Billy Merrin & his Commanders at Ramsgate 1936

"THE SHOW'S THE THING" GB 1936

GB Dec 1936 Sturt Stross Productions .... A Fidelity Distributors Limited Release
...... Directed by:Raymond Stross ... Camera: Ray Fogwell .... Editor: Ted Mason
...... Musical Director:Billy Merrin .... Recorded by:L.B. Buckley .... New Fidelity Noiseless Recording
...... with Billy Merrin & his Commanders; vocalist Rita Williams,
............. Ronald Frankau, Jessie, The Child Impersonator, and The Dorchester Girls.

9.5mm running time is just over 18 minutes - probably uncut from the cinema original

Billy Merrin and his Commanders (dance band)
with Peggy Dew (Rita Williams - vocal) and The Dorchester Girls (dance troupe):
      "You Gotta Have Swing"

The Dorchester Girls acc. The Commanders:
      "The Show's The Thing" (music: Merrin)

The Commanders & Billy Merrin (vocal):
      "Miracles Sometimes Happen" (music:Ray Noble words:Alan Murray[Stranks])

Ronald Frankau performs a comedy satire on crooners with song (acc.The Commanders):
      "Give Me A Mustang And Rifle" (music:Monte Crick words:Ronald Frankau)

* "Jessie"(child singer and tap-dancer):
      "Is It True What They Say About Dixie?" (m&w Irving Caesar,Sammy Lerner & Gerald Marks)

Finale with The Dorchester Girls

[*Jessie also does impressions of Cicely Courtneidge, Zasu Pitts & Jimmy Durante]

"Miracles Sometimes Happen" & "The Show's The Thing" issued on 78rpm record Crown 285 11Nov36

Band line up probably: Billy Merrin - dir/vocals; Wally Talbot/Fred Brooks - trumpet;
 Ted Taylor - trombone; George Wright/Norman Barker - clarinet & alto-sax.;
 Les Williams - tenor sax./arranger; Roy Wallis - piano; Sydney Delmonte - guitar;
 Harry Preston - string bass; Jack Burrows - drums; Rita Williams - vocals

"THE SHOW'S THE THING" GB 1936

9.5mm running time is just over 18 minutes - probably uncut from the cinema original

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