Judy Garland sings the title song, a tribute to Will Rogers.Judy Garland sings the title song, a tribute to Will Rogers.Judy Garland sings the title song, a tribute to Will Rogers.
Photos
Will Rogers
- Will Rogers
- (archive footage)
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFifth annual filmed plea on behalf of the Will Rogers Memorial Commission.
- Alternate versionsAs originally released, this started off with Kay Kyser and His Kollege of Musical Knowledge with a musical version of 'Playmates'. This was followed by Judy Garland singing 'If I Forget You' and Bette Davis finished up with a plea to the audience to give their nickels and dimes on behalf of the Will Rogers Memorial Commission. Turner Classic Movies occasionally broadcasts a three-minute version that includes only the Garland performance.
Featured review
The plot is an appeal to donate money
Starting in 1936, most of the the major film studios in Hollywood, on a rotating basis,and at no charge, would make an annual theatrical short to be shown country-wide and, following the showing, the lights would come up and ushers, employees and owners would then pass buckets (mostly) from front-to-back and down each aisle for the patrons to drop money in for the support of the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital (tuberculosis sanatorium) located at Saranac Lake in Essex County, New York.
It was not a let's-make-a-salute short to Will Rogers per se (albeit archive footage of Wil Rogers was used in every one of these)...it was a funds appeal to support the hospital.
The studio that produced it would primarily use performers under contract to that studio, but the film itself was distributed through the hundreds of film exchanges throughout America of all of the major studios(and not just that year's producing studio), plus it was distributed via National Screen Service.
THe suggestion here is before so-called "reviewers" start their "expert" critiques of the Will Rogers Memorial Funds annual shorts, they should at least have a bit of film knowledge in their Critics Kit and know exactly why the short was made.
It was not a let's-make-a-salute short to Will Rogers per se (albeit archive footage of Wil Rogers was used in every one of these)...it was a funds appeal to support the hospital.
The studio that produced it would primarily use performers under contract to that studio, but the film itself was distributed through the hundreds of film exchanges throughout America of all of the major studios(and not just that year's producing studio), plus it was distributed via National Screen Service.
THe suggestion here is before so-called "reviewers" start their "expert" critiques of the Will Rogers Memorial Funds annual shorts, they should at least have a bit of film knowledge in their Critics Kit and know exactly why the short was made.
helpful•20
- horn-5
- Oct 31, 2013
Details
- Runtime8 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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