Screen Songs

A cover by artist John Frew depicting a fictional bandleader Alexander and his men performing in a bandstand.

Screen Songs (formerly known as KoKo Song Car-Tunes) are a series of animated cartoons produced at the Fleischer Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures between 1929 and 1938. Paramount brought back the sing-along cartoons in 1945, now in color, and released them regularly through 1951. Two of Paramount's one-shot cartoons quietly revived the format later: Candy Cabaret (1954) and Hobo's Holiday (1963).

History

The Screen Songs are a continuation of the earlier Fleischer series Song Car-Tunes in color. They are sing-along shorts featuring the famous "bouncing ball", a sort of precursor to modern karaoke videos. They often featured popular melodies of the day. The early Song Car-Tunes were among the earliest sound films, produced two years before The Jazz Singer. They were largely unknown at the time because their release was limited to the chain of 36 theaters operated by The Red Seal Pictures Company, which was equipped with the early Lee DeForest Phonofilm sound reproduction equipment. The Red Seal theater chain—formed by the Fleischers, DeForest, Edwin Miles Fadiman, and Hugo Riesenfeld—went from the East Coast to Columbus, Ohio.

Between May 1924 and September 1926, the Fleischers released 36 Song Car-Tunes series, with 19 using the Phonofilm sound-on-film process. The films included Oh Mabel, Come Take a Trip in My Airship, Darling Nelly Gray, Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly?, and By the Light of the Silvery Moon. Beginning with My Old Kentucky Home (1926), the cartoons featured the "follow the bouncing ball" gimmick, that lead the audience singing along with the film. The other 17 films in the Song Car-Tunes series were silent, designed to be shown with live music in movie theaters.

The Fleischers were ahead of the sound revolution, and just missed the actual change when Red Seal Pictures filed for bankruptcy in the fall of 1926.

Releases after Red Seal Pictures

In 1928, the Weiss Brothers reissued through their Artclass Pictures company and other independent distributors a number of the silent "Ko-Ko Song Car-tunes" with new animation created for the beginnings, removing the original titles and opening original footage.

• For Me and My Gal (1926)
• I Love to Fall Asleep (1926)
• In My Harem (1926)
• Just Try to Picture Me (1926)
• My Sweetie (1926)
• Old Pal (1926)
• Alexander's Ragtime Band (1926)
• The Sheik of Araby (1926)
• Annie Laurie (1926)
• Oh! How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning (1926)
• When I Lost You (1926)
• Margie (1926)
• When the Midnight Choo-Choo Leaves for Alabam' (1926)
• Oh! What a Pal Was Mary (1926)
• Everybody's Doing It (1926)
• Yak-A-Hula-Hick-A-Doola (1926)
• My Wife's Gone to the Country (1926)
• My Old Kentucky Home (1926)
• Beautiful Eyes (1926)
• Finiculee Finicula (1926)
• Micky (1926)
• When the Angelus Was Ringing (1926)
• When I Leave This World Behind (1926)
• Tumbledown Shack in Athlone (1927)
• The Rocky Road to Dublin (1927)
• Call Me Up Some Rainy Afternoon (1927)
• Oh I Wish I Was in Michigan (1927)

New contract with Paramount Pictures

The Fleischers signed a new contract with Paramount Pictures in late 1928. Beginning in February 1929, the song cartoons returned under a new name, Screen Songs, using the Western Electric sound-on-film process. The first was The Sidewalks of New York (East Side, West Side) released on 5 February 1929. In the 1930s, the shorts began to feature such musical guest stars as Lillian Roth, Ethel Merman, Cab Calloway, Rudy Vallée, The Mills Brothers, the Boswell Sisters, and others. The series, which eventually focused on many of the "Big Bands" of "The Swing Era" continued until 1938. In 1945, Famous Studios, successors to the Fleischers, revived the Screen Songs as an all animated series. The earliest Screen Song released as part of the Noveltoons series, When G.I. Johnny Comes Home, was released on February 2, 1945.

