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

[David Lennick]

Royal Pemberton wrote:
> On the topic of a recording studio scene set in the 78 RPM era,
> although in a much later film, I wonder how many others noticed in O
> BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? the early scene with the group in the
> recording studio, ostensibly in the late 1930s, where you see a Presto
> machine happily cutting silent grooves at 45 RPM whilst the band
> plays?

And on a lacquer. But the guy cutting the disc was blind, so he's excused.

dl
> 
> On 4/21/09, David Lennick <dlennick at sympatico.ca> wrote:
>> Forgot to mention that the song is "More Than You Know".
>>
>> David Lennick wrote:
>>> I haven't seen that..but it sounds a lot more authentic than the recording
>>>
>>> setup in "Funny Lady", wherein Fanny Brice, in 1930 (maybe late 1929)..
>>>
>>> (a) Records onto a lacquer disc (not invented yet)
>>> (b) Records onto a CENTER START lacquer disc
>>> (c) Records a song which the producer SLATES (noop!)
>>> (d) Records with a bunch of hangers-on in the studio
>>>
>>> Then she receives the test pressing, which comes to her with a free
>>> phonograph
>>> under it, and it has a locked groove. Of course since Fanny never recorded
>>> that
>>> song, anything goes. Maybe Joel Whitburn was the music consultant...if she
>>>
>>> HADDA recorded it, that's how it would have been done. And with a big lush
>>>
>>> orchestra, too.
>>>
>>> dl
>>>
>>> Harold Aherne wrote:
>>>> "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
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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