Syndetics cover image
Image from Syndetics

The soundies : a history and catalog of jukebox film shorts of the 1940s / Mark Cantor ; forewords by Leonard Maltin and Will Friedwald.

By: Contributor(s): Material type: TextTextPublisher: Jefferson, North Carolina : McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2023-Description: 2 volumes : illustrations ; 28 cmContent type:
  • text
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 9781476683133
  • 1476683131
Subject(s): Summary: "The 1940s saw a brief yet audacious experiment in mass entertainment: a jukebox with a screen. Patrons could insert a dime, then listen to and watch such popular entertainers as Nat "King" Cole, Gene Krupa, Cab Calloway or Les Paul. There were a number of companies offering these tuneful delights, but the most successful was the Mills Novelty Company and its three-minute musical shorts called Soundies. For the first time, the history of these early music videos is explored in depth. A complete filmography of 1,880 Soundies, this book details the musicians heard and seen on screen, listing recording and filming dates, arrangers, soloists, dancers, entertainment trade reviews and much more. Additional filmographies cover more than 80 subjects produced by the other companies. In addition to the historical text and film inventories, this book is illustrated with 125 photos taken on the films sets, along with advertising images and production documents. A chapter with more than 75 interviews narrates the first-hand experiences and recollections of Soundies directors and participants. Forty years before MTV made its debut, the Soundies were there to provide entertainment for those who loved the popular music of the 1940s. This was truly "music for the eyes.""-- Provided by publisher.
Holdings
Item type Home library Collection Call number Materials specified Vol info Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Adult Book Adult Book Main Library NonFiction 780.267 C232 v. 1 Available 33111011279938
Adult Book Adult Book Main Library NonFiction 780.267 C232 v. 2 Available 33111011279946
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

The 1940s saw a brief audacious experiment in mass entertainment: a jukebox with a screen. Patrons could insert a dime, then listen to and watch such popular entertainers as Nat "King" Cole, Gene Krupa, Cab Calloway or Les Paul. A number of companies offered these tuneful delights, but the most successful was the Mills Novelty Company and its three-minute musical shorts called Soundies.

This book is a complete filmography of 1,880 Soundies: the musicians heard and seen on screen, recording and filming dates, arrangers, soloists, dancers, entertainment trade reviews and more. Additional filmographies cover more than 80 subjects produced by other companies. There are 125 photos taken on film sets, along with advertising images and production documents. More than 75 interviews narrate the firsthand experiences and recollections of Soundies directors and participants. Forty years before MTV, the Soundies were there for those who loved the popular music of the 1940s. This was truly "music for the eyes."

v. 1. Part One: History and Development -- Part Two: Catalog (Entries 1-1299).

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Includes filmography.

"The 1940s saw a brief yet audacious experiment in mass entertainment: a jukebox with a screen. Patrons could insert a dime, then listen to and watch such popular entertainers as Nat "King" Cole, Gene Krupa, Cab Calloway or Les Paul. There were a number of companies offering these tuneful delights, but the most successful was the Mills Novelty Company and its three-minute musical shorts called Soundies. For the first time, the history of these early music videos is explored in depth. A complete filmography of 1,880 Soundies, this book details the musicians heard and seen on screen, listing recording and filming dates, arrangers, soloists, dancers, entertainment trade reviews and much more. Additional filmographies cover more than 80 subjects produced by the other companies. In addition to the historical text and film inventories, this book is illustrated with 125 photos taken on the films sets, along with advertising images and production documents. A chapter with more than 75 interviews narrates the first-hand experiences and recollections of Soundies directors and participants. Forty years before MTV made its debut, the Soundies were there to provide entertainment for those who loved the popular music of the 1940s. This was truly "music for the eyes.""-- Provided by publisher.

Powered by Koha