Filmography

Fleischer Studios

1929
Film	Characters / Musicians	Original release date
The Sidewalks of New York		February 5, 1929
Yankee Doodle Boy		March 1, 1929
Old Black Joe		April 5, 1929
Ye Olde Melodies		May 3, 1929
Daisy Bell		May 31, 1929
Mother, Pin a Rose on Me		July 6, 1929
Dixie		August 17, 1929
Chinatown, My Chinatown	One-shot Chinese characters	August 29, 1929
Goodbye My Lady Love		August 31, 1929
My Pony Boy		September 13, 1929
Smiles	One-shot human quartet	September 27, 1929
Oh, You Beautiful Doll	Tommy and Mariah Cat	October 14, 1929
After the Ball	Charles K. Harris and Fitz the dog	November 8, 1929
Put on Your Old Grey Bonnet	One-shot animal characters	November 22, 1929
I've Got Rings on My Fingers	One-shot animal characters and (human) Irish cop	December 17, 1929
1930
Film	Characters / Musicians	Animation	Original release date
Bedelia	Fitz		January 3, 1930
In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree	One-shot bear characters		January 18, 1930
I'm Afraid to Come Home in the Dark	Fitz		January 30, 1930
The Prisoner's Song	Fitz and prisoners		March 1, 1930
I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles	One-shot mouse characters		March 15, 1930
La Paloma	Bimbo		April 12, 1930
Yes! We Have No Bananas	One-shot animal characters		April 26, 1930
Come Take a Trip in My Airship	Mariah Cat (here called "Kitty")		April 26, 1930
In the Good Old Summer Time	One-shot animal characters		June 6, 1930
A Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight	One-shot mouse characters	Seymour Kneitel	August 1, 1930
The Glow-Worm	Special bilingual entry Song sung first in German, then in English.	Rudy Zamora	August 23, 1930
The Stein Song	One-shot animal characters	Rudy Zamora Shamus Culhane	September 6, 1930
Strike Up the Band	One-shot dog sailors	Al Eugster	September 27, 1930
My Gal Sal	Bimbo	Willard Bowsky Rudolph Eggeman	October 18, 1930
Mariutch	Bimbo (in Italian lead role)	Grim Natwick George Cannata	November 15, 1930
On a Sunday Afternoon	One-shot dog characters and (briefly) Bimbo	Rudy Zamora Shamus Culhane	November 29, 1930
Row, Row, Row	Bimbo (in villainous lead role) and Betty Boop prototype	Seymour Kneitel Rudolph Eggeman	December 20, 1930
Back to back,, , hits 1931
Film	Characters / Musicians	Animation	Original release date
Please Go 'Way and Let Me Sleep	Bimbo and (briefly) Betty Boop prototype	Grim Natwick George Cannata	January 10, 1931
By the Beautiful Sea	One-shot mouse characters	Willard Bowsky Reuben Timinsky (later Reuben Timmins)	January 24, 1931
I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now	Tommy and Mariah Cat	Al Eugster George Cannata	February 14, 1931
I'd Climb the Highest Mountain	Bimbo	Seymour Kneitel Reuben Timinsky	March 7, 1931
Somebody Stole My Gal	Bimbo	George Cannata Reuben Timinsky	March 20, 1931
Any Little Girl That's a Nice Little Girl	Tommy Cat and Betty Boop prototype	Seymour Kneitel	April 18, 1931
Alexander's Ragtime Band	Bimbo	Rudy Zamora Shamus Culhane	May 9, 1931
And the Green Grass Grew All Around	One-shot bug characters		May 30, 1931
My Wife's Gone to the Country	Bimbo and (briefly) Betty Boop		May 31, 1931
That Old Gang of Mine	Mariah and (briefly) Tommy Cat		July 11, 1931
Betty Co-ed	Rudy Vallée, Betty Boop prototype		August 1, 1931
Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Shean	Gallagher and Shean	Al Eugster	August 29, 1931
