50 CLASSIC MUSICALS - PAGE J:

MUSICALS - ROCK 'N ROLL REVIEW(1955)

A vehicle to show off some of the talent from the
peroid! Actually pretty entertaining! And this is
quite short at about 38 minutes! B-

From IMDb.com:

A previous commentator stated that while he enjoyed several
songs none were rock and roll. All the music on this short
film are most definitely rock and roll, just mid 1950's
rock and roll. I was 15 in 1955 and this is what we enjoyed
then. As with all things, music, film, art, literature and
morality everything changes over time. - dlpsilverdale

Cholly Atkins ... Self (as Cole and Atkins)
Louie Bellson ... Self
Delta Rhythm Boys ... Themselves
Ruth Brown ... Self
Willie Bryant ... Self - Master of Ceremonies
The Clovers ... Themselves
Nat 'King' Cole ... Self
Charles 'Honi' Coles ... Self (as Coles and Atkins)
Larry Darnell ... Self
Martha Davis ... Self
Duke Ellington ... Self
Lionel Hampton ... Self
Little Buck ... Self
Mantan Moreland ... Self
Leonard Reed ... Self
Nipsey Russell ... Self
Big Joe Turner ... Self
Dinah Washington ... Self

MUSICALS - ROCK - ROCK - ROCK(1956)

No actors, no plot, no action, but there's music!
Let's face it, the only purpose of this movie was
to showcase the musical talent of the day! B

From IMDb.com:

Alan Freed knew that blacks(Negroes then) were the
pioneers of the Rock 'n' Role era, and he was not
afraid to showcase them. All of the bands, including
the white ones, put on a rocking showcase of a pretty
good cross section of rock of the time, including
"Rock-a-Billy".

The obvious star of this sitcom like plot, however,
is a gorgeous Tuesday Weld at age thirteen (It is
hard to believe such a beautiful woman was even more
beautiful as a child). Who shows a grace and charm
that are far beyond those of the other "teenagers"
in the movie.

Definitely a highly entertaining historical document
of the times. - rlcsljo

Alan Freed and his Rock 'n Roll Band ... Alan Freed and his Rock 'n Roll Band
Fran Manfred ... Arabella
Tuesday Weld ... Dori
Connie Francis ... Dori's Songs (singingVoice)
Teddy Randazzo ... Tommy (as Teddy Randazzo of The Three Chuckles)
Jacqueline Kerr ... Gloria
Ivy Schulman ... Baby
The Moonglows ... The Moonglows
Chuck Berry ... Chuck Berry
The Flamingos ... The Flamingos
Jimmy Cavallo and the House Rockers ... Jimmy Cavallo and the House Rockers (as Jimmy Cavallo and His House Rockers)
The Johnny Burnette Trio ... The Johnny Burnette Trio (as Johnny Burnette Trio)
La Vern Baker ... La Vern Baker
Cirino and the Bowties ... Cirino and the Bowties
Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers ... Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers
The Coney Island Kids ... The Coney Island Kids
Jack Collins ... Father
Carol Moss ... Mother
Eleanor Swayne ... Miss Silky
Lester Mack ... Mr. Bimble
Bert Conway ... Mr. Barker
David Winters ... Melville
Frank Virtue and the Virtues ... Frank Virtue and the Virtues (scenesDeleted)
Prentiss Barnes ... Prentiss Barnes - The Moonglows (uncredited)
Paul Burlison ... Paul Burlison - The Johnny Burnette Trio (uncredited)
Dorsey Burnette ... Dorsey Burnette (uncredited)
Johnny Burnette ... Johnny Burnette - The Johnny Burnette Trio (uncredited)
Jake Carey ... Jake Carey - The Flamingos (uncredited)
Zeke Carey ... Zeke Carey - The Flamingos (uncredited)
Johnny Carter ... Johnny Carter - The Flamingos (uncredited)
Jimmy Cavallo ... Jimmy Cavallo - Jimmy Cavallo and The House Rockers (uncredited)
Cirino Colacrai ... Cirino Colacrai - Cirino and the Bowties (uncredited)
Alan Freed ... Alan Freed (uncredited)
Harvey Fuqua ... Harvey Fuqua - The Moonglows (uncredited)
Sherman Garnes ... Sherman Garnes - Frankie Lyman and The Teenagers (uncredited)
John Granada ... John Granada - Cirino and the Bowties (uncredited)
Alexander Graves ... Alexander Graves - The Moonglows (uncredited)
Valerie Harper ... Dancer at Prom (uncredited)
Billy Johnson ... Billy Johnson - The Moonglows (uncredited)
Bobby Lester ... Bobby Lester - The Moonglows (uncredited)
Frankie Lymon ... Frankie Lymon - Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers (uncredited)
Jimmy Merchant ... Jimme Merchant - Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers (uncredited)
Joe Negroni ... Joe Negroni - Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers (uncredited)
Nate Nelson ... Nate Nelson - The Flamingos (uncredited)
Michael Peterson ... Dancer at Prom (uncredited)
Jimmy Piro ... Jimmy Piro - Cirino and the Bowties (uncredited)
Tommy Romano ... Tommy Romano (uncredited)
Herman Santiago ... Herman Santiago - Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers (uncredited)
Vince Sepaldo ... Vince Sepaldo - Cirino and the Bowties (uncredited)
Garrison True ... Dori's Prom Date (uncredited)

MUSICALS - PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN, THE(1958)

