Well, here's my third review of a Soundie that featured Dorothy Dandridge, only this time she only dances. The singer here is Hoagy Carmichael on the piano singing the title song whose lyrics is by Johnny Mercer. He has a couple of beautiful white women at his side while Dorothy is a maid who's trying to keep butler Peter Ray from letting a tray with pitcher on it from falling off his head. Despite the obvious stereotyping of the last two, they do perform a pretty entertaining dance during the instrumental part of Hoagy's song, particularly Ray's constant moving of his head in trying to balance the tray. Since this is only three minutes, I don't think much harm concerning those types is done here. And Hoagy is sooo cool with his singing. So on that note, I recommend Lazybones.
2 Reviews
And A Little Stardust
boblipton6 July 2023
Hoagy Carmichael plays and sings "Lazybones" while while Peter Ray and 19-year-old Dorothy Dandridge dance in this soundie.
Soundies were short films, essentially music videos meant to be played on a device known as the Mills Panaram. For a dime, you got a three-minute short. The devices were installed in bars and other venues similar to regular jukeboxes. From 1940 through 1946, Mills and competitors produced more than 2000 of these short films.
Many performers got their first film exposure on these devices: not only Miss Dandridge, but singers like Doris Day. Almost invariably, the sound portion was recorded separately from the visuals, with the performers syncing the action.
Soundies were short films, essentially music videos meant to be played on a device known as the Mills Panaram. For a dime, you got a three-minute short. The devices were installed in bars and other venues similar to regular jukeboxes. From 1940 through 1946, Mills and competitors produced more than 2000 of these short films.
Many performers got their first film exposure on these devices: not only Miss Dandridge, but singers like Doris Day. Almost invariably, the sound portion was recorded separately from the visuals, with the performers syncing the action.
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