That's Entertainment! (1974)

Director:

Jack Haley Jr.

Writer:

Jack Haley Jr. (written by)

Release Date:

21 June 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Documentary | Family | History | Music

Tagline:

Boy. Do we need it now.

Plot:

Various MGM stars from yesterday present their favourite musical moments from the studio's 50 year history.

Plot Keywords:

Singing | Archive Footage | Back Lot | Filmmaking | Song And Dance

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 2 wins

US TV Schedule:

Sat. July 26	9:00 PM	PBS
Sun. July 27	12:55 AM	PBS

Cast

Fred Astaire	...	Himself - Co-host / Narrator
Bing Crosby	...	Himself - Co-host / Narrator
Gene Kelly	...	Himself - Co-host / Narrator / Clips from 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' - 'Singin' in the rain' and 'An American in Paris' (also archive footage)
Peter Lawford	...	Himself - Co-host / Narrator / Clip from 1947 version of 'Good News' (also archive footage)
Liza Minnelli	...	Herself - Co-host / Narrator
Donald O'Connor	...	Himself - Co-host / Narrator / Clip from 'Singin' in the Rain' (also archive footage)
Debbie Reynolds	...	Herself - Co-host / Narrator
Mickey Rooney	...	Himself - Co-host / Narrator / Clips from 'Babes in Arms' - 'Girl Crazy' - 'Babes on Broadway' (also archive footage)
Frank Sinatra	...	Himself - Co-host / Narrator / Clip from 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' (also archive footage)
James Stewart	...	Himself - Co-host / Narrator / Clip from 'Born to Dance' (also archive footage)
Elizabeth Taylor	...	Herself - Co-host / Narrator
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
June Allyson	...	Clip from 'Words and Music' (archive footage)
Kay Armen	...	Clip from 'Hit the Deck' (archive footage)
Ray Bolger	...	Clips from 'The Wizard of Oz' and 'The Harvey Girls' (archive footage)
Virginia Bruce	...	Clip from 'The Great Ziegfeld' (archive footage)
Jack Buchanan	...	Clip from 'The Band Wagon' (archive footage)
Leslie Caron	...	Clips from 'An American in Paris' and 'Gigi' (archive footage)
Carleton Carpenter	...	Clip from 'Two Weeks with Love' (archive footage)
Cyd Charisse	...	Clip from 'Singin' in the Rain' (archive footage)
Maurice Chevalier	...	Clip from 'Gigi' (archive footage)
Joan Crawford	...	Clips from 'Hollywood Revue' & 'Dancing Lady' (archive footage)
Virginia Dale	...	Clip from 'Idiot's Delight' (archive footage)
Vic Damone	...	Clip from 'Hit the Deck' (archive footage)
Jimmy Durante	...	Clips from 'Speak Easily' & 'It Happened in Brooklyn' (archive footage)
Deanna Durbin	...	Clip from 'Every Sunday' (archive footage)
Buddy Ebsen	...	Clip from 'Broadway Melody of 1938' (archive footage)
Nelson Eddy	...	Clip from 1936 version of 'Rose Marie' (archive footage)
Cliff Edwards	...	Clip from 'Hollywood Revue' (archive footage)
Clark Gable	...	Clip from 'Idiot's Delight' (archive footage)
Ava Gardner	...	Herself - at banquet / Clip from 1951 version of 'Show Boat' (archive footage)
Judy Garland	...	Clips from 'Wizard of Oz' & 'Summer Stock' etc. (archive footage)
Cary Grant	...	Clip from 'Suzy' (archive footage)
Kathryn Grayson	...	Clips from 1951 version of 'Show Boat' and 'Toast of New Orleans' (archive footage)
Virginia Grey	...	Clip from 'Idiot's Delight' (archive footage)
Jack Haley	...	Clip from 'The Wizard of Oz' (archive footage)
Jean Harlow	...	Clips from 'Reckless' & 'Suzy' (archive footage)
Bernadene Hayes	...	Clip from 'Idiot's Delight' (archive footage)
Lena Horne	...	Herself - at banquet / Clip from 'Thousands Cheer' (archive footage)
Lottice Howell	...	Clip from 'Free and Easy' (archive footage)
Van Johnson	...	(archive footage)
Allan Jones	...	(archive footage)
Louis Jourdan	...	Clip from "Gigi" (archive footage)
Howard Keel	...	Clips from 1951 version of 'Show Boat' and 'Pagan Love Song' (archive footage)
Charles King	...	Clip from 'Broadway Melody' (archive footage)
Lorraine Krueger	...	Clip from 'Idiot's Delight' (archive footage)
Bert Lahr	...	Clip from 'The Wizard of Oz' (archive footage)
Mario Lanza	...	Clip from 'Toast of New Orleans' (archive footage)
Jeanette MacDonald	...	Clip from 'Rose Marie' (archive footage)
Joan Marsh	...	Clip from 'Idiot's Delight' (archive footage)
Tony Martin	...	Clip from 'Hit the Deck' (archive footage)
Douglas McPhail	...	Clip from 'Babes in Arms' (archive footage)
Ann Miller	...	Clip from 'Small Town Girl' (archive footage)
Robert Montgomery	...	Clip from 'Free and Easy' (archive footage)
Natalie Moorhead	...	Clip from 'Dance, Fools, Dance' (archive footage)
Dennis Morgan	...	Clip from 'The Great Ziegfeld' (archive footage)
Jules Munshin	...	Clip from 'On the Town' (archive footage)
Fayard Nicholas	...	Clip from 'The Pirate' (archive footage)
Harold Nicholas	...	Clip from 'The Pirate' (archive footage)
Margaret O'Brien	...	Clip from 'Meet Me in St. Louis' (archive footage)
Eleanor Powell	...	Clip from 'Rosalie' (archive footage)
Jane Powell	...	Clip from 'A Date with Judy' (archive footage)
Ginger Rogers	...	Clip from 'Barkleys of Broadway' (archive footage)
Paula Stone	...	Clip from 'Idiot's Delight' (archive footage)
Russ Tamblyn	...	Clip from 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers' (archive footage)
William Warfield	...	Clip from 1951 version of 'Show Boat' (archive footage)
Esther Williams	...	Clips from 'Bathing Beauty' & 'Million Dollar Mermaid' etc. (archive footage)
Edward Arnold	...	Clip from 'Idiot's Delight (archive footage) (uncredited)
Wallace Beery	...	Clip from 'A Date with Judy' (archive footage) (uncredited)
Xavier Cugat	...	Clip from 'A Date with Judy' (archive footage) (uncredited)
Arlene Dahl	...	Herself - at Banquet (archive footage) (uncredited)
Gloria DeHaven	...	Herself - at Banquet (archive footage) (uncredited)
Betty Garrett	...	Clip from 'On the Town' (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hermione Gingold	...	Clip from 'Gigi' (archive footage) (uncredited)
Buster Keaton	...	Himself - at Banquet (archive footage) (uncredited)
Carmen Miranda	...	Clip from 'A Date with Judy' (archive footage) (uncredited)
Conrad Nagel	...	Clip from 'Hollywood Revue' (archive footage) (uncredited)
Selena Royle	...	Clip from 'A Date with Judy' (archive footage) (uncredited)
Norma Shearer	...	Clip from 'Idiot's Delight' (archive footage) (uncredited)
Sidney Toler	...	Clip from 'Speak Easily' (archive footage) (uncredited)
Audrey Totter	...	Herself - at Banquet (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
Jack Haley Jr.

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jack Haley Jr.		written by

Produced by
Jack Haley Jr.	....	producer
Daniel Melnick	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Henry Mancini

Cinematography by
Allan Green
Ennio Guarnieri
Ernest Laszlo
Russell Metty
Gene Polito

Film Editing by
David E. Blewitt		(co-editor)
Bud Friedgen

Production Management
William R. Poole	....	unit production manager (as William Poole)
Wally Samson	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Claude Binyon Jr.	....	assistant director
Richard Bremerkamp	....	assistant director
David Silver	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Lyle J. Burbridge	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Lyle Burbridge)
William L. McCaughey	....	sound re-recording mixer (as William McCaughey)
Aaron Rochin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Harry W. Tetrick	....	sound re-recording mixer
Hal Watkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Van Allen James	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Robert R. Hoag	....	optical supervisor (as Robert Hoag)
Jim Liles	....	optical supervisor

Editorial Department
Ramon G. Caballero	....	assistant film editor
Abe Lincoln Jr.	....	assistant film editor
George Nakama	....	apprentice editor (as George Y. Nakama)
Ana Luisa Pérez	....	assistant film editor
Todd C. Ramsay	....	assistant film editor
Michael J. Sheridan	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Jesse Kaye	....	music supervisor
Henry Mancini	....	additional music adaptor
William Saracino	....	music editor

Other crew
Mort Feinstein	....	head film librarian

Thanks
Harold Adamson	....	acknowledgment
Harold Arlen	....	acknowledgment
Irving Berlin	....	acknowledgment
Leonard Bernstein	....	acknowledgment
Ralph Blane	....	acknowledgment
Nicholas Brodszky	....	acknowledgment
Lew Brown	....	acknowledgment
Nacio Herb Brown	....	acknowledgment
Saul Chaplin	....	special thanks
Betty Comden	....	special thanks
Gene de Paul	....	acknowledgment
Buddy G. DeSylva	....	acknowledgment
Adolph Deutsch	....	special thanks
Howard Dietz	....	acknowledgment
Walter Donaldson	....	acknowledgment
Vernon Duke	....	acknowledgment
Roger Edens	....	special thanks
Sammy Fain	....	acknowledgment
Dorothy Fields	....	acknowledgment
Arthur Freed	....	special thanks
Rudolf Friml	....	acknowledgment
George Gershwin	....	acknowledgment
Ira Gershwin	....	acknowledgment
Mack Gordon	....	acknowledgment
Adolph Green	....	special thanks
Johnny Green	....	special thanks
Clifford Grey	....	acknowledgment
Oscar Hammerstein II	....	acknowledgment
Otto A. Harbach	....	acknowledgment (as Otto Harbach)
E.Y. Harburg	....	acknowledgment
Lorenz Hart	....	acknowledgment
Lennie Hayton	....	special thanks
Ray Henderson	....	acknowledgment
Victor Herbert	....	acknowledgment
Gus Kahn	....	acknowledgment
Bronislau Kaper	....	acknowledgment
Jerome Kern	....	acknowledgment
Burton Lane	....	acknowledgment
Alan Jay Lerner	....	acknowledgment
Frank Loesser	....	acknowledgment
Frederick Loewe	....	acknowledgment
Hugh Martin	....	acknowledgment
Jimmy McHugh	....	acknowledgment
Johnny Mercer	....	acknowledgment
Cole Porter	....	acknowledgment
André Previn	....	special thanks
Harry Revel	....	acknowledgment
Leo Robin	....	acknowledgment
Richard Rodgers	....	acknowledgment
Sigmund Romberg	....	acknowledgment
David Rose	....	acknowledgment
Conrad Salinger	....	special thanks
Arthur Schwartz	....	acknowledgment
George E. Stoll	....	special thanks
Herbert Stothart	....	special thanks
Jule Styne	....	acknowledgment
Kay Thompson	....	special thanks
Harry Warren	....	acknowledgment
Paul Francis Webster	....	acknowledgment
Vincent Youmans	....	acknowledgment

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• CBS Television (1975) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Solters & Digney  publicity

Also Known As:

That's Entertainment: 50 Years of MGM (USA) (alternative title)

Runtime:

134 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor) | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track | 4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) | Mono (35 mm optical prints)

Certification:

Iceland:L | UK:U | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Finland:S | Netherlands:AL | Sweden:Btl | USA:G | West Germany:6 (f)

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

This was the last film shot on MGM's famous backlot. It was demolished soon after filming in order to make way for a residential development, and this is why the old sets are in such poor condition; this is particularly noticeable in the train station set where Fred Astaire gives his introductions, and Bing Crosby refers to the area as looking rather "scruffy". On the other hand, the entire purpose of the film is nostalgia, and the use of the 'scruffy' prop scene, clearly aged and abandoned, helps to set the tone as one of a return to the glamour of the past, even though it was all make-believe.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the "Melody of Spring" sequence from Cynthia (1947), narrator Elizabeth Taylor self-deprecatingly remarks that she "was certainly no threat to Judy Garland or Jane Powell." In fact, Taylor's singing was dubbed in the film, a point emphasized when she turns up ten minutes later in ‘That's Entertainment!’ with an entirely different voice in the "It's a Most Unusual Day" sequence from A Date with Judy (1948). In this case, narrator Peter Lawford claims, "That isn't Elizabeth's voice you're hearing. MGM kept her too busy to rehearse and record."

Quotes:

[first lines]
Frank Sinatra: [narrating] The year is 1929; the singer, Cliff Edwards, also known as Ukelele Ike. The film: "Hollywood Revue"; it is the first all-talking, all-singing, all-dancing movie ever made. In the years that followed, "Singin' in the Rain" would become a theme song for MGM.

Movie Connections:

Features Born to Dance (1936)

Soundtrack:

Indian Love Call

Highlights from M-G-M musicals.

This is a sentimental and enjoyable look back at the time when M-G-M was the premiere studio in Hollywood and had more stars than there are in the heaven. Famous musical numbers are presented by some of those legends including Fred Astaire, Elizabeth Taylor and Frank Sinatra. I just don't like the way they brag and flatter each other. Is it really necessary to tell the viewer how good they were? The audience should be able to judge for themselves. And the numbers are great, no doubt about it. Fred Astaire's tap dance with Eleanor Powell is awesome, Donald O'Connor's "Make'em laugh" is funny, Gene Kelly sings in the rain and Judy Garland sings over the rainbow. It's also fun to see dramatic actors like James Stewart, Clark Gable and Cary Grant sing and dance. That's entertainment! Rating: 4/5