[78-L] The recording studio in MGM's Sweethearts (1938)

[Harold Aherne]

"Sweethearts" may be the best of Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy's co-starring
films, both because of the light satirical tone and the witty screenplay by Dorothy Parker and Alan Campbell. There's one scene that sticks out especially for those interested in
recording technology. It's in the following video beginning at 3:28 with the iris in to
the fake Nelson Eddy label:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5UqYzu97Ms&NR=1
 
Now that I look at it up close, it appears that they just put a sticker over
a Victor red seal with the circular label. Anyway, Nelson Eddy sings Victor
Herbert's "On Parade" in a recording studio and for about three seconds 
(4:32 to 4:35) we get a close-up of the wax master. It's much thicker than 
the one in "Command Performance" from 1942, and I'm guessing that it's a 
"cast" blank instead of a "flowed" one. When did Victor start using the latter?
They were using both kinds in 1940-41 when Billy Murray made his Bluebird
sides, cutting a given take simultaneously on both varieties (see 
http://www.denvernightingale.com/discography/bluebird.html
 
Was there supposed to be an increase in quality on the flowed wax blanks,
or were they used for some other reason?
 
Getting back to my subject header, is this an actual recording or radio studio
in the LA area, or was it built on the MGM soundstages? I'm guessing the latter, 
but I really don't know. I don't recall seeing "On Parade" among his 1938 titles
in the CED...but I always get a kick out of seeing the musicians dressed up in
band uniforms, something that would never happen at an actual session! 
 
-Harold