"Puttin' On the Ritz" is a song written by Irving Berlin. He wrote it in May 1927 and first published it on December 2, 1929. It was registered as an unpublished song on August 24, 1927 and again on July 27, 1928. It was introduced by Harry Richman and chorus in the musical film Puttin' On the Ritz (1930). According to The Complete Lyrics of Irving Berlin, this was the first song in film to be sung by an interracial ensemble. The title derives from the slang expression "to put on the Ritz", meaning to dress very fashionably. This expression was inspired by the opulent Ritz Hotel in London.
The Ritz London is a 5-star luxury hotel at 150 Piccadilly in London, England. A symbol of high society and luxury, the hotel is one of the world's most prestigious and best known. The Ritz has become so associated with luxury and elegance that the word "ritzy" has entered the English language to denote something that is ostentatiously stylish, fancy, or fashionable.
Stanley Richard Lupino Hook, known professionally as Stanley Lupino, was an English actor, dancer, singer, librettist, director and short story writer. During the 1930s, Lupino appeared in a successful series of musical comedy films, often based on his already popular stage shows.
Hugh Wakefield was an English film actor, who played supporting roles. He was often seen wearing a monocle.
Betty Stockfeld, often misspelled "Stockfield", was an Australian film actress. She appeared mostly in British and French films.
Lord of the Manor is a 1933 British comedy film directed by Henry Edwards and starring Betty Stockfeld, Frederick Kerr and Henry Wilcoxon. It was based on a play by John Hastings Turner. It was made at British and Dominion Elstree Studios as a quota film for release by Paramount Pictures.
The Lovers of Lisbon is a 1955 French drama film directed by Henri Verneuil and starring Daniel Gélin, Françoise Arnoul, Trevor Howard and Betty Stockfeld. Two French exiles in Lisbon fall in love after each has murdered their respective spouse. It was based on a novel by Joseph Kessel.
City of Song, also known as Farewell to Love, is a 1931 British/German romance film directed by Carmine Gallone and starring Jan Kiepura, Betty Stockfeld and Hugh Wakefield. It was shot at Wembley Studios. The film's sets were designed by the art directors Oscar Friedrich Werndorff and J. Elder Wills. A German-language version was released in 1930 under the title The Singing City.
Life Goes On is a 1932 British crime film directed by Jack Raymond and starring Elsie Randolph, Betty Stockfeld and Warwick Ward. It was made at British and Dominion's Elstree Studios as a supporting feature for release by Paramount Pictures.
Facing the Music is a 1933 British musical comedy film directed by Harry Hughes and starring Stanley Lupino, Jose Collins and Nancy Burne. It is also known by the alternative title Jewel Song.
You Made Me Love You is a 1933 British comedy film directed by Monty Banks and starring Stanley Lupino, Thelma Todd and John Loder. The plot is a modern reworking of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew.
This is a summary of 1938 in music in the United Kingdom.
Love Lies is a 1932 British musical comedy film directed by Lupino Lane and starring Stanley Lupino, Dorothy Boyd and Jack Hobbs. It was made by British International Pictures at Elstree Studios. It was based on Stanley Lupino's own hit 1929 stage musical.
King of the Hotel is a 1932 British-French comedy film directed by Carmine Gallone and starring Jules Berry, Betty Stockfeld and Armand Dranem. It was based on a play by Henry Kistemaeckers. The film's sets were designed by the art director Serge Piménoff.
The Night at the Hotel is a 1932 French drama film directed by Leo Mittler and starring Marcelle Romée, Jean Périer and Betty Stockfeld. It was made at the Joinville Studios in Paris by the French subsidiary of Paramount Pictures.
The Man Who Changed His Name is a 1934 British crime film directed by Henry Edwards and starring Lyn Harding, Betty Stockfeld and Leslie Perrins. It was based on the play The Man Who Changed His Name by Edgar Wallace. It was made as a quota quickie at Twickenham Studios. The film's art direction was by James A. Carter.
This is a summary of 1924 in music in the United Kingdom.
The Maid of the Mountains is a 1932 film based on the long-running stage musical The Maid of the Mountains. It was directed by Lupino Lane.
Sorry You've Been Troubled is a mystery play by the British-American writer Walter C. Hackett.
Runaway Ladies is a 1938 British comedy film directed by Jean de Limur and starring Betty Stockfeld, Claude Dauphin and Hugh Wakefield. It was shot at the Elstree Studios outside London in 1935. It was the English-language version of the French film The Slipper Episode. It was released in Britain three years later as a second feature.
