The Hit Parade (1937)

77 or 83 mins | Comedy-drama | 26 April 1937

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HISTORY

The working title of this film was We're On the Air. The picture was later re-edited and released under the title I'll Pick a Star, which is the version that was viewed. According to a HR news item, the production was budgeted at $500,000, which made it the most expensive Republic film until that time. HR news items noted that Ralph Staub supervised the filming of Eddie Duchin, Ed Thorgerson and some of the other radio acts that was done at the Biograph Studio in New York in late Jan 1937. Although contemporary news items indicate that Andre Kostelanetz, Peggy Bernier and Ben Grauer were to be in the cast, their participation in the completed film has not been confirmed. Some contemporary sources call George Givot's character "Herman," but in the film he is referred to as "Nick." This was the last Republic film produced by Nat Levine, who had been with the studio since its inception in 1935. Republic took the film's title from the popular radio show Your Hit Parade, which ran from 1935 to 1959. A television version of the program, also titled Your Hit Parade, ran from 1950 through 1959, with a one-season revival in 1974. Republic made four other films with the "Hit Parade" format: The Hit Parade of 1941, The Hit Parade of 1943, The Hit Parade of 1947 and The Hit Parade of 1951. ...

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The working title of this film was We're On the Air. The picture was later re-edited and released under the title I'll Pick a Star, which is the version that was viewed. According to a HR news item, the production was budgeted at $500,000, which made it the most expensive Republic film until that time. HR news items noted that Ralph Staub supervised the filming of Eddie Duchin, Ed Thorgerson and some of the other radio acts that was done at the Biograph Studio in New York in late Jan 1937. Although contemporary news items indicate that Andre Kostelanetz, Peggy Bernier and Ben Grauer were to be in the cast, their participation in the completed film has not been confirmed. Some contemporary sources call George Givot's character "Herman," but in the film he is referred to as "Nick." This was the last Republic film produced by Nat Levine, who had been with the studio since its inception in 1935. Republic took the film's title from the popular radio show Your Hit Parade, which ran from 1935 to 1959. A television version of the program, also titled Your Hit Parade, ran from 1950 through 1959, with a one-season revival in 1974. Republic made four other films with the "Hit Parade" format: The Hit Parade of 1941, The Hit Parade of 1943, The Hit Parade of 1947 and The Hit Parade of 1951.

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GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS
SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Box Office
13-Mar-37
---
Box Office
10-Apr-37
---
Daily Variety
31 Mar 1937
p. 3
Film Daily
2 Feb 1937
p. 4
Film Daily
3 Apr 1937
p. 3
Hollywood Reporter
21 Dec 1936
p. 15
Hollywood Reporter
4 Jan 1937
p. 4
Hollywood Reporter
8 Jan 1937
p. 4
Hollywood Reporter
1 Feb 1937
p. 2
Hollywood Reporter
2 Feb 1937
p. 10
Hollywood Reporter
8 Feb 1937
p. 1
Hollywood Reporter
8 Mar 1937
p. 1, 3
Hollywood Reporter
9 Mar 1937
p. 6
Hollywood Reporter
31 Mar 1937
p. 3
Hollywood Reporter
12 May 1937
pp. 5-16
Motion Picture Daily
30 Mar 1937
p. 6
Motion Picture Herald
27 Mar 1937
p. 35
Motion Picture Herald
10 Apr 1937
p. 66, 68
New York Times
31 May 1937
p. 11
Variety
2 Jun 1937
p. 15
CAST
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
The Gentle Maniacs
And the Following Radio Personalities:
Wedgewood Nowell
Alphonse Martel
+ −
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
PRODUCTION COMPANY
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTORS
Dir
Asst dir
PRODUCERS
Prod
Assoc prod
WRITERS
Orig story
Addl dial
PHOTOGRAPHY
Photog
ART DIRECTOR
FILM EDITORS
Film ed
Film ed
Supv film ed
COSTUMES
Cost
MUSIC
Mus dir
Mus supv
SOUND
Sd eng
VISUAL EFFECTS
Spec eff
SOURCES
SONGS
"Last Night I Dreamed of You," "I'll Reach for a Star," "They Call It Love," "The Lady Wants to Dance," "You'd Like It," and "Was It Rain?" words by Walter Hirsch, music by Lou Handman; "If It Wasn't for Pete" and "Sweet Heartache," words by Ned Washington, music by Sam H. Stept; "I've Got to Be a Rug Cutter," words and music by Duke Ellington; "The Glory Beyond," words and music by Alberto Colombo; "Love Is Good for Anything That Ails You," words and music by Cliff Friend and Matty Malneck.
SONGWRITERS/COMPOSERS
+ −
DETAILS
Alternate Titles:
I'll Pick a Star
We're On the Air
Release Date:
26 April 1937
Production Date:
10 Feb--6 Mar 1937
Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Republic Pictures Corp.
23 April 1937
LP7135
Physical Properties:
Sound
RCA Victor High Fidelity Sound System
Black and White
Duration(in mins):
77 or 83
Length(in reels):
9
Country:
United States
PCA No:
3125
Passed by NBR:
Yes
SYNOPSIS

