Henry Busse

This one-reel musical short, part of the WB/Vitaphone Melody Master series, features the music of trumpet-player and orchestra leader Henry Busse and his Orchestra, playing their own arrangements of various popular songs of the time...or in the Warners' song library. Those include "Wang Wang Blues," "Hot Lips" and "Along the Santa Fe Trail."

Basically this is a commercial for Hollywood's Lido Lounge and for MGM contract players. The Lido is a large watering hole; we visit one afternoon with an orchestra playing, all sorts of stars and would-be stars sitting at tables near the pool alongside paying customers, and bathing beauties parading and diving. The Lido's manager, Reggy Denny, introduces the stars in the audience. He's sometimes interrupted by someone who does a bit, sings a song, or otherwise entertains: most of these are novelty acts. By the end, everyone's having a swell time.

A made-for-TV musical revue, compiled from soundies and film and TV performances by jazz greats from the 1930s to the 1950s.