On the Air (1939) User Reviews

Southern Yankee

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 27 October 2013]

As a kid I remember Mel Allen quite well as the voice of the New York Yankees and I have to say this musical short subject from Warner Brothers is the first time I ever heard him in a non-sports setting. It was also interesting in that he seemed to be curbing his Alabama accent, probably at the behest of the producers. That accent got full range when he was announcing a Yankee game.

The bands of Leith Stevens and Bobby Hackett are featured in this short subject. So is singer Nan Wynn whom a lot of people would not recognize. She had a good voice, so good that among others she dubbed Rita Hayworth in a couple of films.

If you like the music of this era, you'll like On The Air.

Pretty Good

[boblipton · 6/10 · 15 April 2012]

I don't think I've ever heard of Leith Stevens, even though his IMDb credits show him with a lot of excellent credits, including music supervision on "Mannix" and "Mission Impossible" -- two TV shows with the most memorable music tracks outside of "Peter Gunn".

The short is simply set up and fairly typical for the music shorts of the era. The music shows a wide range of styles, including Big Band swing, a novelty version of "It Had to Be You" with a pennywhistle solo, a Dixie-style number, a ballad and a reprise of swing with "Tea for Two". The solos aren't much to write home about, but orchestration pulls out all the stops and the rapid cutting pushes it right along.

Nice Musical Short

[Michael_Elliott · 15 April 2012]

On the Air (1939)

*** (out of 4)

Leith Stevens and The Saturday Night Swing Club get top-billing on this Warner short that clocks in right around nine minutes. As with many of these type of shorts, this one here clearly has a low budget and this hampers the visual quality of the film as the camera pretty much just sits there and records the music. With that said, the visual style isn't what draws people to these films, it's the music and that there is quite good. Stevens and his Club do the supporting work for a few other musicians including a nice "It Had to Be You" with Les Lieber using a whistle. "The Swing Session Is Called to Order" is a catchy little number by Stevens and we also get a good "The Jazz Me Blues" by Bobby Hackett and His Band. "Tea for Two" features everyone together and sends the short out on a good note. Fans of music are certainly going to be the ones who get the most kick out of this as its nice seeing what type of entertainment was going around in 1939.

you for me

[zafrom · 8/10 · 3 December 2017]

This 10-1/2 minute film gives us a peppy taste of swing in the summer of 1939. 26 year old Mel Allen is the emcee. With the 26 June release date of this film, he apparently did this just before he became the home-games announcer for the Senators and Yankees. Leslie Lieber looks like he's still in high school, and his penny whistle seems to have been recorded just a tad shrilly at times. Or maybe the audio track is unrestored. Most everything does sound fine.

All of the performers are talented. The one who has kept me watching and listening to this is Nan Wynn. Yes, Rita Hayworth's voice double and one of the sarong wearers in "Pardon My Sarong". Here, though, her full-length dress covers her from neck to ankles. As compensation, her voice still caresses the listeners. She does her best to ignore whoever (likely not Harlan Ellison) tagged her as the "molten mama with the lava larynx". Nan sings two songs, "They Say" and "Tea for Two".

Mel introduces "They Say" with "And now, you know, all true swing has what's known as a light and a polite side...they say." Nan does attempt a slower version than the previous year's #1 recording by Helen Forrest and Artie Shaw. Nan's version may work for those in the mood, possibly not including narcoleptics. Nan moves her arms like she wishes she had long sleeves while posing for her wax sculpture. For the last number, "Tea for Two" for everyone including Leslie and his perky penny whistle, Nan shows why she was a popular singer.

"Tea for Two" is pure swing for the last 3:05 and, not surprisingly, is viewable separately as its own video. Mel introduces it in "On the Air" as "And now for the killer -- Leith Stevens and the boys get the old chops to beatin' with 'Tea for Two'!" Nan joins in after about a minute of everyone swinging (I love the saxophone player's restrained swing) and jauntily sings the chorus to us. When she admits that "Weeeee will raise a family..." she gets a mischievous gleam in her eyes as she glances offstage. As "On the Air" reaches its end it finishes with cameos of the featured performers. Nan, you look radiant. Definitely you for me.