Oh boy, this is pretty bad! I'm not a fan of
this kind of production, rhyming just for the
sake of rhyming!! Not the worst of the movies
in this set, but way far away from the best! D-

From IMDb.com:

You know, I was a child when this came out. It was both
dark and enchanting at the same time, and speaking of
time it was quite a good production for 1957. I am tired
of all the over-reviewing done to movies at this site
and movies being picked to death. This provided wonderful
entertainment on the early TV medium and I for one am
glad to own a copy of this for my niece and nephews, who
love it TODAY! - equipage

Van Johnson ... Pied Piper / Truson
Claude Rains ... Mayor of Hamelin
Lori Nelson ... Mara
Jim Backus ... King's Emissary
Kay Starr ... John's Mother
Alan Aaronson ... Unknown
Kathie Anderson ... Unknown
Les Clark ... Unknown
Brian Corcoran ... Unknown
Cyril Delevanti ... Unknown
James Elsegood ... Unknown
James Gonzalez ... Unknown
Alex Goudavich ... Unknown
Fred Hansen ... Unknown
Jess Kirkpatrick ... Unknown
Carey Leverette ... Unknown
Nora Marlowe ... Unknown
Jack Mattis ... Unknown
Jay Meyers ... Unknown
Fintan Meyler ... Unknown
Dean Miles ... Unknown
Joseph Sargent ... Unknown
Stanley Adams ... Second Counselor (uncredited)
Oliver Blake ... Leading Citizen (uncredited)
Rene Kroper ... Paul (uncredited)
Carl Benton Reid ... Mayor of Hamelout (uncredited)
Amzie Strickland ... Leading Townswoman (uncredited)
Doodles Weaver ... First Counselor (uncredited)

MUSICALS - BLACK TIGHTS(1962)

Ballet is not my cup of tea, just a smidge above
opera! This doesn't help to change my mind at all!
4 ballet vignettes without a word spoken!

It's 2 hours and 3 minutes and BORING!!!!! D-

From IMDb.com:

Really can't add much to the knowledgeable original
comment, but wanted to say what a handsome looking
film this is, with striking, stylized sets and lighting.
Even the slight fading of the Technicolor hues (at
least in the print I saw) seemed more an asset than
a failing. (And of course one has to give beauty
marks to any film featuring the gorgeous Cyd
Charisse!)-- Overall, just lovely to look at, especially
the "Cyrano de Bergerac" sequence. - angelynx-2

Maurice Chevalier ... Self - Presenter
Les Ballets de Paris ... Themselves (as Ballets de Paris of Roland Petit)
Zizi Jeanmaire ... The Gold Digger / Carmen
Dirk Sanders ... Pierrot
Bertie Eckhrat ... The Bartender
Raoul Celada ... Ruffian
Gerard Lemaitre ... Ruffian / Waiter at Coffee Shop
Elwin Carel ... Ruffian
Hans von Manen ... Ruffian / The Husband / Smuggler
Claude Jourdan ... Ruffian
Roland Petit ... Cyrano / The Seducer / Don Jose
Moira Shearer ... Roxane
George Reich ... Christian
Josiane Consoli ... Lise Ragueneau
Joelle Zissler ... The Duenna
Lucien Mars ... The Little Marquis
Leo Lauer ... The Bad Actor
Cyd Charisse ... The Wife
Daniëlle Jesse ... Soubrette
Regine Dubry ... Soubrette
Josette Clavier ... Smuggler
Henning Kronstam ... The Bullfighter
Fredbjorn Bjornsson ... Smuggler
Regine Rourry ... Cigar Maker
Sally Pierce ... Cigar Maker
France Arnel ... Cigar Maker
Irena Radkitwiecz ... Cigar Maker

MUSICALS - WILD GUITAR(1962)

There are worse movie on this set, but this is
really close to the worst!! D-

From IMDb.com:

Wild Guitar has great economic story telling. It only
takes Arch Hall Jr an afternoon to become a singing
sensation. He arrives in Hollywood and before he has
a chance to even tune his guitar he's making his TV
debut. By nightfall he's hooked up with a crooked
manager and is well on his way to becoming an overnight
sensation. Personally I think the cherub faced Hal
Jr has more talent in his left pinkie than all the
American Idol winners combined. He doesn't really
play a wild guitar however. The skating scene nicely
showcases Nancy Czar's talents on blades. It also
reveals why Arch Hall Jr would never be up for the
lead part in The Bobby Orr Story. Unless of course,
his dad produced it. - cutterccbaxter

Arch Hall Jr. ... Bud Eagle
Nancy Czar ... Vickie Wills
Arch Hall Sr. ... Mike McCauley (as William Watters)
Ray Dennis Steckler ... Steak (as Cash Flagg)
Marie Denn ... Marge
Robert Crumb ... Don Proctor
Virginia Broderick ... Daisy
Al Scott ... Tom
Lloyd Williams ... Kidnapper (as William Lloyd)
Jonathan Karle ... Kidnapper
Mike Treibor ... Kidnapper
Paul Voorhees ... Hal Kenton (MC)
Rick Dennis ... Stage Manager
Carol Flynn ... Dancer
Denise Lynn ... Nancy
Raeme Patterson ... Fan Club Leader
Danny Silvers ... Fan Club Leader
Carolyn Brandt ... Dancer on Ramp (uncredited)
Tony Flynn ... (uncredited)
Mike Kannon ... (uncredited)