Pioneers–Bing, Eddie, Lennie, Big Broadcast, Please and Dinah

In 1932, the same song was picked up by Paramount and used in the first full length movie featuring the studio’s new star, Bing Crosby. In the movie clip of The Big Broadcast, we see two songs: the first is “Dinah” performed as a duet between Bing and a black actor/percussionist who could snap a cloth with enough rhythm to make you want to sing and dance yourself. If you look closely, you can see Bing watch and listen to the man get excited and up his game to match the snap of the cloth. It is a short sequence, but this duet makes a music lover’s life worthwhile.

The second song is “Please,” a song written by Leo Robin (lyrics) and Ralph Rainger (music) for this movie. We have already played this song for you. However, this clip is a bit more fun; at the beginning, you will see glimpses of Lennie Hayton at the piano and Eddie Lang on guitar.