CUT NUMBERS ON RECORD

Outtakes from Hollywood

In 1976 Out Take Records in the US issued what to some nostalgia and soundtrack collectors was one of the rarest and most fascinating albums – “CUT! OUT TAKES FROM HOLLYWOOD’S GREATEST MUSICALS” (OTF -1) – a collection of twenty songs culled from studio playback and reference discs from Hollywood musicals of the 1930’s, ‘40’s, 50’s and 1960’s. What made this collection so outstanding was that every number included never actually appeared in the films they were intended for.

The bulk of these came from MGM and included stars like Judy Garland, Ann Sothern, Fred Astaire, Betty Garrett, Debbie Reynolds and June Allyson. Other studio discs included were from Twentieth-Century Fox: Alice Faye, Betty Grable, and June Havoc. There was even a song cut from Paramount’s “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever” and performed by Jack Nicholson: “Who Is There Among Us Who Knows” that never made the Final Cut of the film.

For some reason these numbers languished in the studio vaults until enterprising producers Hugh Fordin and Alan Eichler rediscovered them, some having been already rescued by avid collectors.

Volume One’s highlights include Ann Sothern’s performance of “Salome” (excised from the 1942 MGM musical “Panama Hattie”), “Gotta Bran’ New Suit” by Fred Astaire and Nanette Fabray; not used in MGM’s “The Band Wagon” 1953, “Mr Monotony” given the inimitable Judy Garland treatment but inexplicably removed from MGM’s 1948 musical “Easter Parade”, Judy Holliday asking us “Is It a Crime?” (deleted from “Bells Are Ringing”: MGM 1960) and Alice Faye’s “Think Twice” cut from Fox’s “Sally, Irene and Mary”, 1938.

The success of this album led to the appearance of “Cut! Volume Two” (OTF-2) later that same year (1976). Fourteen selections, three cut from MGM’s mammoth biopic of Jerome Kern’s life “Till the Clouds Roll By” (1946): “Bill” sung by the delectable Lena Horne, “I’ve Told Ev’ry Little Star” performed by Kathryn Grayson and “The Song is You” (Kathryn Grayson and her then husband Johnnie Johnston. Another rarity is “Bronco Busters” sung by Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney and Nancy Walker, cut from the Gershwin MGM musical “Girl Crazy” (1943). Betty Hutton gets to warble “Let’s Go West Again`’ which was deleted from “Annie Get Your Gun” (1948) and a couple of Warren/Blane songs from the MGM musical “Summer Holiday” (1948): “Wish I Had a Braver Heart” beautifully sung by gorgeous Gloria De Haven and “Spring Isn’t Everything” by Walter Huston.

Then a year later “Cut! Volume THREE” (OTF-3) was released in the US. Similar in style to the previous couple, this volume offered us 17 selections – ranging from a 1936 rehearsal recording of “Something’s Gotta Happen Soon”, sung by Frances Langford with piano accompaniment by MGM stalwart Roger Edens (cut from “Broadway Melody of 1936”) up to a first draft of the “Someone There’s a Someone” sequence from the 1954 Warner Bros. Musical “A Star is Born” with Judy Garland and Roger Edens. Other rarities like “Why Do I Love You” (Irene Dunne and Allan Jones) a promo cut of a song deleted from the 1936  Universal “Show Boat”, “There’s Something About Midnight” sung by Betty Grable and removed from “Fox’s “That Lady in Ermine” (1948), “Music on the Water” deleted from “Pagan Love Song” (MGM 1952) and performed by Howard Keel, and Red Skelton, Rags Ragland and Ann Sothern’s number “I’d Do Anything for You” which was excised from MGM’s 1942 version of “Panama Hattie”.

