Milton Schwarzwald

Young girl gets a job at the White House as a switchboard operator and gets mixed up in politics.

A police detective uses any means possible to trap a gang of shoplifters.

In this WW II musical, a young man suddenly finds himself in charge of his family when his father is called to war. To help the flagging spirits of local factory workers, the plucky lad, his siblings and his schoolmates put on a lively little show. With a little work, he even convinces Count Basie to come with his band.

Larry Nelson, paroled from prison after serving nearly half of his thirty-year sentence, is determined to not fall into the clutches of the law again, and takes a quiet job at a country sanitarium. Thete, he meets and falls for a nurse, Charlotte Maynard, and he knows the only way to enter her web is to have a lot of money, for Miss Maynard is somewhat of a gold-digger.

Undertow stars Scott Brady as a gambler just out of wartime military service. No longer interested in wagers and speculations, Brady wants only to open up a mountain vacation lodge. Before this can take place, Brady is framed for murder, and forced to hide out in the home of Peggy Dow. With the help of Dow and a policeman friend, Brady searches for the real murderer. Watch carefully in Undertow and you'll spot new Universal contractee "Roc" Hudson as a plainclothes detective.

Molly's husband Rick was a gang leader somewhere in the middle west. When he's shot, the tough woman moves to S.F. with a couple of the gang to start anew. Disguised as a noble woman, she and her gang rob security transports. But when one day Rob confesses to her that he killed Rick out of jealousy, she shoots him down immediately. In lack of proof she can't be convicted for the murder, but she goes to jail for the robberies. It's a new and very open female prison, where she learns a profession for the first time in her life.

A comedy, musical variety show is being recorded for the radio.

Billy the Kid becomes embroiled in Lincoln County, NM, land wars. When rancher who gave him a break is killed by rival henchman, Billy vows revenge. New employer takes advantage of his naivety to kill rivals, lets the Kid take rap. Kid takes to the hills with friends until caught. Escapes hanging but remains in area to be near employer's young wife with whom he's infatuated

A show producer demonstrates the talents of his cast at an auction to sell the show and the performers to the highest bidder.

Drifter Sam Bass shows up in Denton, Texas (soon to host a great horse race) looking for work. Before long, he attracts the attention of pretty storekeeper Katherine Egan (the sheriff's sister) and that wild frontiers woman, Calamity Jane. Circumstances make Sam richer by a very fast race horse. But his seemingly good luck with horses and women leads him to disaster. Will he be forced into a life of crime?

Drifter Sam Bass shows up in Denton, Texas (soon to host a great horse race) looking for work. Before long, he attracts the attention of pretty storekeeper Katherine Egan (the sheriff's sister) and that wild frontiers woman, Calamity Jane. Circumstances make Sam richer by a very fast race horse. But his seemingly good luck with horses and women leads him to disaster. Will he be forced into a life of crime?

Lost Caverns Hotel bellhop Freddie Phillips is suspected of murder. Swami Talpur tries to hypnotize Freddie into confessing, but Freddie is too stupid for the plot to work. Inspector Wellman uses Freddie to get the killer (and it isn't the Swami).

A federal agent infiltrates a crime syndicate.

A federal agent infiltrates a crime syndicate.

Using the backdrop and excitement of a local carnival, this soundie short features four different and unique acts, from the fast talking carnival barker (Clyde Hager) and the singing of Jon Peerce to the great jazz music of the Cotton Club Tramp Band and a tap dance routine performed by Three DeLovelies.

Utililizing from fair-to-passable-to-get the hook performers and acts, Mentone Musicals producer Milton Schwartzwald offers them all in a menagerie setting, with several humans, dressed in wild animal skins acting as audience members. Toss in Mark Plant---next seen on film years later---as an master-of-ceremonies dressed (or undressed as the case may be) like Tarzan. First act in this zoo is The Nagasake Tramp Band (all black performers)who do a couple of novelty instrument specialties, followed by Ruth Daye (aka Ruth Day) who does a tap dance that leaves Leo and the other audience lions roaring. Schwartzwald, never one not to know how to change the pace, then brings on The Ashburns, who trip through some ballroom dancing. Singer Evelyn Poe picks the pace back up with a hot-swing number. Evidently, on the premise that if one novelty band is good then two should be twice as good, The Kidoodlers make their entrance.

1937 Nu-Atlas short produced by Milton Schwarzwald with musical direction by Joseph Gershenson. Featuring J. Harold Murray who starred in RIO RITA on Broadway.

A (seemingly) entertainment agent gets dragged into the swing school to see all of the great budding talent.

A Mentone Brevity short that features an early-day Henny Youngman (billed as Henry Youngman). Gogo DeLys (the correct version of her name), old-timer Lew Hearn and Powers' Prom Girls also take a turn. Youngman is the emcee at the Yacht Club nightclub who is also trying to get Lew Hearn to buy a television set...on which unbooked vaudeville acts are performing.