Agent Pete Garland convinces advertiser Mulrooney and radio station owner J. B. Hawley to accept popular singer Monica Barrett's new contract, even though it is for double her previous salary. When Pete brings Monica the good news, however, he discovers that she is replacing him as her adviser with society lawyer Teddy Leeds, who also has the inside track on Monica's affections. That night, at a party Pete hosts for Monica, she makes it explicit that she is throwing him over for Teddy, whom she considers her social equal. The disappointed Pete then resolves to find another singer whom he will raise from obscurity to stardom. Pete begins his search with his friend, cowboy ventriloquiest Rusty Callahan, and after many fruitless stops, they go to a beer hall, where they hear Eadie White and Ruth Allison sing. Pete immediately knows that Ruth is the singer for whom he has searched, and signs her to a contract, despite some initial confusion when the girls think Pete is the parole officer who is pursuing Ruth. Pete drives Ruth hard in rehearsal, but it pays off when she is hired for a variety of jobs. Ruth is worried, however, that she will be found by the parole officer who has been searching for her since she was released from Joliet prison. Ruth had been incarncerated on a trumped-up charge and later, after being released, she jumped parole when the police demanded that she lead them to her accomplices. Ruth keeps her prison record secret from Pete, who is still mooning over Monica and does not realize that Ruth is falling for him. Meanwhile, Monica ...

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Agent Pete Garland convinces advertiser Mulrooney and radio station owner J. B. Hawley to accept popular singer Monica Barrett's new contract, even though it is for double her previous salary. When Pete brings Monica the good news, however, he discovers that she is replacing him as her adviser with society lawyer Teddy Leeds, who also has the inside track on Monica's affections. That night, at a party Pete hosts for Monica, she makes it explicit that she is throwing him over for Teddy, whom she considers her social equal. The disappointed Pete then resolves to find another singer whom he will raise from obscurity to stardom. Pete begins his search with his friend, cowboy ventriloquiest Rusty Callahan, and after many fruitless stops, they go to a beer hall, where they hear Eadie White and Ruth Allison sing. Pete immediately knows that Ruth is the singer for whom he has searched, and signs her to a contract, despite some initial confusion when the girls think Pete is the parole officer who is pursuing Ruth. Pete drives Ruth hard in rehearsal, but it pays off when she is hired for a variety of jobs. Ruth is worried, however, that she will be found by the parole officer who has been searching for her since she was released from Joliet prison. Ruth had been incarncerated on a trumped-up charge and later, after being released, she jumped parole when the police demanded that she lead them to her accomplices. Ruth keeps her prison record secret from Pete, who is still mooning over Monica and does not realize that Ruth is falling for him. Meanwhile, Monica is steadily losing popularity due to her swelled head and refusal to sing anything but opera, and when she walks out on Mulrooney's show in a fit of pique, Ruth gets her big break. Pete arranges for Ruth to sing on Mulrooney's show and she is a hit, which prompts Mulrooney to hire her and fire Monica. The jealous Monica retaliates by telling the press about Ruth's past. Ruth disappears, and in a desparate effort to find her, Pete goes on the air with testimonials to praise her. Other big radio personalities pitch in, and soon Hawley's desk is overflowing with telegrams of support for Ruth. Mulrooney is treated like a hero for giving Ruth a break, and when she finally returns to the station and joins Pete on the stage, the parole officer finds her and gives her a pardon from the governor, who has received confessions from the real culprits. Rusty and Eadie happily embrace, while Pete and Ruth share a kiss to celebrate.

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Legend
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement Award

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The American Film Institute is grateful to Sir Paul Getty KBE and the Sir Paul Getty KBE Estate for their dedication to the art of the moving image and their support for the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and without whose support AFI would not have been able to achieve this historical landmark in this epic scholarly endeavor.