Beyond Curricula Videos

Max Helps Bette Go Up the Stairs

2010-05-20T14:25:00.000-07:00

While filming the dramatic scene at the end of Dark Victory (the part where you know that she's going upstairs to die), Bette Davis stopped and asked the director, "Who's scoring this film? Max Steiner?" The director said he thought so. "Well," Bette declared, "either I am going up those stairs or Max Steiner is going up those stairs, but not the two of us together."

The great actors in Hollywood understood that a good music score was as important a part of each film as their own presence on screen, and that often looked like competition. While Max did go up the stairs with Bette (to the delight of fans everywhere), she wouldn't have seen it all put together until she saw the finished film. She wasn't going through her lines with the music softly playing in the background. From this side of the screen, they were an unstoppable duo. Twenty-one of Bette Davis' films, including some of her greatest roles, were scored by Max Steiner. Together, they made movie history.

Betty Hutton

2010-04-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

BETTY HUTTON (1921 - 2007) was a singer, actress and comedienne whose unforgettable style endeared her to fans nationwide. Her energy was boundless, and you would never say she was quiet. Her Hollywood career started in 1939 with several bit parts, but by 1945 she had replaced Dorothy Lamour as Paramount's number one female box office attraction. Today she is best remembered in the classic Irving Berlin musical "Annie Get Your Gun" opposite newcomer Howard Keel. She appeared in almost twenty films, including "The Greatest Show On Earth", "The Perils of Pauline", and "Let's Dance", before leaving the screen in 1952. Above is her wonderful, energetic rendition of the song, "He Says Murder, He Says". Below, Betty sings "There's No Business Like Show Business" from "Annie Get Your Gun".

Lena Horne

2010-04-20T07:45:00.000-07:00

LENA HORNE (1917 - 2010) is a jazz and popular singer who appeared in films, nightclubs and on Broadway. She did many cameo appearances in well-known musicals such as "Ziegfeld Follies", "Till the Clouds Roll By" and "Thousands Cheer". She also had starring roles in the two most famous all-black musicals - "Cabin in the Sky" and "Stormy Weather". Above, she sings her signature song, "Stormy Weather". Below, she sings Rodgers and Hart's "Where or When" from the 1948 film, "Words and Music".

Tony Martin

2010-04-19T15:51:00.000-07:00

TONY MARTIN (1913 - ) is a singer whose film career began in the 1930s and went through the 50s. He had a wonderful clear tenor voice. He was a featured singer on the Burns and Allen radio program as well. During the late 1930s, he appeared in such films as "Ziegfeld Girl" and "The Big Store" (opposite the Marx Bros.). Unfounded rumors about his military service during WWII led to his inability to get contracts after the war. Eventually signing with Mercury records, he recorded "To Each His Own" which went gold. His career rising again, he appeared in more films. "Easy to Love", "Till the Clouds Roll By", "Hit the Deck", and "Deep in my Heart". In 1948, he married dancer Cyd Charisse. They were happily married for 60 years, until her death in 2008. Today, at the age of 95, he is still giving concerts. Above you can watch him sing a wonderful rendition of Sigmund Romberg's classic song, "Lover, Come Back to Me" from the 1954 film "Deep In My Heart".

Judy Garland

2010-04-19T12:44:00.000-07:00

JUDY GARLAND (1922 - 1969) is known the world over for her performance as "Dorothy" in The Wizard of Oz. A singer and actress since childhood, her early movie career is best remembered for her teaming with Mickey Rooney, an on-screen duo that would continue until 1948. However, it was "The Wizard of Oz" that pushed her into instant stardom, as well as giving her her signature song "Over the Rainbow". Her 1954 comeback film, "A Star is Born" became another instant success and was the last starring film success of her career. She regularly appeared on television and the concert stage, and in 1961 appeared at Carnegie Hall. The album of her performance that night won four Grammys and has never been out of print. Above is 17 year-old Judy singing "Over the Rainbow" from "The Wizard of Oz" in 1939. Below is 32 year-old Judy singing "The Man That Got Away" from "A Star is Born" in 1954

* An interesting note. Her three signature songs (Over the Rainbow, Get Happy, and The Man That Got Away) were all written by composer Harold Arlen.

Deanna Durbin

2010-04-18T11:48:00.000-07:00

DEANNA DURBIN (1921 - ) was an actress and singer in films during the late 1930s through the '40s. She possessed a clear soprano voice, singing popular and operatic songs. Her first film, when she was fourteen years old was "Three Smart Girls". She was a regular singer on the Eddie Cantor show. By 1942 she had grown up on screen and was one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood. Not happy in Hollywood, she retired in 1948 and has lived in Paris since. Above, she sings "Someone to Care for Me" from her first film in 1936. Below, she sings "Largo al Factotum" (from the opera "The Barber of Seville") from her final 1948 film, "For the Love of Mary".

