The Swing Shift Shuffle is a radio program of swing, big band, jazz, boogie woogie and other popular music from the 1930's and 40's that airs every Wednesday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. (US Central Time) on WEVL 89.9 FM in Memphis, Tennessee, with a live webcast at wevl.org. In addition to the radio show, this blog is dedicated to all aspects of the Swing Era, including art, automobiles, cartoons, comics, history, movies, music, news, science, technology, and anything else that happened during that time. It also includes announcements about events in the Memphis/Mid-South area related to the Swing Era, such as classic movies, concerts, dances, lectures, etc. If you see something that fits the description, send it to me at tim@wevl.org. If you would like more information about the radio show, just go to the Radio Show FAQ page.

Monday, August 31, 2015

September On TCM

Susan Hayward
Another month has flown by, and it is again time for The Hollywood Revue's monthly preview of programming on Turner Classic Movies.  Susan Hayward is the Star of the Month, with her films being shown on Thursdays.  On Tuesdays, TCM will run a series called "Five Came Back," which highlights five major American film directors who were involved in World War II by creating documentaries and other films for the government:  Frank Capra, John Huston, John Ford, William Wyler, and George Stevens. 

Sunrise Serenade: My Reverie

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "My Reverie" by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra with Ray Eberle on vocals.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line

Friday, August 28, 2015

Tom Thumb

This encore from 2012 features a fun little (pun intended) 1936 "ComiColor" cartoon from Ub Iwerks.  From the Internet Archive, here is Tom Thumb.

Sunrise Serenade: The Lady In Red

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "The Lady In Red" by Louis Prima.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Dorothy Lamour And V-8

I just thought this was a fun little ad from the late 1940's, posted on Vintage Ads.  Movie star Dorothy Lamour flashes the "V for Victory," or in this case, "V for V-8 sign;" while the ad promotes the health benefits of the beverage and mentions Ms. Lamour's latest picture.   

Sunrise Serenade: Tico-Tico No Fuba

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Tico-Tico No Fuba" by the Brazilian Bombshell, Carmen Miranda.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Playlist For August 26, 2015

The playlist for the August 26, 2015 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has now been added to the playlist filing cabinet.  

This Week In Film History

The regular This Week In Film History item on MovieFanFare included several notable events from the Swing Era this week, including the premieres of two good movies I have been fortunate to see - Capra's You Can't Take It With You and Hitchcock's Rope. 
August 26, 1930: The silent cinema loses one of its greatest stars when “man of a thousand faces” Lon Chaney succumbs to bronchial cancer at the age of 47.
August 24, 1937: “The Dead End Kids” (Huntz Hall, Billy Halop, Leo Gorcey, et. al.) reprise their stage roles in the film version of Dead End, co-starring Humphrey Bogart.
August 23, 1938: Filmmaker Frank Capra’s three-year-old son, John, dies while hospitalized for a tonsillectomy on the same day that the director’s latest film, You Can’t It with You, premieres.
August 24, 1938: MGM’s price for the loan of Clark Gable‘s services to Selznick for Gone With the Wind: the distribution rights and 50 percent of the profits.
August 23, 1943: Olivia de Havilland files her trailblazing lawsuit against Warner Brothers that ultimately breaks the studios’ practice of extending performer contracts indefinitely.
August 28, 1948: Alfred Hitchcock’s Rope, with all the action taking place over continuous ten-minute takes and seamless cuts to the next scene, opens.

Sunrise Serenade: Hawaiian War Chant

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Hawaiian War Chant" by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Hop On Down To The Rumba Room

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues at the Rumba Room this Friday night.  Free beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Free admission before 7:00 and $5 thereafter.  Dress like you are going out!
303 South Main
Memphis, TN 38103

The University of Memphis RHLH chapter hosts a free beginner swing dance lesson every Monday (except school holidays) in Room 254 of the Roane Field House.  Beginner lesson from 7:00-8:00 p.m., and social dancing and practice until 9:30.  More information here

The Tiger Rag lessons and guided practice sessions are back at the Madison Dance Studio in Minglewood Plaza, 1555 Madison Ave Memphis, TN 38104.  Learn more and register here

Sunrise Serenade: I'm Going Mad For A Pad

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "I'm Going Mad For A Pad" by Anita O'Day and Stan Kenton.  Enjoy the video from YouTube

Monday, August 24, 2015

Road Trip Time Warp

NewDealNRA.jpg
I was driving east on Highway 72 toward Corinth, Mississippi a few days ago, and I passed a late model pickup truck with Mississippi tags and a large NRA decal in the rear window.  Many of you may think there is nothing unusual about seeing a truck in a rural Southern area with an NRA sticker, and you would be right - except it was not that NRA.  The design on the truck was not that of the National Rifle Association, but instead that of the National Recovery Administration, a New Deal agency established by Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933 to help the country out of the Great Depression.  The decal was solid white on the black-tinted rear truck window, and the design matched the poster above, down to the "We do our part" motto. 

