Harry Babbitt was an American singer and star during the Big Band era.
James Kern Kyser, known as Kay Kyser, was an American bandleader and radio personality of the 1930s and 1940s.
"Playmates" is a popular song ostensibly written by Saxie Dowell. The main theme was note-for-note plagiarized from the 1904 intermezzo "Iola" by Charles L. Johnson, for which Johnson sued, settling out of court for an undisclosed sum.
George Mortimer Roberts was an American trombonist.
Ish Kabibble was an American comedian and cornet player.
Virginia Ellen Simms was an American popular singer and film actress.
That's Right – You're Wrong is a 1939 American musical film directed by David Butler and released by RKO Radio Pictures. The film stars Kay Kyser and his band, with a cast that included Adolphe Menjou, Lucille Ball, Edward Everett Horton, Roscoe Karns, and Ginny Simms. It was the first film to feature Kyser and his band, and its success led to their headlining several more pictures over the next five years. The title was a Kyser catchphrase, used on his radio show when a contestant correctly gave a wrong answer to a "right or wrong" question.
"Let There Be Love" is a popular song with music by Lionel Rand and lyrics by Ian Grant, published in 1940.
Alvin Stoller was an American jazz drummer. Though he seems to have been largely forgotten, he was held in high regard in the 1940s and 1950s. He was best known for playing drums on both Mitch Miller's recording of "The Yellow Rose of Texas" and Stan Freberg's parody of Miller's recording.
You'll Find Out is a 1940 American comedy film directed by David Butler and starring Kay Kyser. In 1940, the film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 13th Academy Awards. In the film, members of an orchestra hired to play at a young heiress's birthday party uncover a plot against her. The film was very popular and made a profit of $167,000.
Judd "Jud" Conlon was an American vocal arranger and conductor.
"Stairway to the Stars" is a popular song composed by Matty Malneck and Frank Signorelli, with lyrics by Mitchell Parish. It was based on a theme from Malneck and Signorelli's 1934 instrumental piece, "Park Avenue Fantasy."
Playmates is a 1941 American comedy film directed by David Butler and written by James V. Kern. The film stars Kay Kyser, John Barrymore, Lupe Vélez, Ginny Simms, May Robson and Patsy Kelly. It was released on December 26, 1941 by RKO Radio Pictures.
Swing Fever is a 1943 American musical comedy film directed by Tim Whelan. Kay Kyser plays an ambitious music composer, also gifted with a hypnotic "evil eye", who gets mixed up with promoting a boxer. The film also features Marilyn Maxwell, William Gargan, Nat Pendleton and Lena Horne. Amid the credited music and boxing-world cameos many other familiar faces can be glimpsed: Tommy Dorsey, Harry James, Mike Mazurki, Mantan Moreland, and a young Ava Gardner.
Gloria Wood was an American singer and voice actress. Her rare voice was in the four-octave range. She was able to imitate other voices.
"The Umbrella Man" is a British song written by James Cavanaugh, Larry Stock and Vincent Rose. It was first published in 1924 and first performed live by the comedy double act Flanagan and Allen in 1939 in the musical revue These Foolish Things. It became one of their standards along with “Hometown” and “Underneath the Arches”. It is used in Dennis Potter's The Singing Detective (1986) and the TV adaptation of John le Carré's A Perfect Spy (1987).
"John and Marsha" is a 1951 American novelty comedy single written and performed by Stan Freberg and released on Capitol Records. Consisting of only two words: "John" and "Marsha", the recording is a back-and-forth dialogue between a man and a woman ranging in varied emotion. It was made into an award-winning commercial by producer-director John Hubley and animator Art Babbitt and aired on television in 1956.
Kay Kyser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge is an American old-time radio musical quiz program starring Kay Kyser. It was broadcast on Mutual, NBC, and ABC beginning on February 1, 1938, and ending on July 29, 1949.
Carolina Blues is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Leigh Jason and written by Joseph Hoffman, Al Martin and Jack Henley. The film stars Kay Kyser, Ann Miller, Victor Moore, Jeff Donnell, Howard Freeman, Georgia Carroll, M.A. Bogue, Harry Babbitt and Sully Mason. The film was released on December 20, 1944, by Columbia Pictures.
"With the Wind and the Rain in Your Hair" is a song composed by Clara Edwards, with lyrics by Jack Lawrence. First published in 1930, it became a hit a decade later.