In a New York City cabaret setting, Jay. C. Flippen (using his Colonel Flippen character, as J. C. Flippen) emcees and introduces various stage, vaudeville and radio acts and performers, including Rose Marie), when still billed as Baby Rose Marie, who does a couple of song-and-dance numbers.. A singing trio called The Manhattanites sings a song and Bill Powers and His Steppers do some stepping. Flippen and Lew Seiler pair up to do a vaudeville routine. And all done in exactly 18 minutes.

Columnist Ed Sullivan presents vaudeville performers.

Lost Caverns Hotel bellhop Freddie Phillips is suspected of murder. Swami Talpur tries to hypnotize Freddie into confessing, but Freddie is too stupid for the plot to work. Inspector Wellman uses Freddie to get the killer (and it isn't the Swami).

Musical performers put on a show in a pawn shop to convince a man to give them the money they need to buy back their instruments.

A booking agent attempts to sell his clients. Performing acts include Eileen Barton, The Big Apple Dancers, the Paul Florenz Girls, dancers Richards and Adrienne, the Fashionaires, Flash and Dash, and the Royal Duo.

When Pa wins a jingle-writing contest, he and Ma head for New York City. They they get in trouble with gangsters when they lose some stolen money which they had already agreed to deliver to one of the thugs.

The Kettles and their fifteen children are about to be evicted from their rundown rustic home when Pa wins the grand prize by coming up with a new tobacco slogan. Birdie Hicks is jealous of the family's new wealth, which includes a completely automated modern home, and accuses Pa of stealing the slogan. Reporter Kim Parker proves Birdie wrong and marries Tom Kettle.

Here is a very rare short film from 1937 called Phony Boy with Cass Daly. There are 3 couples that are dancing Collegiate Shag at the beginning of the short. The couple in the white jacket in the center of the dance floor is John and Ruth Englert the 1937 Harvest Moon Collegiate Shag dance champions. The couple on the left of the screen is Virginia Hart and William Ledger. The 3rd couple on the right of the screen is believed to be Joan and Gene Biggins.

READIN' RITIN' AND RHYTHM 1939. Here is a neat short featuring some lindy and shag dancing.

Musical short

Down in Hades, Satan and an audience of devils enjoy band music, a singing trio and a pair of dancers.

Down in Hades, Satan and an audience of devils enjoy band music, a singing trio and a pair of dancers.

Frank E. Jessop presents a revue of the dancing and singing acts of the time.

Frank E. Jessop presents a revue of the dancing and singing acts of the time.

Dona Drake (as Rita Rio) and her all-girl band work in a ritzy setting, and perform some hot melodies, with Rita singing and dancing. Several feature acts are introduced; the first---The Four Norsemen---is a singing male quartet. Then come the Four Specs, a colored aggregation who do some amazing stepping. The finales has Rita in combination with Anita Jacobi, an acrobatic tap dancer.

A young woman marries a soldier to fulfill the conditions of a will. However, when she gets ready to divorce him, she realizes that she actually loves him, and determines to find a way to keep him.

A supper club in Harlem presents a variety show.

Cheyenne Jones comes to the Blue River Ranch and asks for a job as a cowpuncher. Actually, Jones's real name is Buck McCloud and he's the new owner of the spread, having inherited it when his uncle died a year earlier. He's roaming the range incognito while trying to identify who's behind the cattle rustling that is afflicting his new business.

Cheyenne Jones comes to the Blue River Ranch and asks for a job as a cowpuncher. Actually, Jones's real name is Buck McCloud and he's the new owner of the spread, having inherited it when his uncle died a year earlier. He's roaming the range incognito while trying to identify who's behind the cattle rustling that is afflicting his new business.

Cheyenne Jones comes to the Blue River Ranch and asks for a job as a cowpuncher. Actually, Jones's real name is Buck McCloud and he's the new owner of the spread, having inherited it when his uncle died a year earlier. He's roaming the range incognito while trying to identify who's behind the cattle rustling that is afflicting his new business.

As far as the rest of the world is concerned, mill heiress Deborah Chandler Clark is dead, killed in a freak auto accident. But Deborah is alive, if not too well. Having discovered a horrible truth about her new husband, Deborah is now a “woman in hiding,” living in mortal fear that someday her husband will catch up with her again. When a returning GI recognizes Deborah, however, she must decide whether or not she can trust him.

Indecisive heiress Dee Dee Dillwood is pushed into marrying her sixth fiancée, but unable to face the wedding night, she flees into the adjacent hotel room of commercial pilot Marvin Payne, who just wants to sleep. She then persuades him to take her to California.

Last Mentone short to be produced in New York

Comedy and music in the night court.

A grab-bag of singers and dancers, featuring New York-based performers such as Rae Samuels, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, The Four Mullen Sisters, and the team of Evans & Mayer. Dancers Pops & Louie (Albert Whitman and Louis Williams) are also along.