The NRA ceased operations in 1935.  I spend my time wandering through places looking for items related to the 1930s and 1940s, and I have only seen the old NRA logo appear a few rare times on pins or posters at antique stores or flea markets.  To see a new, laser-cut vinyl decal of this design on a fairly new pickup truck in North Mississippi was enough to make me do a double-take.  If I ever see that truck again, I am definitely going to inquire about the decal.  The owner must have a special reason for displaying such an unusual design.

Sunrise Serenade: (Looks Like I'm) Breakin' The Ice

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "(Looks Like I'm) Breakin' The Ice" by Louis Prima and His New Orleans Gang.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line

Friday, August 21, 2015

Gabby Goes Fishing

This encore from 2013 features a 1941 short from Max Fleischer.  Gabby (the town cryer featured in the animated feature film Gulliver's Travels) demonstrates proper fishing technique to a skeptical lad.  From the Internet Archive, here is Gabby Goes Fishing

Sunrise Serenade: It's The Rhythm In Me

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "It's The Rhythm In Me" by Louis Prima and His New Orleans Gang.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Linden Circle Theatre


Ask Vance posted this article about the Linden Circle Theatre in Memphis.  I used to drive by this location daily, and once you know it used to be a movie theatre, you can see subtle hints of its former use.  Once I make my massive fortune through door-to-door brush sales, I am going to buy some of the remaining theatres still standing, and convert them back to their original purpose. 

Sunrise Serenade: And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine" by Ella Fitzgerald.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Playlist For August 19, 2015

The playlist for the August 19, 2015 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has now been added to the playlist filing cabinet.  

Captain Battle


I do not remember posting a Captain Battle before, so here is one from Four Color Shadows.  He is a World War I veteran and scientific genius athlete who invented all these gadgets that make him a superhero.  Captain America meets Batman.  His ruthless enemy, The Black Dragon (a name I have also seen used for a Japanese spy ring in a Republic serial) apparently has an army of mutated bird-men.

Sunrise Serenade: Put On An Old Pair Of Shoes

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Put On An Old Pair Of Shoes" by Louis Prima and His Gang.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Live Music At The Lindy Hop

Photo1
The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues at the Rumba Room this Friday night with live music from the Side Street Steppers.  Free beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Five dollar admission before 7:00 and $7 thereafter.  Dress like you are going out!
303 South Main
Memphis, TN 38103

The University of Memphis RHLH chapter hosts a free beginner swing dance lesson every Monday (except school holidays) in Room 254 of the Roane Field House.  Beginner lesson from 7:00-8:00 p.m., and social dancing and practice until 9:30.  More information here

The Tiger Rag lessons and guided practice sessions are back at the Madison Dance Studio in Minglewood Plaza, 1555 Madison Ave Memphis, TN 38104.  Learn more and register here

Sunrise Serenade: She's Funny That Way

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "She's Funny That Way" by the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra.  Enjoy the video from YouTube

Monday, August 17, 2015

Happy Birthday Maureen O'Hara!

The Black Swan
Happy Birthday Maureen O'Hara!  Shown here with co-star Tyrone Power in The Black Swan (1942).

Sunrise Serenade: Playmates

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Playmates" by Kay Kyser and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Sunrise Serenade: Gotta Be Gettin'

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Gotta Be Gettin'" by Stan Kenton and His Orchestra featuring Anita O'Day on vocals.  Enjoy the video from YouTube.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Playlist For August 12, 2015

The playlist for the August 12, 2015 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has now been added to the playlist filing cabinet.  

G.I. Jill & Bing

Here is G.I. Jill (a/k/a Martha Wilkerson) and Bing Crosby doing a bit on Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS).  Ms. Wilkerson was an AFRS disc-jockey during World War II.  Posted on The 1940's Homefront. 




Sunrise Serenade: Us On A Bus

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Us On A Bus" by Fats Waller and His Rhythm.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Red Hot Lindy Hop & "I Charleston Memphis"

I Charleston the World is a phenomenon in which people film themselves doing the Charleston in front of famous places around the world.  Well, our friends at the Red Hot Lindy Hop have joined the fun by producing "I Charleston Memphis," a video of RHLH dancers performing at some of Memphis' best known locales.  I did not think it was possible, but this both Rocks AND Swings!  Go RHLH!  If the City ever needs a promotional video, here it is. 

