The most famous American movie musicals of the 1930s showcased the talents of Fred Astaire, Busby Berkeley, Bing Crosby, and Alice Faye, but here is a much deeper dive into the decade’s songfests. Instead of familiar names and titles, this volume covers secondary or forgotten features with short-lived or unlikely stars from major studios and Poverty Row.

Through incisive accounts of films such as Lord Byron of Broadway, Shoot the Works, Bottoms Up, Moonlight and Pretzels and The Music Goes ‘Round, we meet little-heralded performers: Dorothy Dell, Lee Dixon, Peggy Fears, Lawrence Gray, Joe Morrison and the mother-daughter team of Myrt and Marge. Among the behind-the-scenes figures are infamously profligate producer Lou Brock, whose flops Down to Their Last Yacht and Top of the Town cost him his career.

The entries include substantial filmographies and production information, background on key participants and discography material, plus photographs, notes, bibliography and index.