One more addition to the cut song album category must be mentioned here as well. 1979 saw the release of “CHOICE CUTS: VOLUME ONE” (ST 500/1) on the bootleg Choice Cuts record label. Sixteen deleted songs from assorted studios by performers like Martha Raye (“Havin’ Myself a Time” cut from Paramount’s “Tropic Holiday” 1938), the complete version of “Silhouetted in the Moonlight” by Dick Powell and Rosemary Lane, which was truncated in the finished film:”Hollywood Hotel” (Warner Bros. 1937), “Suddenly It’s Spring” sung by Ginger Roger’s and removed from the 1944 Paramount version of “Lady in the Dark” and Jeanette MacDonald singing “If Love Were All”, cut from MGM’s 1940 “Bitter Sweet”. A nice rendition of “Blue Shadows and White Gardenias” by Betty Grable and Victor Mature (dubbed by Esther William’s then husband Ben Gage) which was deleted from the 1942 Technicolor Twentieth-Century Fox musical “Song of the Islands” is also one of the other highlights of this record. Unfortunately there never was a volume two!

Since the release of these rare albums, many of these deleted tracks have appeared on CD, especially in the excellent Rhino/Turner MGM musical series of soundtracks, most in better quality and some even in stereo – where the original multi-angle “stems” from the films have been preserved. They make for a fascinating listening experience and you wonder how major stars singing terrific songs can have had their performances removed by the studios at the time. An abundance of talent in those days, certainly.

STARS ON RECORD

Long before the advent of the compact disc, nostalgia fans had to rely on vinyl albums to get their fix of Hollywood stars’ recordings. Many musical performers had made commercial discs for the general public since the earliest days of records but it was really after the introduction of the sound film that these personality discs became more popular and available. With the coming of the 12” vinyl long-playing disc in the early 1950’s, older 78rpm vocal recordings were compiled into sets which featured film, stage and radio stars’ discs. And with the nostalgia boom in the early 1960’s and into the 1970’s, most record companies had issued sets using their libraries of vintage record masters. One of the first was RCA Victor, whose “vintage series” of 12 inch long-players utilised many classic sides.

Their “STARS OF THE SILVER SCREEN 1929 – 1930” (RCA LSA 3074:LPV 538) from 1972 is a case in point. 16 period recordings with stars like Jeanette MacDonald (“Dream Lover” 1929), John Boles (“It Happened in Monterey” 1930), Dolores Del Rio (“Ramona” 1928), Charles King (“Broadway Melody” 1929) and Maurice Chevalier (“Louise” 1929) to mention only a few highlights.

Also released by RCA in 1972 was “HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD” (RCA LSA 3085/LPV 579) 16 tracks from the 1930’s through to the 1950’s. Marlene Dietrich (her 1931 78 of “Lola” from “The Blue Angel”), Ginger Roger’s (“I Used to Be Color Blind” from 1938), Betty Hutton’s classic “It’s Oh, So Quiet” from 1951, Mickey Rooney in a rare session from 11957 (“I Couldn’t Be More in Love”) and Fred Astaire’s classic “Something’s Gotta Give” from 1955. The UK release of this album featured a different cover from the US issue, which to my mind is far superior to the American design.

The Decca subsidiary label Ace of Hearts in the UK released three albums in 1964 under the banner “Hollywood Sings” – “Hollywood Sings – Volume: 1 The Girls”, “Hollywood Sings – Volume 2: “The Boys” and “Hollywood Sings – Volume 3: The Boys and Girls”. 1 and 2 obtain 12 tracks, while 3 only 10. Culled from the Decca vaults, volume 1 features stars like Carmen Miranda (“I, Yi, Yi, I like You Very Much”), Ethel Merman (You’re the Top”), Marlene Dietrich (“Black Market”), Irene Dunne(“Smoke Gets In Your Eyes”) and Mary Martin (“My Heart Belongs to Daddy”), while volume 2 has Dick Powell (“You Can’t Stop Me From Dreaming”), Eddie Cantor (“You’d Be Surprised”), Ray Bolger (“Once In Love with Amy”), Tony Martin (“If It’s You and “Too Beautiful to Last”) and Dick Haymes (“Love Letters”). The duets in the third set comprise Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney (“Could You Use Me”), “You Say the Nicest Things”, Ethel Merman and Jimmy Durante), “Two Sleepy People” (Bob Hope and Shirley Ross) and “Why Do I Love You” (Frances Langford and Tony Martin).