You're Driving Me Crazy	Harriet Lee, vocalist (Radio Queen of 1931-32) Snooks and his Memphis Ramblers		September 19, 1931
Little Annie Rooney	Bimbo (in "Joe" role of song)	Seymour Kneitel Bernard Wolf	October 10, 1931
Kitty from Kansas City	Rudy Vallée, Betty Boop		October 31, 1931
By the Light of the Silvery Moon	Bimbo and (briefly) Betty Boop	Seymour Kneitel Myron Waldman	November 14, 1931
My Baby Just Cares for Me	Eddie Cantor, Bimbo (monkeylike design)		December 5, 1931
Russian Lullaby	Arthur Tracy, Aloysius		December 26, 1931
1932
Film	Characters / Musicians	Animation	Original release date
Sweet Jennie Lee	One-shot animal characters		January 9, 1932
Show Me the Way to Go Home	One-shot animal characters		January 30, 1932
When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along	One-shot bird characters		February 19, 1932
Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie	The Round Towners Quartet, Betty Boop and Bimbo	Seymour Kneitel Myron Waldman	March 4, 1932
Just One More Chance	Art Jarrett, Betty Boop	Shamus Culhane Dave Tendlar	April 1, 1932
Oh! How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning	Les Reis and Artie Dunn, Betty Boop	Seymour Kneitel Bernard Wolf	April 22, 1932
Shine On Harvest Moon	Alice Joy, one-shot animal characters	Shamus Culhane Reuben Timinsky	May 6, 1932
Let Me Call You Sweetheart	Ethel Merman, Betty Boop	Shamus Culhane Dave Tendlar	May 20, 1932
I Ain't Got Nobody	The Mills Brothers, one-shot animal characters	Willard Bowsky Tom Bonfiglio	June 17, 1932
You Try Somebody Else	Ethel Merman, Betty Boop		July 29, 1932
Rudy Vallée Melodies	Rudy Vallée, Betty Boop		August 5, 1932
Down Among the Sugar Cane	Lillian Roth, one-shot animal characters	Shamus Culhane William Henning	August 26, 1932
Just a Gigolo	Irene Bordoni, Betty Boop	Shamus Culhane Reuben Timinsky	September 9, 1932
School Days	Gus Edwards, one-shot animal characters	William Henning Dave Tendlar	September 30, 1932
Romantic Melodies	Arthur Tracy, Betty Boop and Bimbo	Seymour Kneitel Bernie Wolf	October 21, 1932
Sleepy Time Down South	The Boswell Sisters, one-shot animal characters	Seymour Kneitel Bernie Wolf	November 11, 1932
Sing a Song	James Melton, one-shot animal characters	Seymour Kneitel Myron Waldman	December 2, 1932
Time on My Hands	Ethel Merman, Betty Boop	Willard Bowsky Thomas Goodson	December 23, 1932
1933
Film	Characters / Musicians	Animation	Original release date
Dinah	The Mills Brothers, one-shot animal characters	Dave Tendlar William Henning	January 13, 1933
Ain't She Sweet?	Lillian Roth, Tommy and Mariah Cat	Seymour Kneitel Tom Johnson	February 3, 1933
Reaching for the Moon	Arthur Tracy, one-shot space alien characters	Willard Bowsky Ugo D'Orsi	February 23, 1933
Aloha Oe	Royal Samoans, one-shot jungle animal characters	Bernie Wolf Dave Tendlar	March 17, 1933
Popular Melodies	Art Jarrett	Willard Bowsky Myron Waldman	April 7, 1933
The Peanut Vendor	Armida, one-shot animal characters	Seymour Kneitel Tom Johnson	April 28, 1933
Song Shopping	Ethel Merman and Johnny Green, one-shot animal characters	Willard Bowsky Dave Tendlar	May 19, 1933
Boilesk	The Watson Sisters, one-shot animal characters	Willard Bowsky Myron Waldman	June 9, 1933
Sing, Sisters, Sing	Three X Sisters, one-shot animal characters	Bernie Wolf Dave Tendlar	June 3, 1933
Down by the Old Mill Stream	The Eton Boys, one-shot animal characters	Willard Bowsky William Sturm	July 21, 1933
Stoopnocracy	Stoopnagle and Budd, one-shot animal characters	Seymour Kneitel William Henning	August 18, 1933
