Crosby, Columbo, and Vallee

Crosby, Columbo, and Vallee
Title card
Directed by	Rudolf Ising
Produced by	Hugh Harman Rudolf Ising Leon Schlesinger
Starring	The King's Men Johnny Murray
Music by	Frank Marsales
Animation by	Rollin Hamilton Max Maxwell
Color process	Black and white
Production company	Harman-Ising Productions
Distributed by	Warner Bros. Pictures The Vitaphone Corporation
Release date	March 19, 1932(1932-03-19)
Running time	7 min (one reel)
Language	English

Rudy Valléecaricature from the film

Crosby, Columbo, and Valleeis a 1932Warner Bros.Merrie Melodiescartoon short directed byRudolf Ising.The short was released on March 19, 1932.It lampoons the popularity ofcroonersamong young women, with popular croonersBing Crosby,Russ Columbo,andRudy Valléebeing the namesake of the film.

Title song

The title song had earlier been recorded byDick Robertsonin 1931 (Perfect12772B) and called upon men to fight "these public enemies" brought into homes via radio.It was probably the inspiration for the cartoon.

Plot

A tribe ofAmerican Indiansis unhappy about the way that the three radio crooners (Bing Crosby,Russ ColumboandRudy Vallée) have influenced theirsquawsand the cartoon opens with the braves singing the “Crosby, Columbo and Vallée” song.

Next a young brave is seen canoeing over various dangers to meet his girl. When he reaches hertipi,he produces a radio and with the help of a spider who provides the necessary connection, the radio gives out with some more of the title song and a snatch of a Crosby-like voice singing “Many Happy Returns of the Day”. The animals in the forest join in and a floppy-eared dog sings “This Is My Love Song” in a Vallée impression.

The radio is retuned and the title song emerges again and many young Indians join in a dance as do the forest animals. A fire breaks out and three baby birds are trapped at the top of a tree. The young Indian brave enlists the help of ten bees who pick up a large spider's web and the baby birds jump down into the web and are saved.

Reception

TheFilm Dailycalled it "A lively cartoon...Makes a tuneful number, with the usual animated antics."TheMotion Picture Heraldsaid: "Amusing, especially for the younger element..."

External links

• Crosby, Columbo, and ValleeatIMDb
• Crosby, Columbo, and Valleeon Dailymotion
• Crosby, Columbo, and ValleeonYouTube