Another US release, which I unfortunately don’t have in my collection to verify the release date is: “GOLDEN MOMENTS FROM THE SILVER SCREEN” (Harmony HS 30549 – a Columbia subsidiary label: issue date unknown)

Decca in the USA released a 2 LP set: “THOSE WONDERFUL THIRTIES” DEA 7-1: unfortunately in dreadful “simulated stereo” which gave us 20 classic Decca sides of film personalities like Nick Lucas “Tiptoe Through the Tulips” (1929), Mae West slinking her sinuous way through “A Guy What Takes His Time” (recorded in 1954), “Love Walked In”, Kenny Baker (1938), “Lullaby of Broadway”, Wini Shaw (1935), Tony Martin’s vocal “When Did You Leave Heaven” (1936) and Grace Moore trilling “Love Me Forever” (1935).

There was also a similar 1975 European 2 LP issue of Decca film stars’ recordings:”THE STARS OF THE SILVER SCREEN” (MCA COPS7683/1-2: 6.28344DT). 28 tracks, including Dick Powell “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” (1937), “Road to Morocco”, Bing Crosby and Bob Hope (1944), “Lovely Hula Hands”: Dorothy Lamour from 1943), Mickey Rooney asking us to “Treat Me Rough” (1943) and “Foolish Pride”, Robert Mitchum (1947).

Here in the UK, companies like the World Records Club (an EMI group label) issued many similar records, but in the main they concentrated on British Dance Band 78’s. Notably they did release in 1974 “MOVIE STAR MEMORIES” (WRC SH217), 16 mostly British personality 78’s, including stars like Cicely Courtneidge  “There’s Something About a Soldier”, John Mills, “Goodbye Trouble”, Jack Buchanan and Elsie Randolph “Like Monday Follows Sunday”, “Tinkle, Tinkle, Tinkle/Over My Shoulder”: a Jessie Matthew’s medley and the decidedly non-British Conrad Veidt “When the Lighthouse Shines Across the Bay”, which even became a UK popular hit at the time!

Also from the UK, in 1982 the independent ASV/Living Era label issued “HOLLYWOOD SINGS” (AJA 5011), 20 commercial 78 and soundtrack recordings with artists like Janet Gaynor’s soundtrack version of “Keep Your Sunnyside Up”, James Stewart in a 1931 disc “Day After Day”, “Puttin’ on the Ritz”, Harry Richman (1930), Jeanette MacDonald warbling “Beyond the Blue Horizon” (1930) and Fred Astaire’s rambunctious version of the Dietz and Schwartz song from “The Band Wagon” – “I Love Louisa”.

They followed this album up in 1983 with “FILM STAR PARADE” (AJA 5020) an 18 track compilation from the 1920’s and 1930’s with personalities like Bing Crosby’s 1932 hit “Please”, Al Jolson “Let Me Sing and I’m Happy” 1930), ”Eadie Was a Lady”, Ethel Merman’s 1932 double-sided recording hit, Gloria Swanson: “Love, Your Magic Spell is Your Magic Spell is Everywhere” (1929) and Tallulah Bankhead singing? “Don’t Tell Him What Happened to Me” (1930).

European albums were also being released: in France, “HOLLYWOOD AND BROADWAY PARADE” (1973) CBS 88026 – a double album, had Columbia 78’s from Fred Astaire “Cheek to Cheek” (1935), “Panamania” (Dorothy Lamour: 1937), Danny Kaye: “Anatole of Paris” (1942), “Wake up and Live”: Alice Faye (1937) and Betty Grable “I Can’t Begin to Tell You” (her only commercial recording with her then husband band leader Harry James made in 1946 under the pseudonym “Ruth Haag). These are mixed in with assorted big band and vocal group sides.

Another French LP is “LES VEDETTES DE CINEMA CHANTENT” Philips Retro 6620044 (2 album set), with French stars Jean Gabin, Arletty, Henri Garat, Lilian Harvey and Henri Garat, Florence, Danielle Darien’s and Marlene Dietrich (OK, so she is German!). In the main all the sides are French recordings but well worth seeking out, if not only for the lovely cover art – and the then very rare Marlene sides.

