Mr. Dodd Takes the Air
- Kenny Baker: Claude Dodd
- Frank McHugh: "Sniffer " Sears
- Jane Wyman: Marjorie Day
- Alice Brady: Madame Sonya Moro
- Gertrude Michael: Jessica Stafford
- John Eldredge: Jim Lidin
- Henry O'Neill: Gateway
- Harry Davenport: Doc Quinn
- Ferris Taylor: Hiram P. Doremus
- Linda Perry: Girls in the information
- Arthur Edeson: Photographer
- William Wister Haines: scriptwriter
Mr. Dodd Takes the Air is an American movie from 1937 in which Kenny Baker, Jane Wyman, Frank McHugh and Alice Brady play the lead roles. The director was Alfred E. Green. The screenplay by Haines and Ryan is based on Clarence Budington Kellands story "The Great Crooners ."
Action
Hiram P. Doremus, president of Morpheus mattresses, the 23 -year-old electrician Claude Dodd from the small town of Pewamo hear singing on the local Strawberry Festival, he takes the decision on his show to introduce him in New York as " Mister baritone ". Doremus is one of the sponsors of the Metropolitan radio broadcasts and as such the opinion to be able to make good money with Dodd. Prior to his trip to New York Dodd must undergo a small surgery for angina, however. The doctor tells him some time to rest his voice. As Dodd is then in New York and get to sing again, turns out to Doremus great consternation out that Dodd has become the baritone to tenor. Doremus, who does not like tenors, is outraged and says Dodd had deceived him and sets the young man into the air. Dodd, however, has already found an audience that loves him. Also Marjorie Day, a secretary of the Metropolitan Broadcasting Company, committed to him and helps him to get a well-paid contract, and soon covers his fan club more than 217,000 members. In the aftermath Dodd has many great performances, which means that he once needed a little break, he spends with Marjorie. He will provide for repairs, he is a trained electrician, Marjorie radio with a he developed device that has not yet been patented. The rather cheap device therefore has a whole new sound, as if it were an expensive device. Marjorie would like that he will seek a corresponding patent. Dodd, however, does not see through the machinations of the blond Jessica Stafford, who has made up to him and tries to seduce him, then steal his invention. Jessica is also the Dodd the opera prima donna, Madame Sonya Moro, imagines who wants to take him under their wing. Jessica works with a Jim Lidin together and makes Dodd knows that Marjorie was with Lidin in the league, and that it intended his invention to profitably sell. In the following period there are further complications which resulted Marjorie their job loses. As Dodd young woman then maintained his love and you make a request, Jessica brings out a further blow and keeps the Dodd sought on Marjorie's name patent his invention under his nose. It succeeds Marjorie not Dodd to convince them that they have done for his own protection. He leaves together with the triumphant Jessica. Exasperated by further disputes Claude Dodd has to undergo surgery again. His voice is once again that of a baritone. In the hospital to visit him both Jessica and Sonya Moro, both claiming to be engaged to him. However, Dodd wants to marry any of them. His contract he escapes by pretending that he was not able to sing, as he had air problems. Back in his hometown of Pewamo Marjorie feels to him and gives him the patent for his invention, which has been issued in his name. Claude closes happy in his arms and said that he had not lost his voice and sings for her after she gave him her consent.
Background
Filming took place in Burbank, California in the U.S. in the Warner Brothers Burbank Studios. The film had on August 11, 1937 premiere in New York in the U.S., on 21 August 1937, he was then generally in the cinemas of the United States. Next he ran in 1938 in Finland and in France and 1939 in Denmark. In Germany and Austria, he was not in the cinema.
Clarence Budington Kellands novel was published in 1932 in advance of the Saturday Evening Post. Kenny Baker, who played the lead role in the film, was a popular radio singer in the American entertainer Jack Benny Program, before he made his acting debut in this film. Jane Wyman learned in that time her second husband, the future U.S. President Ronald Reagan, to know.
Music in Film
( unless otherwise stated, music is always by Harry Warren, Al Dubin Text )
- Am I in Love? ( sung by Kenny Baker)
- Remember Me? ( sung by Kenny Baker on Mme Moros Party )
- If I Were a Little Pond Lily ( sung by Kenny Baker on the Strawberry Festival)
- Here Comes the Sandman ( sung by Kenny Baker on the Strawberry Festival, in his first appearance on radio and night club)
- The Girl You Used to Be (played during the opening credits and sung by Kenny Baker on stage )
- I Know Now (played during Dodd goes into the studio and Marjorie looks )
- When My Dream Boat Comes Home (Text by Cliff Friend and Dave Franklin played while Dodd repaired the radio)
- Chicken Reel ( popular, briefly played during the opening scene )
- Poet and Peasant Overture ( Overture to " Poet and Peasant " by Franz von Suppe )
- With Plenty of Money and You ( background music in a scene )
- Smiles ( background music in a scene )
- The Lady Who Could not Be Kissed ( background music in a scene )
- Without Your Love (music by MK Jerome, played during the cafeteria scene )
- Too Marvelous for Words ( Music: Richard A. Whiting, played during the cafeteria scene )
- Just a Quiet Evening ( Music: Richard A. Whiting, played during the cafeteria scene )
- Ever Since Eve (Music: MK Jerome, background music)
- Fifty- Second Street (music by Saul Chaplin, background music)
- Born to Love (music by MK Jerome played on the radio )
- O Mio Fernando (La favorite opera by Gaetano Donizetti, sung by Alice Brady at the party )
Criticism
Dave Sindelar Movie of the Day Archives is of the opinion that the best performance of the film of Alice Brady in their presentation of a " bitchy prima donna " was coming, she embodies this with "real charm and imperturbability ," which speaks for itself. The musical film itself is only " superficially interesting," and probably only if one is a "fan of Kenny Baker ," whose " singing talent on climb his acting. "
Awards
At the Oscar ceremony in 1938 was "Remember Me? " In the category "Best Song" ( Music: Harry Warren, Text: Al Dubin, singer Kenny Baker) nominated for an Oscar. However, the trophy was awarded to Harry Owens for his song "Sweet Leilani " from the movie Waikiki Wedding.