Silver Screen Series to show rare ʻBig Broadcast of 1936ʼ

The South Arkansas Historical Preservation Society continues its Silver Screen Series with a very rare feature from the Fitzgerald Collection this evening. The vintage black-and-white musical comedy “The Big Broadcast of 1936” will be shown in the Gallery of History, located at 412 E. Faulkner, at 6:30 p.m.

“The Big Broadcast of 1936” is a 1935 American comedy film from Paramount Pictures, directed by Norman Taurog, and is the second in the series of Big Broadcast movies.

The owner of a radio station puts on a show featuring popular acts from all over the United States to save it from financial ruin while a wide variety of performers including Amos ‘n’ Andy, the Vienna Boys Choir, Bing Crosby, Burns and Allen and more rally ‘round to help out. The movie is a precursor for the later Bob Hope and Bing Crosby “Road” pictures, with Spud and Smiley finding themselves on an island ruled by Countess Ysobel de Nargila (Lyda Roberti).

The musical comedy stars Jack Oakie, Bing Crosby, George Burns, Gracie Allen, Ethel Merman, The Nicholas Brothers, Lyda Roberti, Wendy Barrie, Mary Boland, Charlie Ruggles, Akim Tamiroff, Amos ‘n’ Andy, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, and Argentine tango singer Carlos Gardel. The film features an early appearance by Dorothy Dandridge (as one of the Dandridge Sisters). Uncredited roles include Jack Mulhall.

Glenn Miller appears as part of the Ray Noble Orchestra. In “Glenn Miller and His Orchestra” (1974), George Thomas Simon noted that Glenn Miller was paid extra by Ray Noble “for working on “The Big Broadcast of 1936”, so that Glenn’s total weekly pay” was $356. The screen appearance of the Ray Noble orchestra was edited down to a very brief scene on the “televisor”.

The screenplay was written by Walter DeLeon, Francis Martin, Ralph Spence, and Julius J. Epstein, who was uncredited. The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Dance Direction by LeRoy Prinz for “It’s the Animal in Me”.

The film has not been released on DVD or VHS. Although short clips can be seen via various video sharing websites, SAHPS’ Silver Screen Series is the only way to see the entire film uncut, as it was meant to be seen. The screening is free to the public but donations are accepted to help preserve the films within the Fitzgerald Collection.

For more information, contact the SAHPS office at 862-9890 or visit southarkhistory.com.