Words and Music (1929 film)

Infobox Film
name = Words and Music
director = James Tinling
assistant director = William Tinling| writers = Frederick Hazlitt Brennan (story)
Jack McEdwards (story)
Andrew Bennison| starring = Lois Moran
David Percy
Helen Twelvetrees
Frank Albertson
cinematography = Don Anderson
Charles G. Clarke
Charles Van Enger
editing = Ralph Dixon
music = Con Conrad
Archie Gottler
Sidney D. Mitchell
Dave Stamper
sound = Joseph E. Aiken
Donald Flick
distributor = Fox Film Corporation
released = 18 August 1929
runtime = 72 minutes
country = USA
language = English
imdb_id = 0020604

"Words and Music" is a 1929 American musical comedy motion picture, directed by James Tinling, and starring Lois Moran, David Percy, Helen Twelvetrees, and Frank Albertson. It was written by Andrew Bennison with story by Frederick Hazlitt Brennan and Jack Edwards. Released by Fox Film Corporation, the film is notable as the first in which John Wayne is credited (as Duke Morrison). Wayne was also credited (as John Wayne) as a property assistant in the Art Department. Ward Bond, Wayne’s lifelong good friend, also had a bit part in the movie.

It says above that this is the first film that John Wayne was credited in, but this is not true. First off, John Wayne was credited in "Bardelys the Magnificent" which came out in 1926. Secondly, if you want to be technical, "John Wayne" was never credited for his acting in "Words and Music." He was in the movie, indeed, but he was credited as Duke Morrison.

ynopsis

Two young college students, Phil (David Percy) and Pete (John Wayne), compete for the love of pretty girl named Mary (Lois Moran), and also to win the $1500 prize in a song-writing contest to write the best show tune for the annual college revue. The two men each ask Mary to sing for them, but eventually, she chooses Phil as her beau, and it is he who also has the winning song.

Although the film was largely devoid of much plot line, as was typical of musical review pictures of the period, there is a great deal of singing and dancing. Many of Lois Moran’s numbers were actually footage that was cut from the film "Fox Movietone Follies of 1929", which were edited out when the film was found to be too long. This film was created to make use of the deleted scenes, and so was fashioned around Lois Moran’s singing talent.

Songs include: "Too Wonderful for Words" (William Kernell, Dave Stamper, Paul Gerard Smith, Edmund Joseph), "Stepping Along" (Kernell), "Shadows" (Con Conrad, Sidney Mitchell, Archie Gottler).

Cast

*Lois Moran ... Mary Brown
*David Percy ... Song and dance principal
*Helen Twelvetrees ... Dorothy Blake
*William Orlamond ... Pop Evans
*Elizabeth Patterson ... Dean Crockett
*John Wayne ... Pete Donahue (as Duke Morrison)
*Frank Albertson ... Skeet Mulroy
*Tom Patricola ... Hannibal
*Eddie Bush ... Biltmore Quartet member (as Biltmore Quartet)
*Paul Gibbons ... Baltimore Quartet member (as Biltmore Quartet)
*Bill Seckler ... Biltmore Quartet member (as Biltmore Quartet)
*Ches Kirkpatrick ... Biltmore Quartet member (as Biltmore Quartet)
*Bubbles Crowell ... Bubbles
*Vina Gale ... Adagio dancer
*Muriel Gardner ... Song and dance principal
*Harriet Griffith ... Adagio dancer
*John Griffith ... Adagio dancer
*Charles Huff ... Adagio dancer
*Helen Hunt ... Adagio dancer
*Dorothy Jordan ... Song and dance principal
*Richard Keene ... Singer
*Helen Parrish ... Song and dance principal
*Arthur Springer ... Adagio dancer
*Jack Wade ... Song and dance principal
*Dorothy Ward ... Girl

ee also

* John Wayne filmography (1926-1940)

External links

*imdb title|0020604|Words and Music|(1929)
* [http://www.tvguide.com/detail/movie.aspx?id=26854&sourcetype=m tvguide.com]
* [http://movies2.nytimes.com/gst/movies/movie.html?v_id=117703 New York Times]