Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s (M-G-M) The Hollywood Revue of 1929 was “the first musical extravaganza without any attempt at a plot,” according to the 15 Jun 1929 Hollywood Filmograph. Credit for the innovative idea was given to producer Harry Rapf. Nearly the entire M-G-M stable of featured players participated in the Revue, with the addition of vaudeville and comedy performers, including Jack Benny, who made his feature film debut in the picture. The 22 Jun 1929 Motion Picture News stated that Rapf pursued the idea despite opposition from M-G-M executives, and agreed to claim full responsibility for its success or failure on his own. His initial concept for the picture reportedly did not include the M-G-M stars and players.
       The forthcoming picture was first announced in the 17 Mar 1929 FD as “Gus Edwards’ M-G-M Revue.” Orchestration was assigned to Karl Kramer, but he was not credited in later reviews. Edwards received a “music and lyrics by” onscreen credit, and was also listed as a cast member. A special musical number self-titled for Lon Chaney was anticipated to showcase the actor portraying his many famed characters. However, Lon Chaney did not appear in the film, which modern sources indicated may have been to his failing health. As reported in the 15 Aug 1929 NYT review, the picture still included a number, written by Gus Edwards, titled “Lon Chaney Will Get You If You Don’t Watch Out.”
       On 23 Mar 1929, Exhibitors Herald-World announced that production would begin the following week on The MGM Revue of Revues. The news item listed the following production credits: Christy Cabanne as director; Joe Goodwin as lyricist; Sammy Lee as ensemble stage producer and director; Norman Houston as “skit” director; Al Boasberg as dialogue writer; and Arthur Lange as musical arrangement supervisor. The 31 Mar 1929 FD added tap dancer Sammy Cantor to the cast, and the 22 Jun 1929 Hollywood Filmograph named George Westmore as the picture’s make-up artist.
       The 8 Apr 1929 FD confirmed that production was underway at M-G-M Studios in Culver City, CA.
       The 5 May 1929 FD reported the title change to The Hollywood Revue of 1929, and announced Christy Cabanne and Charles Reisner as co-directors. Cabanne’s name was dropped from the production in following news items, and Reisner received sole directing credit.
       According to the 22 May 1929 Var, affidavits were obtained from the all-star cast, including Marion Davies, Joan Crawford and Conrad Nagel, to assure audiences that the performers real singing voices were used in the film. This was a response to public complaints that actor’s voices were often doubled in the new sound pictures. The action was undertaken by M-G-M’s head of publicity, Pete Smith.
       The 29 May 1929 Var noted the 2 Jun 1929 premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, CA, but the event was delayed following a change in theater ownership. Fox purchased the movie house from Sid Grauman, who owned a one-third share, and United Artists, who held the remaining two-thirds. Grauman would also retire from theater operations, pending the deal with Fox who reportedly paid over $1 million for a forty-year lease. The theater would reopen in late Jun 1929 with the premiere of The Hollywood Revue of 1929.
       According to the 12 Jun 1929 FD, the picture would introduce Grauman’s “phantom screen” for one of its sequences, a newly developed “enlarged” screen. Although a 19 Jun 1929 premiere date was listed, the 15 Jun 1929 Hollywood Filmograph and the 18 Jun 1929 FD announced that the world premiere was set for 20 Jun 1929.
       A spectacular forty-by-thirty-five-foot “living sign” was used to promote the picture, which incorporated eight foot high letters spelling “Hollywood Revue,” with live models posing atop the letters, the 22 Jun 1929 Hollywood Filmograph and the 29 Jun 1929 Motion Picture News reported. The unveiling was held in Los Angeles “at the corner of Wilshire and Shatto,” and caused a traffic jam as over 10,000 people were reportedly in attendance. Bessie Love and several cast members were there. Credit for the sign again went to M-G-M’s publicity man Pete Smith. Subsequent nights replaced the live models with life-sized cutouts. The 6 Jul 1929 Exhibitors Herald-World noted that five blocks in both directions of the sign were closed to traffic for the event, in which Bessie Love raised the curtain to reveal the sign.
       According to the 24 Aug 1929 Exhibitors Herald-World, the stunt was repeated at New York City’s Astor Theatre ahead of its Aug 1929 opening, with “twenty-six girls in red, white and blue.” Traffic stopped in Times Square. The 30 Jul 1929 FD indicated that the picture’s release at the Astor Theatre occurred on 14 Aug 1929.
       The 29 Jun 1929 Exhibitors Herald-World deemed the Los Angeles event “the most brilliant premiere” of the year and noted that 3,000 people had attended at $5.50 per ticket. Joan Crawford’s singing debut was praised as “an unexpected hit,” and Marion Davies was deemed “a clever comedienne” for her tap-dancing performance on a bass drum. Of note was the introduction of “Singin’ In the Rain,” sung by Cliff [“Ukelele Ike”] Edwards, The Brox Sisters, and The Rounders. The song inspired the title of the Academy Award-winning 1952 picture Singin’ in the Rain starring Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and Debbie Reynalds, and featured performances of the title song in the film (see entry).
       The Hollywood Revue of 1929 was nominated for an Academy Award for “Outstanding Picture.”
       Copyright records and most contemporary reviews listed the film's title simply as The Hollywood Revue.