ClayKing wrote:I don't think it's ever been officially released on DVD (and someone will correct me if I'm wrong). The '29 version was released on laser disc, which also included the '36 and '51 versions and the "Clouds Roll By" section. I think that TCM has aired the '29 version. If you see the '29 version offered in the gray market as a DVD it's probably sourced from the laser disc or the TCM airing. Only the audio for the '29 prologue was included in the laser disc, the picture material presumably lost.
Correct, TCM has run the '29 version a couple of times, but has not run what survives of the prologue in one "complete" package. (IIRC, a few years ago, they ran audio of Whiteman's orchestra playing "Why Do I Love You?" as filler/exit music.)
The Criterion laser set includes both ("C'mon Folks" and "Hey, Feller!") of Tess Gardella's numbers, sound and film. IIRC, the 3 1/2 film "Complete SHOW BOAT" laser set only includes one. (C'mon Folks"?)
The "Complete" set includes some audio, including that Whiteman selection. It also includes the complete audio of Morgan performing "Bill" - but no film. Both the A&E Biography on Ziegfeld and the PBS BROADWAY series (
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/broadway) includes *some* Morgan footage married to sound, but not the whole song. I recall the cuts being a bit different in the two presentations.
The A&E biography also includes a clip (sound and film) of Jules Bledsoe singing "Ol' Man River."
My understanding is that only the very beginning of the "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" footage survives (Morgan entering the set, sitting on the kitchen table and getting out "Fish ..." - that footage is also shown on the A&E Ziegfeld biography. I believe the remainder of the sound survives.
How much additional audio and film survives, (Whiteman, Otis Harlan introducing the acts, Ziegfeld, etc.) - I don't know know. But like you, I would love to see all the surviving elements of the prologue reassembled and shown somewhere (festival, TCM)
Finally, (and Ron can may be able to verify) I believe the full audio to the second reel of dialogue from the narrative portion of the film has also been located but has not yet been included in any TCM airings or video transfers.