Doris Day

2010-04-18T10:59:00.000-07:00

DORIS DAY (1922 - ) was one of the most popular vocalists of the 1950s. She started singing with Les Brown and his band, her first hit song being "Sentimental Journey". She started in films in 1948, appearing in almost 40 films during her 20 year acting career. She had many hit songs including "Secret Love", "Que Sera Sera", and "It's Magic". The video above is her singing "Put 'Em In a Box" from her film debut "Romance on the High Seas".

Kenny Baker

2010-04-18T10:47:00.000-07:00

KENNY BAKER (1912 -1985) was a singer on the Jack Benny radio program during the 1930s. He left radio and appeared in a bunch of films including "The Harvey Girls" and "At the Circus". He starred with Mary Martin on Broadway and eventually returned to radio briefly before retiring. His tenor voice is extremely high and pure and hardly aged over his movie career. The video above is Kenny Baker singing "Wait and See" to Cyd Charisse in the film "The Harvey Girls".

Allan Jones

2010-04-18T10:37:00.000-07:00

ALLAN JONES (1907 - 1992) was an actor and singer whose career began in the 1930s. Possesing a light, clear tenor voice, he appeared in such films as "Showboat" (opposite Irene Dunne) and "A Night at the Opera" (opposite Kitty Carlisle and the Marx Bros.). He sang operatic style as well as popular music. His biggest hit was "The Donkey Serenade" from "The Firefly" which became his theme song. He is the father of singer Jack Jones. Above is a video of him singing "Alone" to Kitty Carlisle from "A Night at the Opera".

Ella Fitzgerald

2010-04-18T10:19:00.000-07:00

ELLA FITZGERALD (1917 - 1996) is considered one of the best interpreters of the Great American Songbook. Her "Songbook" album series was a classic and is still enjoyable today. She sang with the great bands of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Chick Webb. Her range was large and her diction, pitch and phrasing was impeccable. She is still considered by many to be the "First Lady of Song". Above is her wonderful rendition of the Gershwin's famous song, "Summertime". Below is her equally great rendition of the classic song "Lover Man".

Harpo Marx, the Musician

2010-04-18T10:12:00.000-07:00

HARPO MARX (1888 - 1964), one of the famous "Marx Brothers", was known for his clown-like costume and the fact that he never spoke in his films. As well as being a great comedian, he was an accomplished musician and in most of his films can be seen playing the harp and the piano. The video above is Harpo playing his own composition "Guardian Angels".

Barbra Streisand

2010-04-18T09:48:00.000-07:00

BARBRA STREISAND (1942 - ) is the best-selling female recording artist of all time with over 200 million records sold around the world. Winner of two Oscars, nine Grammys, four Emmys, and a special Tony Award, she has released over eighty gold and platinum albums and 13 multi-platinum albums in the US alone. Here is a video of her in 1966 singing "Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home".

The Andrews Sisters

2010-04-18T09:19:00.000-07:00

THE ANDREWS SISTERS

Patty (1918 - ), Maxene (1916 - 1995), and LaVerne (1911 -1967), achieved overnight success with their first record in 1937, "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen". The record sold a million copies and they became the first female vocal group to receive a gold record. Even today, they hold the record for how many Top Ten Billboard hits and have sold almost 100 million records. They were the quintessential WWII vocal group and recorded almost 50 songs with Bing Crosy, many of which were million sellers. The video above is a WWII film of them singing there hit, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy". The video below is their appearance in the film "Hollywood Canteen" where they sing "Corns for My Country".

Dennis Morgan

2010-04-18T09:03:00.000-07:00

DENNIS MORGAN (1908 - 1994) was a singer and actor in films during the 30s, 40s, and 50s. He bagan his career in summer stock and in travelling opera troupes. Playing bit parts starting in 1936, he was the featured soloist in the grande number "A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody" in "The Great Ziegfeld". Unkown to him until viewing the film in the theatre, the studio dubbed him. So it is actually tenor Allan Jones that you hear in the film. It wasn't until 1940 when he starred with Ginger Rogers in "Kitty Foyle" that his acting career started rising. For a short period in the 1940s, he was actually Warner Bros.' highest paid actor. He appeared in many other films, including "Shine on Harvest Moon", God is My Co-Pilot", and a series of films with Jack Carson. However, he is best remembered in "Christmas in Connecticut" where he co-starred with Barbara Stanwyck. The video above is Mr. Morgan singing "Absent-Minded Heart" to Doris Day from the 1949 film, "It's a Great Feeling".

Tony Bennett

2010-04-18T08:31:00.000-07:00

TONY BENNETT (1926 - )

An American popular music singer who has sold over 50 million records worldwide. Winner of 15 Grammy and two Emmy awards. This video is from a 1963 recording session with Mr. Bennett singing "So Long, Big Time!" while composer Harold Arlen conducts the studio orchestra.