Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938)


Alexander's Ragtime Band
Release Date24 May 1938
Budget$2,000,000
TaglineAn American Cavalcade!
GenreDrama, Musical, Romance
CountryUSA
Filming Locations20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA
LanguageEnglish
Sound MixMono
ColorBlack and White
Film TypeFeature
Film ClassBiopic [feature], Showbiz Drama
ThemesMusician's Life, Love Triangles
TonesLight, Easygoing, Sentimental, Upbeat
TagsAudition, Band [music Group], Fame, Love Triangle, Musician, Pianist, Ragtime, Singer, Success, Violinist

Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938) is a film released by Twentieth Century Fox that takes its name from the 1911 Irving Berlin (1888-1989) song "Alexander's Ragtime Band" to tell a story of a society boy who scandalizes his family by pursuing a career in Ragtime instead of in "serious" music. The film generally traces the history of Jazz music from the popularization of Ragtime in the early years of the 20th century to the acceptance of Swing as an art form in the late 1930s using music composed by Berlin. The story spans more than two decades from the 1911 release of its name-sake song to some point in time after the 1933 release of "Heat Wave," presumably 1938. It stars Tyrone Power, Alice Faye, Don Ameche, Ethel Merman, Jack Haley, and Jean Hersholt. Several actual events in the history of Jazz music are fictionalized and adapted to the story including the tour of Europe by Original Dixieland Jass Band, the global spread of Jazz by U.S. soldiers during World War I, and the 1938 Carnegie Hall performance by The Benny Goodman Orchestra.


Cast and Crew


Cast

Roger Grant ak Alexander

Stella Kirby

Charlie Dwyer

Jerry Allen

Davey Lane

Professor Heinrich

Aunt Sophie

Taxi Driver, Speakeasy Doorman

Bill Mulligan

Wally Vernon
Wally Vernon

Ruby

Snapper

Chick Chandler
Louie

Corporal Collins

Stage Manager

Robert Gleckler
Eddie

Specialty

Joe King
Charles Dillingham

Charles Coleman
Head Waiter

Colonel Roberts

Charles Williams
San Francisco Theatrical Agent

Jane Jones
Trio Member

Trio Member

Mel Kalish
Trio Member

Manager Radio Station

Sam Ash
Critic in Audience at Army Show

Lynne Berkeley
Autograph Seeker

Assistant Stage Manager

A.S. 'Pop' Byron
Train Conductor

Photographer

Joe Cunningham
Reporter

Ken Darby
Army Quartet Member

Dorothy Dearing
Girl at Recital

Jon Dodson
Army Quartet Member

Ralph Dunn
Army Captain

Girl at Recital

Army Captain

Dick French
Reporter

Jack George
Violinist at Recital

Military Policeman at Army Show

Autograph Seeker

Undetermined Minor Role

Edward Keane
Army Major

The King's Men
Singing Army Quartet

Bud Linn
Army Quartet Member

Reporter

Paul McVey
Stage Manager

Alberto Morin
Restaurant Proprietor

Bartender at Scarbie's

Edward Mundy
The Barker

Frank O'Connor
Officer in Army Show Audience

Elizabeth Palmer
Girl at Recital

Jack Pennick
Drill Sergeant

Alex Pollard
Captain of Waiters

Arthur Rankin
Assistant Stage Manager

Cully Richards
Musician

Rad Robinson
Army Quartet Member

Fred Santley
Songwriter

Edwin Stanley
Critic in Army Show Audience

Charles Tannen
Dillingham's Secretary

Stanley Taylor
Reporter

Harry Tyler
Cafe Proprietor

Eleanor Wesselhoeft
Martha - Aunt Sophie's Maid

Cecil Weston
Woman in Audience at Army Show

Ron Wilson
Song Plugger

Baton Specialty

Director

Writer

Kathryn Scola
screenplay

Lamar Trotti
screenplay

Richard Sherman

Sheridan Gibney
contributing writer

contributing writer

Producer

associate producer

Original Music

Cinematographer

Editor

Barbara McLean
-

Art Director

Bernard Herzbrun
-

Boris Leven
-

Set Decorator

Thomas Little
-

Costume Designer

Gwen Wakeling
-

Production Manager

executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

Robert Webb
assistant director

Henry Weinberger
assistant director

Sound Department

Roger Heman Sr.
sound

Arthur von Kirbach
sound

Camera and Electrical Department

Al Wark
grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department

Sam Benson
wardrobe supervisor

Music Department

lyricist

musical director, conductor

music arranger

Edward B. Powell
orchestrator

Other Crew

Seymour Felix
dances stager

Charles E. McCarthy
press representative

Frances C. Richardson
head of research library

Production Company

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
-

Distributor

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
,

20th Century Fox

Fox Video

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment






Navigation Boxes
Films directed by Henry King
Alexander's Ragtime Band
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The Bravados (1958)
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Wilson (1944)
Irving Berlin musicals
Alexander's Ragtime Band
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