Varsity Show (film)
Encyclopedia
Varsity Show is a 1937
feature film
from Warner Brothers about a group of students at "Winfield College" who butt heads with their faculty advisor while producing an annual stage show.
The film was directed by William Keighley
from a script by Jerry Wald
, Richard Macaulay, Warren Duff and Sig Herzig
. The movie features songs by Richard A. Whiting
and many others. The finale was directed by Busby Berkeley
.
This film, however 'kitschy' it may be, is one of the most important to modern choral music in America. In 1937, Fred Waring
was approached to play a starring role in this film. He brought his famous glee club, the Pennsylvanians, to the shoot and planned on using the college glee club from Pomona College
("Winfield College" in the movie) for additional singers. When Mr. Waring arrived at the campus he found the Glee Club conductor was ill but his replacement was a young, energetic young man named Robert Shaw. Robert Shaw
followed Fred Waring, after the movie was finished, to New York. There, Mr. Shaw founded the Collegiate Chorale
and the Robert Shaw Chorale
. Robert Shaw went on to be one of the most important personalities in American choral music in the 20th century.
This film is an interesting companion piece to "Hollywood Hotel" with almost the whole cast in the second film. Absent is the lovely Priscilla Lane, but Lola Lane and Rosemary Lane are present. There is even a love angle again between Rosemary and Dick Powell, and Mabel Todd and Ted Healy (who discovered the three stooges).
1937 in film
The year 1937 in film involved some significant events, including the Walt Disney production of the first full-length animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.- Events :*April 16 - Way Out West premieres in the US....
feature film
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
from Warner Brothers about a group of students at "Winfield College" who butt heads with their faculty advisor while producing an annual stage show.
The film was directed by William Keighley
William Keighley
William Jackson Keighley was an American stage actor and Hollywood film director....
from a script by Jerry Wald
Jerry Wald
Jerry Wald was an American producer and screenwriter for motion pictures and radio shows.Born Jerome Irving Wald in Brooklyn, New York, he had a brother and sons who were active in show business. Jerry began writing a radio column for the New York Evening Graphic while a student at New York...
, Richard Macaulay, Warren Duff and Sig Herzig
Sig Herzig
Sig Herzig was an American screenwriter and playwright.Born Siegfried Maurice Herzig in New York City, Herzig began his career as the director of the comedy short Husband and Strife , but he switched gears to create plot lines for more than three dozen silent films...
. The movie features songs by Richard A. Whiting
Richard A. Whiting
Richard Armstrong Whiting was a composer of popular songs including the standards, "Hooray for Hollywood", "Ain't We Got Fun?" & "On the Good Ship Lollipop"....
and many others. The finale was directed by Busby Berkeley
Busby Berkeley
Busby Berkeley was a highly influential Hollywood movie director and musical choreographer. Berkeley was famous for his elaborate musical production numbers that often involved complex geometric patterns...
.
This film, however 'kitschy' it may be, is one of the most important to modern choral music in America. In 1937, Fred Waring
Fred Waring
Fredrick Malcolm Waring was a popular musician, bandleader and radio-television personality, sometimes referred to as "America's Singing Master" and "The Man Who Taught America How to Sing." He was also a promoter, financial backer and namesake of the Waring Blendor, the first modern electric...
was approached to play a starring role in this film. He brought his famous glee club, the Pennsylvanians, to the shoot and planned on using the college glee club from Pomona College
Pomona College
Pomona College is a private, residential, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. Founded in 1887 in Pomona, California by a group of Congregationalists, the college moved to Claremont in 1889 to the site of a hotel, retaining its name. The school enrolls 1,548 students.The founding member...
("Winfield College" in the movie) for additional singers. When Mr. Waring arrived at the campus he found the Glee Club conductor was ill but his replacement was a young, energetic young man named Robert Shaw. Robert Shaw
Robert Shaw (conductor)
Robert Shaw was an American conductor most famous for his work with his namesake Chorale, with the Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Shaw received 14 Grammy awards, four ASCAP awards for service to contemporary music, the first Guggenheim Fellowship...
followed Fred Waring, after the movie was finished, to New York. There, Mr. Shaw founded the Collegiate Chorale
Collegiate Chorale
The Collegiate Chorale is a symphonic choir based in New York City, USA. It was founded in 1941 by Robert Shaw, who was later to found the professional Robert Shaw Chorale. The Collegiate Chorale continues to give several performances annually in Carnegie Hall and other major venues...
and the Robert Shaw Chorale
Robert Shaw Chorale
The Robert Shaw Chorale was a professional chorus founded in New York City in 1948 by Robert Shaw, a Californian who had been drafted out of college a decade earlier by Fred Waring to conduct his Glee Club in radio broadcasts...
. Robert Shaw went on to be one of the most important personalities in American choral music in the 20th century.
This film is an interesting companion piece to "Hollywood Hotel" with almost the whole cast in the second film. Absent is the lovely Priscilla Lane, but Lola Lane and Rosemary Lane are present. There is even a love angle again between Rosemary and Dick Powell, and Mabel Todd and Ted Healy (who discovered the three stooges).