Symphony of Swing (1939)

Director:

Joseph Henabery

Genre:

Short | Music

Plot:

Artie Shaw and his orchestra perform popular songs with guest stars.

Plot Keywords:

Band | Big Band | Deep Purple | Jeepers Creepers | Clarinet

Cast

Artie Shaw	...	Themselves
Helen Forrest	...	Herself (singer)
Tony Pastor	...	Himself (singer / saxophonist)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Artie Shaw and His Orchestra

Also Known As:

Artie Shaw and His Orchestra in Symphony of Swing (USA) (alternative title)

Runtime:

10 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #02550)

Company:

Vitaphone Corporation, The

Trivia:

Vitaphone Reel B-235.

Soundtrack:

Deep Purple

Over Sleepy Garden Walls

TCM's salute to the life and art of Johnny Mercer was the basis for it showing this particular short subject which featured Artie Shaw and his swing band of the time doing four numbers, two of which were current hits.

Jeepers Creepers came out that year with music by Harry Warren and lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Also new out that year was Deep Purple by Mitchell Parish and Peter DeRose. This was not a song curiously enough identified with Shaw, the big hit for Deep Purple came from rival orchestra leader Larry Clinton. Clinton's record with vocal by Bea Wain is the standard although Shaw at the time had one of the best big band singers ever in Helen Forrest and she does a beautiful job.

Artie and the orchestra also do instrumentals of Lady Be Good and Alone Together featuring him of course on the clarinet. Lovers of the big band era can't go wrong with this short subject.