When Yuba Plays the Rumba on the Tuba	The Mills Brothers	Bernie Wolf Tom Johnson	September 15, 1933
Boo Boo Theme Song	The Funnyboners	Willard Bowsky Myron Waldman	October 13, 1933
I Like Mountain Music	The Eton Boys	Willard Bowsky Myron Waldman	November 10, 1933
Sing, Babies, Sing	Baby Rose Marie	Seymour Kneitel Dave Tendlar	December 15, 1933
1934
Film	Characters / Musicians	Animation	Original release date
Keeps Rainin' All the Time	Gertrude Niesen	Seymour Kneitel William Henning	January 12, 1934
Let's All Sing Like the Birdies Sing	Les Reis and Artie Dunn, one-shot cat and bird characters	Myron Waldman Tom Johnson	February 9, 1934
Tune Up and Sing	Lanny Ross	Willard Bowsky Dave Tendlar	March 9, 1934
Lazy Bones	Borrah Minnevitch and His Harmonica Rascals	Willard Bowsky Dave Tendlar	April 13, 1934
This Little Piggie Went to Market	Singin' Sam	Hicks Lokey Paul Fennell	May 25, 1934
She Reminds Me of You	The Eton Boys	Willard Bowsky William Sturm	June 22, 1934
Love Thy Neighbor	Mary Small	Myron Waldman Edward Nolan	July 20, 1934
Let's Sing with Popeye	Popeye (Billy Costello (actor))	Seymour Kneitel Roland Crandall (archival)	Produced for Saturday morning matinee "Popeye Club".
1935
Film	Characters / Musicians	Animation	Original release date
I Wished on the Moon	Abe Lyman and his Orchestra, Wiffle Piffle	Tom Johnson	September 20, 1935
It's Easy to Remember	Richard Himber and his Orchestra (vocal by Stuart Allen)	Tom Johnson	November 29, 1935
1936
Film	Characters / Musicians	Animation	Original release date
No Other One	Hal Kemp and His Orchestra (vocal by Skinnay Ennis), Wiffle Piffle	Tom Johnson	January 24, 1936
I Feel Like a Feather in the Breeze	Jack Denny and his Orchestra, Wiffle Piffle	Tom Johnson Harold Walker	March 27, 1936
I Don't Want to Make History	Vincent Lopez and his Orchestra (vocal by Johnnie Morris), Wiffle Piffle	Tom Johnson Harold Walker	May 22, 1936
The Hills of Wyomin	The Westerners / Curt Massey	Tom Johnson Harold Walker	July 31, 1936
I Can't Escape from You	Joe Reichman and His Orchestra (vocal by Billie Bailey)	Tom Johnson David Hoffman	September 25, 1936
Talking Through My Heart	Dick Stabile and his Orchestra, Wiffle Piffle	Tom Johnson Harold Walker	November 27, 1936
1937
Film	Characters / Musicians	Animation	Original release date
Never Should Have Told You	Nat Brandwynne and His Orchestra, Wiffle Piffle	Roland Crandall	January 29, 1937
Twilight on the Trail	The Westerners / Louise Massey	Roland Crandall	March 26, 1937
Please Keep Me in Your Dreams	Henry King (musician) and his Orchestra (vocal by Barbara Blake)	Roland Crandall	May 28, 1937
You Came to My Rescue	Shep Fields and His Rippling Rhythm Orchestra	Roland Crandall	July 30, 1937
Whispers in the Dark	Gus Arnheim and his Orchestra (vocal by June Robbins)	Roland Crandall	September 24, 1937
Magic on Broadway	Jay Freeman and his Orchestra	Roland Crandall	November 26, 1937
1938
Film	Characters / Musicians	Animation	Original release date
You Took the Words Right Out of My Heart	Jerry Blaine and his Streamline Rhythm Orchestra (vocal by Phyllis Kenny)	Roland Crandall	January 28, 1938
Thanks for the Memory	Bert Block and his Orchestra	Roland Crandall	March 25, 1938
You Leave Me Breathless	Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra (vocal by Bob Eberly)	Roland Crandall	May 27, 1938
Beside a Moonlit Stream	Frank Dailey and his Orchestra	Roland Crandall	July 29, 1938