There are also assorted unofficial and bootleg recordings out there to be discovered as well. For instance in 1972 the Radiola US label released “HOLLYWOOD IS ON THE AIR” (2MR 1718; release 17 and 18) which consisted of radio preview recordings promoting films from the 1930’s and 1940’s. Movies like “Reckless” (which the radio announcer told us would feature Jean Harlow sing for the first time on the air and screen – but unfortunately she was dubbed by Virginia Verrill), “The Gay Divorcee”, “Golddiggers of 1935”, “The Fleet’s In”, “Lady Be Good”, “Springtime in the Rockies” and “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” among many others. Fascinating listening.

Pelican Records (LP 130) issued ‘HOLLYWOOD PARTY” (LP 130) in the late 1970’s and it’s a fun listen. Highlights include Gracie Allen singing “Snug as a Bug in a Rug”(1939), Frank Morgan “The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo” (c 1945), Joan Crawford: “It’s All So New to Me” (1939), Clifton Webb “Easter Parade” and “It’s a Long Dark Night” by Claudette Colbert.

Star-Tone Records ST 203 (from, I think 1972) collated a grab-bag of rare recordings, like the Buster Crabbe/Betty Grable duet “Sweetheart Time” from 1937, as well as Humphrey Bogart in a radio performance of “The Bold Fisherman”.

NOSTALGIA’S GREATEST HITS (Stanyan SR 10055 from 1972) had discs by Yvonne De Carlo “I Love a Man” from 1951, “Join the Navy” from “Hit the Deck”, performed by Stanley Holloway from the original 1927 British cast, “It Happened in the Moonlight” by Charlotte Greenwood in 1935 and “Duna” by Walter Pidgeon from 1924 – as well as another ten personality tracks.

Monmouth-Evergreen in the US put out “A NOSTALGIA TRIP TO THE STARS 1920 – 1950: VOL 2”) MES 7031. 12 recordings by assorted stars, including the afore-mentioned Walter Pidgeon “What’ll I Do?” From 1924, the Rodger’s and Hart song “There’s a Small Hotel” by Bebe Daniels and Ben Lyon (recorded for HMV in 1937), Anna Neagle singing “The Dream is Over” from 1933 and 9 other selections.

Volume 1 is something I don’t have in my collection but I have included the cover and back for reference:

There are also a few European albums of dubious origin. Many using the same recordings as the genuine LPs.

And there were also those excellent “Cut” album releases from The USA which gave us mouth-wateringly rare studio disc recordings that were never used in the completed films – but that’s another story!

Dotty over Dottie and Betty

DOROTHY LAMOUR AT PARAMOUNT 1936 – 1952 Sepia 1384 (2 CD set)

Hot off the press from Sepia in the UK those new CD sets showcase two of Paramount’s leading female stars, Dorothy Lamour and Betty Hutton. 56 tracks from Miss Lamour and 48 from Miss Hutton make up a packed programme of classic and rare tracks culled from rare playback, studio, radio and reference discs as well as a few from the optical soundtracks of the films. There are links at the foot to order from Sepia.

Dorothy Lamour was a sultry vocalist with the Herbie Kay Orchestra when she was signed by Paramount in 1936, where she starred in a series of song-filled (or should that be sarong-filled) musicals before becoming a household name after appearing in the long-lived series of “Road” films co-starring her with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope – some songs from these are included in this set. 

Starting with a couple of songs from her film “Swing High, Swing Low” (“Panamania” and “I Hear a Call to Arms”  – both from studio discs), continuing with her performance of the song “The Things I Want” from “High, Wide and Handsome”, a rare extended version  with co-star Leif Erickson of “You Took the Words Right Out of My Heart” (“The Big Broadcast of 1938”), three tunes from “St. Louis Blues”, eight from “Riding High” and what for me are the jewels in this set – four ultra-rare unissued Decca recordings from her film “Masquerade in Mexico” as well as an alternate unreleased  Decca 78 “Hawaiian Hospitality” with Dick McIntyre and his Harmony Hawaiians. And as added bonuses we get a few of Dorothy’s radio performances included here. What’s not to like!

