Soundies
- This is a past program
Presented by the UCLA Film & Television Archive.
Part of the UCLA Film & Television Archive screening series Archive Treasures. Learn more at cinema.ucla.edu.
In person: Q&A with Mark Cantor, author of The Soundies: A History and Catalog of Jukebox Film Shorts of the 1940s.
We’re transforming the Billy Wilder Theater into a big-screen Panoram to showcase Kino Classics’ toe-tapping, eye-opening collection of newly restored Soundies — many of which are also held in the Archive’s collection! For the uninitiated, Soundies are musical short films produced from 1940-1946 for distribution on movie jukeboxes called Panorams, 16mm rear projection machines that delivered unique performances by musical acts big and small to patrons at bars, nightclubs and restaurants for a dime. From the sights and sounds of the big band era into the emergence of early rock and roll, this evening’s program features such artists as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Gene Krupa, Thelma White and Her All-Girl Orchestra, the Les Paul Trio and dozens of unsung talents waiting to be rediscovered!
Program 1: “Starting From Swing” (approx. 24 min.)
Program 2: “Powered by Dance” (approx. 24 min.)
Program 3: “Jumping into Gender Play” (approx. 25 min.)
Program 4: “Heading Toward Rock ‘n’ Roll” (approx. 24 min.
DCP. Total program runtime: approx. 96 min.
The UCLA Film & Television Archive is a division of UCLA Library, and presents its public programs in the Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer, among other venues. For more information about the Archive, visit cinema.ucla.edu.
ATTENDING THIS PROGRAM?
Ticketing: Admission to Archive screenings at the Hammer is free. Your seat will be assigned to you when you pick up your ticket at the box office. Seats are assigned on a first come, first served basis. Box office opens one hour before the event. Questions should be directed to the Archive at programming@cinema.ucla.edu or 310-206-8013.
Member Benefit: Subject to availability, Hammer Members can choose their preferred seats. Members receive priority ticketing until 15 minutes before the program. Learn more about membership.
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