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Joseph Schildkraut, Laura La Plante and Emily Fitzroy (background).
Photograph: Silent Era image collection.
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Show Boat
Also known as {Showboat}
(1929) United States of America
B&W : 14 reels / 11,650 feet / 126 minutes
Directed by Harry Pollard (Harry A. Pollard) + [Arch Heath]
Cast: Laura La Plante [Magnolia Hawks], Joseph Schildkraut (Josef Schildkraut) [Gaylord Ravenal], Otis Harlan [Captain Andy Hawks], Emily Fitzroy [Parthenia Hawks], Alma Rubens [Julie], Elsie Bartlett [Elly], Jack McDonald [Windy], Jane La Verne [Kim; and Magnolia, as a child], Neely Edwards [Schultzy], Theodore Lorch [Frank], Stepin Fetchit (Lincoln Perry) [Joe], Gertrude Howard [Queenie], Ralph Yearsley [the killer], George Chesebro [Steve], Harry Holden [Means], Max Asher [the utility man], Jim Coleman [a stagehand], Carl Herlinger [the wheelsman], Jules Bledsoe [prologue singer], Tess ‘Aunt Jemima’ Gardella [prologue singer], Helen Morgan [prologue singer], the Billbrew Chorus, the Jubilee Singers, the Silvertone Quartet, the Four Emperors of Harmony, Carl Laemmle [himself], Florenz Ziegfeld [himself], voice of Eva Olivetti [singing voice for Laura La Plante], voice of Claude Collins
Universal Pictures Corporation production; distributed by Universal Pictures Corporation. / Produced by Carl Laemmle. Scenario by Charles Kenyon, with dialogue by Harry Pollard and Tom Reed, from the musical play adaptation Show Boat by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II of the novel Show Boat by Edna Ferber. Story supervision by Edward J. Montagne. Unit manager, Joseph C. Wright. Art direction by Charles D. Hall. Costume design by Johanna Mathieson. Songs “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man” and “Ol’ Man River” by Jerome Kern (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics); song “Bill” by Jerome Kern (music), Oscar Hammerstein II and P.G. Wodehouse (lyrics); song “The Lonesome Road” by Nathaniel Shilkret (music) and Gene Austin (lyrics); song “Here Comes That Show Boat” by Maceo Pinkard and Billy Rose (music and lyrics); song “Love Sings a Song in My Heart” by Joseph Cherniavsky and Clarence J. Marks (music and lyrics); song “Coon, Coon, Coon” by Leo Friedmann (music) and Gene Jefferson (lyrics); song “Down South” by Sigmund Speath and William H. Myddelton (music and lyrics); songs “I’ve Got Shoes” and “Deep River” are traditional. Musical direction by Joseph Cherniavsky. Makeup by Jane Rene. Assistant director, Robert Ross. Cinematography by Gilbert Warrenton. Special effects cinematography by Frank H. Booth. Sound recording engineer, C. Roy Hunter. Editorial supervision by Maurice Pivar. Film editors, Daniel Mandell and Edward Cahn. Intertitles written by Tom Reed. Presented by Carl Laemmle. / © 27 April 1929 by Universal Pictures Corporation [LP339]. Premiered 16 March 1929 in Palm Beach, Florida. Released 28 July 1929. / [?] Movietone 35mm spherical 1.20:1 format and/or Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format? Western Electric Movietone sound-on-film synchronized sound system. / The production was originally shot as a part-talkie dramatic adaptation of the Ferber novel; during production Universal acquired the rights to the musical play adaptation as well and reshot some of the production, adding additional talking and musical sections and an 18-minute prologue of musical exerpts from the original Broadway production with members of the Broadway cast. The film was also released in the USA in a silent version in [?] eleven? reels (at 10,290 feet) by Universal Pictures Corporation in 1929. The musical play was subsequently filmed as Showboat (1936). / Silent film, with talking sequences, synchronized music and sound effects.
Drama: Musical.
Survival status: Print exists.
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: African-Americans - Gambling: Gamblers - Showboats - Singers - Synchronized sound film - USA: Illinois: Chicago
Listing updated: 4 January 2010.
References: Bohn-Light p. 184; Brownlow-Parade pp. 82, 93; Drew-Speaking pp. 90, 106, 107, 278; Edmonds-BigU pp. 8, 116, 153-154; Everson-Detective p. 54; Hirschhorn-Universal pp. 54, 61, 63, 93; Null-Black pp. 75-76; Parish-Glamour p. 41; Shipman-Cinema p. 104; Vermilye-Twenties pp. 22, 253 : Website-AFI.
Home video: DVD.
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