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The Big Broadcast of 1936

  • 19351935
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
5.7/10
310
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935)
  • Musical
Spud Miller hopes to save his struggling radio station by winning a broadcast competition, with the help of the Radio Eye, an invention that can display live events from anywhere in the worl... Read allSpud Miller hopes to save his struggling radio station by winning a broadcast competition, with the help of the Radio Eye, an invention that can display live events from anywhere in the world.Spud Miller hopes to save his struggling radio station by winning a broadcast competition, with the help of the Radio Eye, an invention that can display live events from anywhere in the world.
IMDb RATING
5.7/10
310
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Norman Taurog
  • Writers
    • Walter DeLeon(screenplay)
    • Francis Martin(screenplay)
    • Ralph Spence(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Jack Oakie
    • George Burns
    • Gracie Allen
Top credits
  • Director
    • Norman Taurog
  • Writers
    • Walter DeLeon(screenplay)
    • Francis Martin(screenplay)
    • Ralph Spence(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Jack Oakie
    • George Burns
    • Gracie Allen
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 10User reviews
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 1 nomination total

    Photos55

    Gracie Allen, George Burns, and Samuel S. Hinds in The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935)
    Wendy Barrie and Jack Oakie in The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935)
    Gracie Allen and George Burns in The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935)
    Jessica Dragonette in The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935)
    Jack Oakie, Lyda Roberti, and Henry Wadsworth in The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935)
    Bing Crosby in The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935)
    Lyda Roberti in The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935)
    Carlos Gardel in The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935)
    Henry Wadsworth in The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935)
    Jack Oakie in The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935)
    Jack Oakie, Lyda Roberti, and Norman Taurog in The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935)
    Jack Oakie and Lyda Roberti in The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1935)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jack Oakie
    Jack Oakie
    • Spud Milleras Spud Miller
    George Burns
    George Burns
    • George Burnsas George Burns
    Gracie Allen
    Gracie Allen
    • Gracie Allenas Gracie Allen
    Lyda Roberti
    Lyda Roberti
    • Countess Ysobel de Naigilaas Countess Ysobel de Naigila
    Wendy Barrie
    Wendy Barrie
    • Sueas Sue
    Henry Wadsworth
    Henry Wadsworth
    • Smileyas Smiley
    C. Henry Gordon
    C. Henry Gordon
    • Gordonias Gordoni
    Benny Baker
    Benny Baker
    • Hermanas Herman
    Bing Crosby
    Bing Crosby
    • Bingas Bing
    Ethel Merman
    Ethel Merman
    • Ethel Mermanas Ethel Merman
    Mary Boland
    Mary Boland
    • Mrs. Sealingsworthas Mrs. Sealingsworth
    Charles Ruggles
    Charles Ruggles
    • Wilbur Sealingsworthas Wilbur Sealingsworth
    David Holt
    David Holt
    • Brotheras Brother
    Virginia Weidler
    Virginia Weidler
    • Little Girl in Hospitalas Little Girl in Hospital
    Guy Standing
    Guy Standing
    • Doctoras Doctor
    • (as Sir Guy Standing)
    Gail Patrick
    Gail Patrick
    • Nurseas Nurse
    Bill Robinson
    Bill Robinson
    • Specialtyas Specialty
    Ray Noble
    Ray Noble
    • Band Leaderas Band Leader
    • Director
      • Norman Taurog
    • Writers
      • Walter DeLeon(screenplay)
      • Francis Martin(screenplay)
      • Ralph Spence(screenplay)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Spud Miller hopes to save his struggling radio station by winning a broadcast competition, with the help of the Radio Eye, an invention that can display live events from anywhere in the world.
    • slapstick comedy
    • amos and andy characters
    • invention
    • pretending to be dead
    • con man
    • 22 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Raiding the screen, stage and radio of their brightest stars for eyefuls of romance, earfuls of music and carloads of comedy complications! (Print Ad-Knickerbocker Press, ((Albany NY)) 7 October 1935)
    • Genre
      • Musical
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The number "It's the Animal in Me" was originally intended for We're Not Dressing (1934), but was cut from that movie before release.
    • Quotes

      Countess Ysobel de Naigila: [gesturing to Spud] When you sing to me, my heart goes "Peep!"