BETTY HUTTON AT PARAMOUNT 1938 – 1952 Sepia 1385 (2 CD set)

More upbeat in style (to say the least!) than Dorothy Lamour, Betty Hutton was the bombshell of Paramount’s roster of female stars. With her signature brash and brassy vocal style, Betty could bop with the best of them in numbers like “Murder He Says” from “Happy Go Lucky”, “I’m Doing it for Defense” (“Star Spangled Rhythm”), “Rumble, Rumble, Rumble” (from “The Perils of Pauline”) and “That’s Loyalty” (“Red, Hot and Blue”). But there was also a softer side to Betty, heard in ballads like “I Wish I Didn’t Love You So” (“The Perils of Pauline”) and “It Had to Be You” (“Incendiary Blonde”) and “Where Are You, Now That I Need You” (“Red, Hot and Blue”).

Included here as well are a couple of unissued and alternate takes of recording sessions for Capitol featuring Betty Hutton in the commercial recording studio: “That’s Loyalty” and “I Wake Up in the Morning Feeling Fine” and “Where Are You Now That I Need You”. 

Completing this excellent and varied set is a rare unreleased (until now!) alternate take of Betty and Perry Como’s 78rpm RCA Victor side “She’s a Lady”.

Links to order:

https://www.sepiarecords.com/sepia1385.html

https://www.sepiarecords.com/sepia1384.html

More Alice and Betty. From Sepia

ALICE FAYE The 20^th Century Fox Years Vol 2 (1940 – 1945) Sepia 1377 (2 CD set)

BETTY GRABLE The 20^th Century Fox Years Vol 2 (1945 – 1948) Sepia 1378 (2 CD set)

I promised myself that I would review these when they were issued by Sepia in 2023 but have only now got round to it. Apologies! And links at the foot of this post to order from Sepia.

These superb releases continue rare discoveries of studio playback discs with the occasional use of the original optical soundtracks from the films themselves. You’ll also find cut songs and alternate or longer takes than those actually used in the musicals.

Alice Faye is featured in selections from “Lillian Russell”, “Tin Pan Alley”, “That Night in Rio”, “The Great American Broadcast”, “Weekend in Havana”, “Hello, Frisco, Hello” and her final Fox film “Fallen Angel”. The majority of these songs are taken from studio discs in cleaner and often more complete versions and have been superbly remastered by Robin Cherry from originals loaned by Hisato Masuyama, Glinda Garland, Miles Kreuger, David Weiner and Harry Arendt. Bryan Cooper penned the comprehensive liner notes, which give a fascinating overview of Alice’s career at the Fox studios.

Highlights, for me at least, are the two versions of the song “Adored One” (from “Lillian Russell”), one by Alice’s co-star Don Ameche, and the other rarity – a demo sung by the composer Mack Gordon. Other stand-out performances are Alice’s ballad “Where You Are” as sung in the film “The Great American Broadcast” with vocal assists from John Payne and the Four Ink Spots with a dreamy 1940’s Alfred Newman arrangement.  But there are so many other delights – all in all a necessary addition to Volume 1.

Betty Grable adds her vocal charms to songs from her Fox musicals: “Billy Rose’s Diamond Horseshoe”, “The Dolly Sisters”, “The Shocking Miss Pilgrim”, “Mother Wore Tights”, “That Lady in Ermine” and “When My Baby Smiles at Me”. Like the companion Alice Faye set, most of these tracks are sourced from studio and playback discs, with some from the films’ optical soundtracks. Songs like the catchy “Burlington Bertie from Bow” (from “Mother Wore Tights”), “In Acapulco”. (“Billy Rose’s Diamond Horseshoe”) and the ultra-camp “Powder, Lipstick and Rouge” (“The Dolly Sisters”) are particular favourites of mine. Once again Sepia (and the redoubtable Richard Tay, Sepia’s founder) continue to amaze and please Hollywood musical soundtrack enthusiasts.

Links below to order:

https://www.sepiarecords.com/sepia1377.html

https://www.sepiarecords.com/sepia1378.html