Good News (1930)

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Director:

Nick Grinde (as Nick Grindé)

Writers:

Laurence Schwab (based on a musical comedy by) (as Lawrence Schwab), Lew Brown (based on a musical comedy by)

Stars:

Mary Lawlor, Stanley Smith, Bessie Love

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Mary Lawlor	...	Connie
Stanley Smith	...	Tom
Bessie Love	...	Babe
Cliff Edwards	...	Kearney
Gus Shy	...	Bobbie
Lola Lane	...	Pat
Thomas E. Jackson	...	Coach (as Thomas Jackson)
Delmer Daves	...	Beef
Billy Taft	...	Freshman
Frank McGlynn Sr.	...	Prof. Kenyon (as Frank McGlynn)
Penny Singleton	...	Flo (as Dorothy McNulty)
Helyn Virgil	...	Girl
Vera Marshe	...	Girl (as Vera Marsh)
Abe Lyman	...	Abe Lyman
Abe Lyman Orchestra	...	Abe Lyman Orchestra (as Abe Lyman and His Band)

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

football | american football | football coach | courtship | astronomy | 

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Taglines:

Football and Campus Life...What a Lesson in Love Can Do to These! (Print Ad- Peekskill Evening Star, ((Peekskill, NY)) 11 October 1930)

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 August 1930 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hip Hip Happy

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White Color (Multicolor) (finale)

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

There is conflicting information for the original (1927) song credits. Some references list music by Ray Henderson; lyrics by Buddy G. DeSylva and Lew Brown. However, sheet music published in connection with that show, and the 1947 movie list all three for music and lyrics. The on-screen credits also lists all three for music and lyrics.

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Quotes

Beef: I'll knock you so flat, they could play you on a Victrola.

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Connections

Referenced in Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood (2000)

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Soundtracks

Tait Song
(1927) (uncredited)
Music by Ray Henderson
Lyrics by Buddy G. DeSylva and Lew Brown
Sung by the students after Tom passes his exam

User Reviews

A lively early musical with some fascinating performances from Penny Singleton and Gus Shy.

Watching Penny Singleton in this movie was a revelation, and for those who think of her only as the staid title character of the "Blondie" series should catch this movie if only to see her. She's billed 11th (as Dorothy McNulty) but is the centerpiece of two of the big production numbers involving singing and dancing: "The Varsity Drag" and the title song "Good News." Her immense talent is evident as she does her high kicks, somersaults, cartwheels and splits and delivers the rapid-fire lyrics with uninhibited abandon. She was an absolute joy to behold! In addition, Gus Shy, the Danny Thomas look- talk- and act-alike, provides some good comedy that is complemented by that of Bessie Love and Cliff Edwards, while Lola Lane, Mary Lawlor and Stanley Smith provide the love interest. With 11 or so songs, including the ever-popular "The Best Things in Life Are Free," this movie is definitely worth seeing and compares favorably with the 1947 remake. My one complaint was the lack of closeups, although there was a good full-head closeup of Singleton singing "The Varsity Drag." It was very effective.

Before the movie was shown on the Turner Classic Movies (TCM) channel, some titles informed us that the last half of the final reel was filmed in an experimental color process and is now lost. But the ever-resourceful station put together some stills at the end with subtitles to describe the outcome. The movie ran 84 minutes instead of the original 90 minutes.