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42nd Street is a 1933 American pre-Code musical film directed by Lloyd Bacon, with songs by Harry Warren (music) and Al Dubin (lyrics). The film's numbers were staged and choreographed by Busby Berkeley. It stars an ensemble cast of Warner Baxter, Bebe Daniels, George Brent, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell and Ginger Rogers.
Berkeley was born in Los Angeles, California, to Francis Enos (who died when Busby was eight) and stage actress Gertrude Berkeley (1864–1946). Among Gertrude's friends, and a performer in Tim Frawly's Stock company run by Busby Berkeley's father, were actress Amy Busby from whom Berkeley gained the appellation "Buzz" or "Busby" [2] [3] and actor William Gillette, then only four years away ...
The film was a huge success due to Busby Berkeley's lavish, innovative choreography. Following 42nd Street, Jack L. Warner gave Keeler a long-term contract and cast her in Gold Diggers of 1933, Footlight Parade, Dames, and Colleen. Keeler and Jolson starred together in Go into Your Dance, which was their only film together.
While Powell's role was written specifically for him, he was replaced by Stanley Smith when he fell ill. When he recovered, Smith's scenes were reshot with Powell. The film became the third pairing of Powell and Ruby Keeler after 42nd Street (1933) and Gold Diggers of 1933, the first two Warner Bros. Busby Berkeley musicals. [13]
When 42nd Street turned out to be a big success, the studio decided to make Gold Diggers of 1933 into a musical. [ 11 ] The film was made for an estimated $433,000 at Warner Bros. studios in Burbank , and went into general release on May 27, 1933.
He wrote the music for the first blockbuster film musical, 42nd Street, choreographed by Busby Berkeley, with whom he would collaborate on many musical films. Over a career spanning six decades, Warren wrote more than 800 songs.
The backstage musical was typified in the early films by director and choreographer Busby Berkeley, including 42nd Street (1933), Footlight Parade (1933), Dames (1934) and the Gold Diggers series (1933, 1935 and 1937), [1] [2] [3] with examples in later films including Burlesque (2010) and A Star Is Born (2018).
Gold Diggers of 1935 is an American Warner Bros. musical film directed and choreographed by Busby Berkeley, his directorial debut.It stars Dick Powell, Adolphe Menjou, Gloria Stuart, and Alice Brady, and features Hugh Herbert, Glenda Farrell, Frank McHugh, Joseph Cawthorn, Grant Mitchell, Dorothy Dare, and Winifred Shaw.