Tweet Frank Crumit on film

Frank Crumit is one early recording favourite whom I've never seen on film. The IMDB shows only one on-camera appearance for him, a Columbia short subject in 1929 (he's also credited as the narrator of a 1940 Paramount subject). Does anyone happen to know if film or soundtrack have turned up for it?

Crumit is a really unique talent. I love his combination of folksiness and sophistication, the charming humour of numbers like "The Prune Song" and his ukelele playing on songs like "Crazy Words, Crazy Tune" ("...'cause I intend, to go up and kick him in the vo-do-do-de-oh-do...")


Here's his wonderful rendition of "A Sunny Disposish"--I dare you to listen and not have your socks charmed off!


-Harold

Crumit was married to stage star Julia Sanderson. A number of LPs featured his 78s including 2 from ASV that once was a good nostalgia private label in UK which I handled at one time in my country

Harold, as with Johnny Marvin, Crumit made several early sound film appearances in early Vitaphone shorts: #727, "The One Man Glee Club" (January 1929) and #733, "Julia Sanderson and Frank Crumit in 'Words Of Love' (February, 1929).

Unfortunately, no film or disk known for these at this time.

Thanks for your Crumit and Marvin info, Ron. Guess I'll have to invest in the Roy Liebman book one of these days!

-Harold

Columbia two-reel short:
HEAR 'EM AND WEEP
Released - April 10, 1933.
"Lambs Gambol" series.

Starring
Julia Sanderson
Frank Crumit
with
Irene Franklin
John E. Hazzard
Baby Rose Marie
Alexander Gray
Jean Adair
Harry Short
Eleanor Shaler
J. Malcolm Dunn
John McCauley
J. McCloskey
Herbert Waterous
Harry Tyler
Edmund Elton
Bruce Evans
Percy Wenrich
"And 40 other Lambs"

Written and Directed by Joseph Santley
Musical Director: Harold Levey

Thanks Rich (as always!). Is there a print of HEAR 'EM AND WEEP around? I think it was one of the few films that Baby Rose Marie (still with us, though no longer a baby!) has not seen. Just got a holiday card from her.

Her 1929 Vitaphone short, BABY ROSE MARIE, THE CHILD WONDER, was the very first short restoration the Project was involved in. When I called to tell her it was in the works, she said (in her trademark growl) "Jack Warner told me it was gone forever!"

Thanks Rich (as always!). Is there a print of HEAR 'EM AND WEEP around? I think it was one of the few films that Baby Rose Marie (still with us, though no longer a baby!) has not seen. Just got a holiday card from her.

I actually have never seen the short (but sure would like to!), but got this info from a Sound Continuity and Title Sheet for the film.
Someone should inquire if SONY or LoC has the material to make a viewing print.

Ron,
Speaking of Rose Marie, I recently found a 78 record by her:
Mercury 5848 - That's a Fine, Fine, Fine Howdy Ya Do / The Ice Man (this side co-written by Rose M.)
I figure it to be from about May 1952.
Would you or she need a recording of it?

One of my favorite Crumits is "Abdul Abulbul Amir"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6vyZ_q-TjA

Hugh Harman made a dandy animated short based on the song for MGM in 1941; unfortunately I couldn't find THAT on YouTube.

Crumit bears a resemblance to Fleetwood Mac's Lindsay Buckingham, or at least at one time he did -- I think Lindsay has managed to live quite a few years longer than Frank Crumit ever did. One is tempted to declare Crumit-Sanderson the Buckingham-Nicks of their era, only there's very little to go on. While Frank was prolific at making records, it doesn't appear that Julia Sanderson was very fond of it and they only made a couple of records together so far as I know. We really need those films to emerge -- their main work was on intangible mediums such as early radio and the stage.

spadeneal

I have a very nice original still of Crumit & Sanderson at the CBS microphone during their radio show "The Bond Bread Tea Shop" from some time between 1933 & 1936. And -- it's signed by both!

I've never figured out posting pictures, or I'd put it up here.
I'll either figure it out or let someone (hi Louie!) borrow it, scan it & post it for me.

