood-Highland shopping complex and Kodak Theater, where the Oscars are now presented every year.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the "Hooray for Hollywood" portion of the finale, Scat Davis is shown playing the trumpet on the back row of 'Benny Goodman''s band while at the same time he's in the audience singing.

Quotes:

Mona Marshall:[Outraged that the studio has used a double to stand in for her at a premiere:] Thousands of girls think they look like me, and where are they?
Fuzzy Boyle:They're having their faces changed.
Mona Marshall:[to her double:] How dare you go around with a face like mine?
Fuzzy Boyle:Why don't you send your face to Washington and have it copyrighted?
Mona Marshall:It *is* copyrighted. For years, my face has been on the sidewalk, in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre.
Fuzzy Boyle:Yeah, well why don't you leave it there?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Office: Promos (#9.18)" (2013)

Soundtrack:

I've Hitched My Wagon to a Star

A Terrific and Neglected Musical Comedy

"Hollywood Hotel" is a fast-moving, exuberant, wonderfully entertaining musical comedy from Warners which is sadly overlooked. It should be remembered if only for providing the official theme song of Tinseltown -- "Hooray for Hollywood." The score by Richard Whiting and Johnny Mercer has a number of other gems, however, including the charming "I'm Like a Fish Out of Water," and "Silhouetted in the Moonlight." The best musical number is "Let That Be a Lesson to You," in which Dick Powell and company detail the misadventures of people who found themselves "behind the eight-ball," a fate which literally befalls slow-burning Edgar Kennedy at the number's end. The picture celebrates Hollywood glamour and punctures it all at once, as it gets a lot of comic mileage out of pompous and ego-maniacal actors and duplicitous studio executives. The cast includes a gaggle of great character comedians--Allyn Joslyn as a crafty press agent, Ted Healy as Dick Powell's would-be manager, Fritz Feld as an excitable restaurant patron, Glenda Farrell as Mona Marshall's sarcastic Gal Friday, Edgar Kennedy as a put-upon drive-in manager, Mabel Todd as Mona's goofy sister, and Hugh Herbert as her even goofier dad. The "racist" element mentioned in another review here is a ten-second bit where Herbert appears in black-face during a pseudo-"Gone With the Wind" sequence. It's in questionable taste, but it shouldn't prevent you from seeing the other delights in this film, notably the Benny Goodman Quartet (including Teddy Wilson and Lionel Hampton!) in what I believe is the only footage available on this incredible jazz combo. The "Dark Eyes" sequence goes on a bit too long and comes in too late, but otherwise "Hollywood Hotel" is a gem, well worth your time and certainly a film which should be considered for DVD release.