      [She gestures to Smiley]

      Countess Ysobel de Naigila: When you talk to me, my I float away in clouds. Now you understand?

      Spud Miller, Smiley: No.

    • Alternate versions
      Carlos Gardel scenes were reshot in spanish for argentinian distribution. This version is known as Cazadores de Estrellas.
    • Connections
      Featured in Biography: The Nicholas Brothers: Flying High (1999)
    • Soundtracks
      Double Trouble
      Music by Ralph Rainger, Richard A. Whiting

      Lyrics by Leo Robin

      Performed by Lyda Roberti, Jack Oakie, Henry Wadsworth and chorus

    User reviews10

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    On The Radio Eye
    "The Big Broadcast of 1936" (Paramount, 1935) is the second in the musical series, but not up to the original 1932 classic, "The Big Broadcast." This edition brings back Bing Crosby (who can be seen only singing one soothing song, "I Wished on the Moon."); and George Burns and Gracie Allen as part of the plot again. George and Gracie have an invention called The Radio Eye (known today as television) that can pick up broadcasts from all over the world. (Least we forget that television was spoofed as The Radio Scope in Paramount's 1933 comedy, "International House"). The invention is then demonstrated to and swiped by Spud Miller (Jack Oakie sporting a mustache), the manager of the failing radio station, W.H.Y., and tries to promote it and take the credit for himself. During the course of the story, he and his partner, Smiley Goodwin (Henry Wadsworth) are kidnapped by a man-chasing countess, Ysobel DeNargila (Lyda Roberti), who has them watched by her villainous advisories (C. Henry Gordon and Akim Tamiroff) while on board her private yacht bound for Cuba. Also featured in the plot is Wendy Barrie as Sue.

    The musical program includes: "Miss Brown to You" (danced with gusto by The Nicholas Brothers/and Bill Robinson); "Why Dream?" (sung by Henry Wadsworth/voice dubbed by Kenny Baker); Crosby's "I Wished on the Moon," "Double Trouble" (Sung by Lyda Roberti); "It's the Animal in Me" (sung by Ethel Merman); instrumental song in brief conducted by Ina Ray Hutton and her Melodears; and "Goodnight Sweetheart" (conducted by Ray Noble and his orchestra).

    Aside from brief musical interludes (with some numbers being interrupted by dialog) presented during the plot or on the Radio Eye, there is one moment of drama set in a hospital with Sir Guy Standing as the doctor, Gail Patrick as his nurse, and David Holt as the little brother who donates his blood to save his sister (Virginia Weidler); comedy skits involving Amos and Andy, another with Charlie Ruggles as a nervous husband wanting to get rest, but is constantly interrupted and annoyed by wife Mary Boland; and in between, those three house builders (Willy, West and McGinty) who never seem to get their job completed for that everything goes wrong (ala Three Stooges). Like many movies of this sort, some gags work, others fail to amuse, but it's still worth a look just the same. There is even a climatic chase scene to add some excitement.

    When once presented on American Movie Classics in 1991, host Bob Dorian pointed out a bit of trivia: the production number featuring Ethel Merman singing "It's the Animal in Me" supported by dancing elephants, was actually a cut number from an earlier musical, "We're Not Dressing" (Paramount, 1934) and inserted into this film. Good thing because Merman's "Animal in Me," along with the dancing by Nicholas Brothers and Bill Robinson (in separate scenes) are some of the few highlights that help bring some life to its mediocre moments of the story. Never distributed to home video, aside from broadcast showings on some local public broadcast channel, and the aforementioned AMC, it did have a return television big broadcast many years later on Turner Classic Movies (TCM premiere: July 23, 2015). (***)
    helpful•13
    3
    • lugonian
    • Jan 18, 2001

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 20, 1935 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Cazadores de estrellas
    • Filming locations
      • Paramount Studios, Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 37 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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