Long ago, in the dear, dead days beyond recall when the red hot jazz archive was still accepting such things, I sent them the audio file of the Paul Biese Trio doing "Beela Boola," which still resides there:

http://redhotjazz.com/biesetrio.html

It has a particularly fine and energetic Crumit vocal.

spadeneal

Harold, as with Johnny Marvin, Crumit made several early sound film appearances in early Vitaphone shorts: #727, "The One Man Glee Club" (January 1929) and #733, "Julia Sanderson and Frank Crumit in 'Words Of Love' (February, 1929).

Unfortunately, no film or disk known for these at this time.

I see that in your latest updated list, both Crumit shorts are now listed as film existing but no music.

Well, that's something (keep checking your attics, everyone ...)

Harold, as with Johnny Marvin, Crumit made several early sound film appearances in early Vitaphone shorts: #727, "The One Man Glee Club" (January 1929) and #733, "Julia Sanderson and Frank Crumit in 'Words Of Love' (February, 1929).

Unfortunately, no film or disk known for these at this time.

I see that in your latest updated list, both Crumit shorts are now listed as film existing but no music.

Well, that's something (keep checking your attics, everyone ...)

If he sings any of his usual songs it might be possible to sync it with a commercial recording. Paramount on Parade was missing Dennis King's "Nichavo" but the Victor record synced very well.

Here's a review of Frank Crumit's 1929 Columbia Victor Gem short THE GAY CABALLERO.
From "Motion Picture News", June 8, 1929:

"THE GAY CABALLERO" has Frank Crumit as the principal player of what proves to be a burlesque visualization of his comedy song of the same title. It was directed by Harry Revier. There are a few laughs in the earlier scenes, but if it were not for Crumit, they could wash this one up. It is the story of a toreador who goes a wooing and is discovered by the husband of the wooee who ends the whoopee. It could have been done to better advantage.
Running time: 12 minutes.
Reviewed by Fred Schader.

Here's a review of Frank Crumit's 1929 Columbia Victor Gem short THE GAY CABALLERO.
From "Motion Picture News", June 8, 1929:

"THE GAY CABALLERO" has Frank Crumit as the principal player of what proves to be a burlesque visualization of his comedy song of the same title. It was directed by Harry Revier. There are a few laughs in the earlier scenes, but if it were not for Crumit, they could wash this one up. It is the story of a toreador who goes a wooing and is discovered by the husband of the wooee who ends the whoopee. It could have been done to better advantage.
Running time: 12 minutes.
Reviewed by Fred Schader.

Thank you Richard. That was one Harry Revier credit I didn't know about.

spadeneal

The Crumit Columbia Victor Gem discussed here was shot by Victor Talking Machine company (the just about to become RCA Victor) in Camden, NJ in the converted church they also used for recording 78's because of its acoustics. The Gem series lasted only for the 1929-30 season, and for all or part were recorded on disk only.

In my 2009 purchase of 83 soundtrack disks from Australia were included disks for almost a dozen Gems, 6 of which had mute film at LoC. Thanks to the support and enthusiasm of George Willeman, Rob Stone and Mike Mashon at the Library, they have taken my disks and are finishing up restoration of

GEORGIE PRICE in "STATION B.U.N.K" (great singer, imitator)
FAY MARBE ("international star" a la Irene Bordoni)
LEON NAVARRA (novelty pianist with patter)
JULES BLEDSOE (black singer with original "Showboat")
NAN BLAKSTONE (fantastic singer and comedienne, later of 'blue' 78's)
MAMIE SMITH in 'JAILHOUSE BLUES' (legendary black blue singer)
also the non-Gem..
RATSKIN (the first Krazy Kat sound cartoon)

Restoration should be completed later this year. Can't wait to see --- and hear --- these shorts which have not been screened in over 80 years.

The Crumit Columbia Victor Gem discussed here was shot by Victor Talking Machine company (the just about to become RCA Victor) in Camden, NJ...
GEORGIE PRICE in "STATION B.U.N.K" (great singer, imitator)...

My viewing of that short has had a very weird history:
Years ago I saw the film on 35mm, but the mute print. No soundtrack. So there was Georgie up there talking, joking and singing but I couldn't tell what he was saying.
Later I got the cutting continuity script for the short, so now I could at least read what he was saying.
Then some time later I got a cassette recording of the soundtrack. So now I can hear Georgie, but still not see him.
Not the usual procedure in watching a film...in three steps!
So it will be great to finally get to see and hear it properly if these restorations (hopefully) get shown somewhere such as The Film Forum.