You too can join this fun by meeting up with the Red Hot Lindy Hop for the weekly lesson and session at the Rumba Room this Friday night.  Free beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Free admission before 7:00 and $5 thereafter.  Dress like you are going out!
303 South Main
Memphis, TN 38103

The University of Memphis RHLH chapter hosts a free beginner swing dance lesson every Monday (except school holidays) in Room 254 of the Roane Field House.  Beginner lesson from 7:00-8:00 p.m., and social dancing and practice until 9:30.  More information here

The Tiger Rag lessons and guided practice sessions are back at the Madison Dance Studio in Minglewood Plaza, 1555 Madison Ave Memphis, TN 38104.  Learn more and register here

Sunrise Serenade: F.D.R. Jones

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "F.D.R. Jones" by Judy Garland.  Enjoy the video from YouTube


Monday, August 10, 2015

This Week In Movie History

Once again, the MovieFanFare look at this week in film history included some notable movie events from the Swing Era, so here they are:
August 9, 1930: The Fleischer Studio’s Betty Boop sashays onto the screen (as a dog!) in the cartoon short Dizzy Dishes.
August 10, 1932: Hollywood’s first true canine superstar, the original Rin Tin Tin, goes to Heaven at 13.
August 15, 1935: Beloved stage and screen star Will Rogers, traveling with aviator Wiley Post, is killed in a plane crash near Barrow, Alaska.
August 15, 1939: The audience at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre is taken “Over the Rainbow” at the Hollywood premiere of MGM’s The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland.
August 14, 1940: Top screenwriter of Easy Living and If I Were King, Preston Sturges, makes his directorial debut with The Great McGinty.
August 10, 1950: Director Billy Wilder is accused of biting the hand that feeds him with his darkly funny look at Hollywood past, Sunset Boulevard.

Sunrise Serenade: I'm Nobody's Baby

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "I'm Nobody's Baby" by Judy Garland with Bobby Sherwood and His Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line

Friday, August 7, 2015

Betty Boop: I Heard


It is time for another visit with Betty Boop and her pals for a little early animation wackiness.  In this 1931 animated short, Betty runs a tavern next to a coal mine where Bosko works.  He discovers some ghosts, and things go weird as often happens in these early cartoons.  Also featuring Don Redman and His Orchestra performing "How Am I Doing?" and the title song, from the Internet Archive, here is I Heard.

Sunrise Serenade: The Dipsy Doodle

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "The Dipsy Doodle" by Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra with Edythe Wright on vocals.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line

Thursday, August 6, 2015

Chevrolet Leader News


Here is the 1937 version of an "infomercial," only with much more "info," and much less "mercial," than today's versions.  Posted on the Hemmings blog, Jam Handy produced The Leader News for Chevrolet, featuring a number of light news items.  The promotion is left to just placement of Chevrolet products, and an occasional mention of overhead valve engines.  I think my favorite is the old Chevrolet truck "railbus" with 350,000 miles on the clock.

Sunrise Serenade: Boogie Woogie Blue Plate

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "Boogie Woogie Blue Plate" by Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Playlist For August 5, 2015

The playlist for the August 5, 2015 broadcast of the Swing Shift Shuffle has now been added to the playlist filing cabinet.  

The Flash (Fasted Hep-Cat Alive!)


I could not resist this Flash comic, posted on Four Color Shadows, for two reasons.  The first is the old-school Flash costume, complete with the winged "Mercury" helmet.  The second is the swinging, hep-cat jive talking that one of the characters is laying down.

Sunrise Serenade: Georgia On My Mind

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Georgia On My Mind" by Hoagy Carmichael.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Hop On Down To The Lindy Hop

The Red Hot Lindy Hop lesson and session continues at the Rumba Room this Friday night.  Free beginner lesson at 7:00 p.m.  Free admission before 7:00 and $5 thereafter.  Dress like you are going out!
303 South Main
Memphis, TN 38103

The University of Memphis RHLH chapter hosts a free beginner swing dance lesson every Monday (except school holidays) in Room 254 of the Roane Field House.  Beginner lesson from 7:00-8:00 p.m., and social dancing and practice until 9:30.  More information here

The Tiger Rag lessons and guided practice sessions are back at the Madison Dance Studio in Minglewood Plaza, 1555 Madison Ave Memphis, TN 38104.  Learn more and register here

Sunrise Serenad: King Porter Stomp

Today's Sunrise Serenade was "King Porter Stomp" by Benny Goodman and his Orchestra.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line.

Monday, August 3, 2015

TCM In August

Gene Tierney
Time once again for the Hollywood Revue's monthly preview of programming on Turner Classic Movies.  August is "Summer Under the Stars" month, with stars getting their own day of films.  Gene Tierney (above) started off the month on Saturday, but there are still many great stars ahead, including Mae Clarke, Virginia Bruce, Monty Woolley, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr., along with the old favorites like John Wayne, Katherine Hepburn, etc.

Sunrise Serenade: Down By The Ohio

This morning's Sunrise Serenade was "Down By The Ohio" by the Andrews Sisters.  Click on the song title to listen courtesy of Jazz On Line