Famous Studios

"Start your day with a song and sing the whole day through. Even while you're busy working, do just like the birdies do! Though the day may be long, you never will go wrong. Off-key, on-key, any old key, just start your day with a song!"

— Opening to the Famous Studios Screen Song shorts.

For all the shorts, the musical arrangements were made by Winston Sharples.

Film	Theme	Song	Director	Story	Animation	Scenics	Original release date
The Circus Comes to Clown	Circus	"The Man on the Flying Trapeze"	I. Sparber	Bill Turner Larz Bourne	Tom Johnson Frank Endres	Anton Loeb	December 26, 1947
Base Brawl	Baseball	"Take Me Out to the Ball Game"	Seymour Kneitel		Dave Tendlar Tom Golden	Robert Connavale	January 23, 1948
Little Brown Jug	Cider	"Little Brown Jug"		Bill Turner Larry Riley	Orestes Calpini Morey Reden Bill Hudson	Tom Ford	February 20, 1948
The Golden State	California	"California, Here I Come"		Larz Bourne Larry Riley	Dave Tendlar Bill Hudson	Robert Little	March 12, 1948
Winter Draws On	Bird Migration	"Alabamy Bound"		Larz Bourne Bill Turner	Al Eugster Irving Spector	Tom Ford	March 19, 1948
Sing or Swim	Beach	"By the Beautiful Sea"		I. Klein Larry Riley		Robert Connavale	June 16, 1948
Camptown Races	Blackface Acts	"Camptown Races"		Bill Turner Larry Riley		Tom Ford	July 30, 1948
The Lone Star State	Texas	"Deep in the Heart of Texas"	I. Sparber	Larz Bourne	Dave Tendlar Morey Reden	Robert Connavale	August 20, 1948
Readin', Ritin' and Rhythmetic	School	"School Daze"	Seymour Kneitel	I. Klein	Al Eugster Bill Hudson		October 22, 1948
The Funshine State	Florida	"Tallahassee"		Larz Bourne	Dave Tendlar Morey Reden	Shane Miller	January 7, 1949
The Emerald Isle	Ireland	"MacNamara's Band"		I. Klein	Al Eugster Bill Hudson	Tom Ford Robert Owen	February 25, 1949
Comin' Round the Mountain	Hillbillies	"She'll Be Comin' 'Round the Mountain"	I. Sparber	Bill Turner	Tom Johnson Frank Endres	Anton Loeb	March 11, 1949
The Stork Market	Newborn Babies	"Pretty Baby"	Seymour Kneitel	Bill Turner Larry Riley	Al Eugster Wm. B. Pattengill	Shane Miller	April 8, 1949
Spring Song	Spring	"Spring Song"	I. Sparber	I. Klein	Myron Waldman Larry Silverman		June 3, 1949
The Ski's the Limit	Switzerland	"I Miss My Swiss, My Swiss Miss Misses Me"		Bill Turner Larry Riley	Dave Tendlar Tom Golden	Robert Connavale	June 24, 1949
Toys Will Be Toys	Toys	"Oh, You Beautiful Doll"	Seymour Kneitel	I. Klein	Myron Waldman Gordon Whittier	Robert Little	July 29, 1949
Farm Foolery	Autumn/Winter Harvest	"Shine On, Harvest Moon"		Larz Bourne	Al Eugster Bill Hudson	Tom Ford	August 5, 1949
Our Funny Finny Friends	Fishes	"Three Little Fishies"		Larz Bourne Larry Riley			August 26, 1949
Marriage Wows	Wedding	"For Me and My Gal"	I. Sparber	Bill Turner Larry Riley	Myron Waldman Gordon Whittier		September 16, 1949
