The Irregular Blather Apr. 19, 1931

No Journal was published Sunday, Apr. 19, 1931. A few videos of the week:

Here's a little of the famed comedy team of Wheeler & Woolsey, mentioned Apr. 13: Cracked Nuts - RKO picture at the Globe. ... "a round of obsolete wisecracks and familiar comedy situations which are still apparently entertaining to a number of people." Woolsey wins crown of mythical kingdom, El Dorania, in "a crap game." Wheeler buys a revolution from an insurgent general but forgets to do anything with it. Miss Oliver owns large plantations and endeavours to keep Wheeler away from her niece. "Gives the impression of having been slapped together from the readiest ideas at hand." [Note: I'd say this was a cheap ripoff of Duck Soup, if Duck Soup hadn't come out two years later]. I wasn't able to find that particular movie, but here's a pretty funny scene where they're caught in a really tough bar ...

Play "Wheeler and Woolsey" on Youtube.

Here's a short clip from a movie version of Peter Ibbetson, play was mentioned Apr. 14: Lee Shubert's "painstaking revival" of the wistful romance, based on George Du Maurier's popular novel. [Childhood sweethearts are separated, the man unjustly imprisoned, but they can reunite eternally in each other's dreams]. Starring Gary Cooper, no less!

Play "Peter Ibbetson" on Youtube.

Here's a little Will Rogers, mentioned Apr. 15: A Connecticut Yankee - ... Mark Twain's amusing tale has been modernized and slightly modified for its star; "a host of Austin cars" are used to transport Arthur's knights, and "a typical Rogers episode shows the Connecticut Yankee participating in a tournament ... dressed in cowboy costume and finally throwing his opponent with a toss of the lasso. ... The Will Rogers drawl tends to slow up" the picture, but this is compensated for by the dialogue, "much of which is spontaneous Rogers humor, including references to current political problems. ... This isn't from the movie, just him doing his thing ...

Play "Will Rogers" on Youtube.

Here's a pretty darn cool film of Don Azpiazu and his orchestra, mentioned Apr. 16 as playing at the Palace, mixed with some nice footage of circa-1930's Cuba:

Play "Don Azpiazu" on Youtube.