NTA Short films packages

[Detroiter]

In the 1950s and '60s, National Telefilm Associates (and probably UM&M before them) issued catalogs of their short film and cartoon packages for television stations. These would list film titles and symopses. The cartoons in these packages (Popeye, Betty Boop, George Pal) remain at least somewhat familiar to film fans, if not the general public. The shorts other than cartoons ... about as obscure as you are going to get.

Does anyone here have a copy of any of these that they would be willing to copy and send along? You can let me know via private message if you want.

Much obliged.

Frank

[sethb]

My recollection is that back in the day, Blackhawk Films sold a number of these NTA/UM&M shorts in 16mm format, under a non-theatrical license.

I remember buying two early Burns & Allen shorts from Blackhawk (one was about a dance marathon) in the early 1970's, as well as a few Betty Boop cartoons and a number of band shorts (Cab Calloway, Isham Jones, Russ Morgan, Rudy Vallee, etc.). I also seem to recall seeing the U.M.&M logo, and wondering what the heck it was! Unfortunately, I no longer have any of these prints in my possession.

But the point is that if Blackhawk did strike 16mm prints of these shorts, they should still be floating around in decent numbers. They should also still be in decent shape if they were properly cared for (VitaFilmed, etc.) and have been stored correctly. Good luck in your hunt. SETH

[Phototone]

As I recall, and I have a few 16mm prints thereof, Laural & Hardy appeared on NTA released prints and possibly other Roach studio material, as well as a whole lot of Paramount shorts.

[Jim Reid]

As I recall, and I have a few 16mm prints thereof, Laural & Hardy appeared on NTA released prints and possibly other Roach studio material, as well as a whole lot of Paramount shorts.

I don't think any Roach films were handled by NTA. Some of the L&H Fox features were released to tv by NTA, also maybe Flying Deuces, but not the Roach shorts.

[sethb]

There's a good book on this subject, "Movies At Home," by Terry Segrave (McFarland & Co., 1999) that goes into the history of studio licensing of movies to television.

It's been a while since I looked at it, but I think it also discussed some of these NTA-type packages. SETH

[Richard Finegan]

In the 1950s and '60s, National Telefilm Associates (and probably UM&M before them) issued catalogs of their short film and cartoon packages for television stations. These would list film titles and synopses. The cartoons in these packages (Popeye, Betty Boop, George Pal) remain at least somewhat familiar to film fans, if not the general public. The shorts other than cartoons ... about as obscure as you are going to get.

Does anyone here have a copy of any of these that they would be willing to copy and send along? You can let me know via private message if you want.

Much obliged.

Frank

I believe Frank is asking about the catalogues and lists of titles rather than the films themselves.
I have a long NTA list of Paramount shorts but it's just titles and star, not much details. I can send you that list.

[silentfilm]

I have a Blackhawk catalog from November 1965, and it just happens to be the one where they announced the NTA distribution deal. Here are the titles listed:

The Barbershop (1933) with W.C. Fields
The Forgotten Man (1941) with Robert Benchley
Nothing But Nerves (1941) with Robert Benchley
Office Blues (1930) with Ginger Rogers
Insurance (1930) with Eddie Cantor
The Antique Shop (1931) with Burns and Allen
Once Over Light (1931) with Burns and Allen
Taxi Tangle with Jack Benny
Knowmore College (1932)
Song Writers of the Gay Nineties (1935)
Lucky Stars (1936) with Lynn Overman
Hula Heaven (1937) with Eddie Peabody
The MacAdemy Awards (1949)
Gents of Leisure (1931) with Chester Conklin and Vernon Dent

Musical Shorts:
Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra (1940) with Helen O'Connell
Blue Velvet Music (1937) with Mark Warnow and His Orchestra
Meet the Maestros (1938)
Let's Go Latin (1937) with Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra
Friml Favorites (1937) with Rudolph Friml, Jr.
Hal Kemp and His Orchestra (1938)
Rah Rah Football (1936) with Will Osborne and His Orchestra

Mack Sennett Shorts:
Roadhouse Queen (1933) with Walter Catlett
False Impressions (1932) with Lloyd Hamilton
Jimmy's New Yacht (1932) with Lucien Littlefield
The Loud Mouth (1932) with Matt McHugh

I was too young to collect films then, and by the time that I started the NTA agreement had ended. There were more titles sold than the ones listed above.

Other titles that I know were released later were:
The Pharmacist (1933) with W.C. Fields
Movie Milestones #1 and Movie Milestones #2 (1935) I have a print of the the first reel.
Screen Souvenirs (1932?) There were several of these compilations of silent film clips released in the early 1930s. I have a print of one of these.
How to Take a Vacation (1941) with Robert Benchley. I have a print of this.

[Ray Faiola]

NTA never had the Popeyes. They were syndicated by AAP / UA.

[Detroiter]

"I believe Frank is asking about the catalogues and lists of titles rather than the films themselves.
I have a long NTA list of Paramount shorts but it's just titles and star, not much details. I can send you that list."


Thanks for the offer - I will send you a private message with my address.

And Ray, you are right: most of the Fleischer / Famous cartoons other than Popeye were in that NTA group.

Frank

[silentfilm]

Here's one more to add, Movie Melodies on Parade (1936). I bought a 16mm print of this Paramount musical short last week, and was surprised to find in was not in the IMDB. (I have added it now: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8835254/reference). Conductor Andre Kostelanetz and his choir and orchestra present eight different tunes from Paramount films that had been released from 1930-1935. A few of the songs are presented with scenes from the films, but we don't get to see the films' stars like Bing Crosby or Maurice Chevalier. Kostelanetz and singer Mary Eastman regularly appeared on the CBS radio network in the 1930s and 1940s, so basically this was advertising their show.

[BixB]

Another addition to the list that Blackhawk offered is CAPTAIN HENRY'S RADIO SHOW (1933) featuring Don Voorhees' Prchestra, Lanny Ross and singer Annette Hanshaw in her only film appearance.

[Ray Faiola]

Yes, I have a print of CAPTAIN HENRY.

And, as to NTA-UM&M:



And here's a sale that DIDN'T happen!



continued...

[wich2]

Another addition to the list that Blackhawk offered is CAPTAIN HENRY'S RADIO SHOW (1933) featuring Don Voorhees' Prchestra, Lanny Ross and singer Annette Hanshaw in her only film appearance.

A tie-in, likely, with the MAXWELL HOUSE SHOWBOAT radio series that Ross was on for several years (and Hanshaw, at least once.)

- Craig

[Ray Faiola]

It was indeed. Too bad they didn't get to it while Charles Winninger was still doing Captain Henry!