Crying for the Carolines
About Crying for the Carolines
Milton Charles, billed as the Singing Organist, plays and sings "Cryin' for the Carolines" at a Wurlitzer. The picture cuts between him at the console and images that follow the lyric. It is a short made to sell the song.
Cast & crew
More about Crying for the Carolines
Neil McGuire directed. Leon Schlesinger produced it for Warner Bros. It is the first short made only by Schlesinger's unit for Warner Bros., and the only finished entry in a planned series called Spooney Melodies. Later films in the line were retitled Song'nata. Frank Marsales is credited with the organ music. Sound was recorded on Western Electric equipment. The short runs 6 minutes.
Themes
Background
Palace-style theaters still had organists in 1930. The short puts that act on the bill in front of a feature.
Making
Schlesinger recorded one organ short for Warner Bros. on Western Electric gear and then dropped the live series.
Music
Milton Charles sings "Cryin' for the Carolines" and plays it on a Wurlitzer. Frank Marsales is credited for the organ music. Western Electric recorded the track.
Preservation
This is the surviving Spooney Melodies short. The Song'nata follow-ups are not preserved. A copy is on Wikimedia Commons.
Notes
- Charles had been a theater organist in the silent years.
- The Spooney Melodies that followed under the Song'nata name are not known to survive.
- Schlesinger's animated Merrie Melodies came after this live musical series.
Scenes
- Charles sings at the Wurlitzer while the picture follows the lyric.
Also available
- Wikimedia Commons (Crying for the Carolines (1930).webm)