The Big Flame Up	Firefighting	"There'll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight"		I. Klein	Dave Tendlar Martin Taras		September 30, 1949
Strolling Thru the Park	1890s Parks	"Strolling Thru the Park"	Seymour Kneitel		Myron Waldman Larry Silverman	Robert Little	November 4, 1949
The Big Drip	Noah's Ark	"It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'"	I. Sparber	Larz Bourne Larry Riley	Myron Waldman Nick Tafuri	Tom Ford	November 25, 1949
Snow Foolin'	Winter	"Jingle Bells"		I. Klein	Myron Waldman Gordon Whittier		December 16, 1949
Blue Hawaii	Hawaii	"Blue Hawaii"	Seymour Kneitel	Larz Bourne	Al Eugster Wm. B. Pattengill	Lloyd Hallock Jr.	January 13, 1950
Detouring Thru Maine	Maine	"The Maine Stein Song"			Al Eugster Bill Hudson	Robert Connavale	February 17, 1950
Short'nin' Bread	Baked Goods	"Shortenin' Bread"	I. Sparber	Larz Bourne Larry Riley	Myron Waldman Gordon Whittier	Anton Loeb	March 24, 1950
Win, Place and Show Boat	Mississippi Riverboat	"Waiting for the Robert E. Lee"			Al Eugster Wm. B. Pattengill	Robert Connavale	April 28, 1950
Jingle Jangle Jungle	Africa	"Civilization (Bongo Bongo Bongo)"	Seymour Kneitel	Joe Stultz Larry Riley	Myron Waldman Larry Silverman	Tom Ford	May 19, 1950
Heap Hep Injuns	Native Americans	"My Pony Boy"	I. Sparber	Larz Bourne	Tom Johnson George Rufle	Anton Loeb	June 30, 1950
Gobs of Fun	Sailors	"Strike Up the Band (Here Comes a Sailor)"		Larry Riley Joe Stultz	Al Eugster Irving Spector	Robert Owen	July 28, 1950
Helter Swelter	Summer	"In the Good Old Summer Time"	Seymour Kneitel	Larz Bourne Larry Riley	Al Eugster Wm. B. Pattengill	Tom Ford	August 25, 1950
Boos in the Nite	Halloween	"Pack Up Your Troubles"	I. Sparber	Joe Stultz Larry Riley	Myron Waldman Nick Tafuri	Anton Loeb	September 22, 1950
Fiesta Time	Mexico	"El Rancho Grande"	Seymour Kneitel	I. Klein	Myron Waldman Larry Silverman		October 20, 1950
Fresh Yeggs	Prisons	"Give My Regards to Broadway"		Larz Bourne	Myron Waldman Nick Tafuri	Robert Owen	November 17, 1950
Tweet Music	Birds	"Let's All Sing Like the Birdies Sing"	I. Sparber	Joe Stultz	Al Eugster George Rufle		February 9, 1951
Drippy Mississippi	Mississippi River	"M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I"	Seymour Kneitel	Larz Bourne	Myron Waldman Gordon Whittier	Anton Loeb	April 13, 1951
Miners Forty-Niners	Miners	"Clementine"	I. Sparber	I. Klein	Myron Waldman Larry Silverman		May 18, 1951
Sing Again of Michigan	Michigan	"I Want to Go Back to Michigan Down on the Farm"		Larz Bourne	Al Eugster George Rufle	Robert Owen	June 29, 1951

See also

• The Golden Age of American animation
• Kartunes

External links

• Screen Songs at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on March 29, 2017.

Further reading

• Leslie Cabarga, The Fleischer Story (Da Capo Press, 1988)
• Leonard Maltin, Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons (Penguin Books, 1980, revised edition 1987)