Thank you to Ron, George, Rob and Mike for your parts in making these restorations happen.

Here's a photo Rich Finegan asked me to post. He titled it "Frank Crumit & Julia Sanderson - Bond Bread Tea Shop (1933)"

Thanks Louie. It came out very well!
There is a sticker on the back identifying the still as being from the Bond Bread Tea Shop Show. That show apparently ran from 1933 through 1936 but there is no exact date on the still. So I figure it must be from some time between 1933 and 1936.

Found documentation of another Frank Crumit film:

PAR AND DOUBLE PAR
Released: Nov. 2, 1930.
Pathe.
One reel (9 minutes).
"Grantland Rice Sportlight" series.

Review from "Motion Picture News" - Nov. 22, 1930:

"This Grantland Rice Sportlight is unique in that, after showing Bobby Jones do his stuff for a few feet, it introduces Frank Crumit of radio and stage fame, who sings "Donald, the Dub", at times playing a uke accompaniment and then demonstrating what a terrible dub he really is at golf."

I first heard Crumit's "A Gay Caballero" in a 1929 cover by Norwegian comedian Einar Rose. This version is titled "Don Juan" and the lyrics satirize the phenomenon of opera tenors à la Caruso and the way ladies swooned over them.

The same tune, again with re-written lyrics, is featured in one of the best "Private SNAFU" cartoons, Bob Clampett's "Fighting Tools". Theodore Geisel was involved with some of the SNAFU films, wonder if he helped with these lyrics?

I have an old 16mm sound print of NOT SO DUMB - 1940 Paramount short narrated by Frank Crumit that was struck for the WW2 military.
Rich Finegan should be able to research the title and see if it was ever in a NTA or UM&M TV package.

Another Frank Crumit film to add to the list:

ON APPROVAL
RKO Radio Pictures.
Release date: January 5, 1934.
17 minutes.
Directed by Kenneth Webb.
RKO "Headliner" Series #3.

Cast:
Julia Sanderson
Frank Crumit
Ruth Shepley
Molly Pearson
Lelia Frost
Irene Shirley
Frank Allswirth
David Herblin
Jack Kershaw

Long ago, in the dear, dead days beyond recall when the red hot jazz archive was still accepting such things, I sent them the audio file of the Paul Biese Trio doing "Beela Boola," which still resides there:

http://redhotjazz.com/biesetrio.html

It has a particularly fine and energetic Crumit vocal.

spadeneal

Columbia acoustic recording A3383..? Of his earlier recordings. He was issued on quite a lot of records where another artist is on the other side, at least 33 of his 85 recordings for Columbia were issued in this way.

I have an old 16mm sound print of NOT SO DUMB - 1940 Paramount short narrated by Frank Crumit that was struck for the WW2 military.
Rich Finegan should be able to research the title and see if it was ever in a NTA or UM&M TV package.

Has this ever been recorded onto a modern media? Since my father started researching Crumit in the 1980's we've always wondered about these shorts and wanted to view / listen to them.
At the moment I am compiling text and photographs for a biography of Frank & Julia.

I have an old 16mm sound print of NOT SO DUMB - 1940 Paramount short narrated by Frank Crumit that was struck for the WW2 military.
Rich Finegan should be able to research the title and see if it was ever in a NTA or UM&M TV package.

Has this ever been recorded onto a modern media? Since my father started researching Crumit in the 1980's we've always wondered about these shorts and wanted to view / listen to them.
At the moment I am compiling text and photographs for a biography of Frank & Julia.

I have not had NOT SO DUMB transferred to DVD yet. I believe it is the only known print.

FYI, I lived 20 minutes away from Julia, but never contacted her.

A movie theater was renamed Julia Sanderson in Springfield, Mass., but I believe torn down now.

Thanks for the fresh (well, to me anyway) Crumit info. I realize this is an old thread, but I never check the Music of the Era posts, so there's a first time for everything.

I've got a couple of CDs of his music, some of my favourite novelty songs of the era (I just wish I could find a decent Happiness Boys CD). So many fun tunes, but hands down my favourite title is What Kind of a Noise Annoys an Oyster? They don't write them like that anymore.