Articles » "Soundies"

Before MTV and the age of television, there were "Soundies". First appearing in 1941, these three minute black-and-white films featured artists of the Big Band, Jazz and Swing era, like Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Louis Jordan, Louis Armstrong, Gene Krupa, The Mills Brothers, Les Paul, Cab Calloway, and Fats Waller.

The Soundies helped launch the careers of Doris Day, Nat King Cole, Liberace, and Dorothy Dandridge, among others. Viewed for a dime through a special machine called a Panoram, a movie jukebox, these forerunners to the music video could be seen in nightclubs, roadhouses, restaurants and other public venues across the U.S. ~Chris Lamson (www.imdb.com)

This short video found on web, is probably the trailer of the documentary film:
"Soundies: A Musical History (hosted by Michael Feinstein)"

There're quotes from Cab Calloway, Doris Day, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, Helen O'Connell Jimmy Dorsey, Louis Armstrong; and more.

More information about "Soundies" » ~www.soundies.net