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Crosby, Columbo, and Vallee is a 1932 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies cartoon short directed by Rudolf Ising.[1] The short was released on March 19, 1932.[2] It lampoons the popularity of crooners among young women, with popular crooners Bing Crosby, Russ Columbo, and Rudy Vallée being the namesake of the film.
| Crosby, Columbo, and Vallee | |
|---|---|
 Title card | |
| Directed by | Rudolf Ising |
| Produced by | Hugh Harman Rudolf Ising Leon Schlesinger |
| Starring | The King's Men Johnny Murray |
| Music by | Frank Marsales |
| Animation by | Rollin Hamilton Max Maxwell |
| Color process | