Hollywood the early years: Hollywood song and dance

This documentary tracks the history of the representation of song and dance in Hollywood films in the 1920s and 1930s. The transition from silent movies to sound facilitated new challenges for those attempting to present musical routines on the silver screen. This documentary shows archival footage from the 1920s when show numbers were filmed on a stage and the soundtrack was heard by the audience via a large record playing. In the 1930s the popularity of musicals were on the wane when musical director Busby Berkeley revived the genre with innovative ways to film musical numbers. Extensive footage of Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Shirley Temple, Betty Grable, James Cagney, Roy Rogers, John Wayne and Barbara Stanwyck displays the evolution of the way that musical routines were presented to audiences. Special honours are reserved for Fred Astaire, who with his innovative and legendary routines had a great understanding of the relationship of dance to the film medium. Narrated by Bob Sessions.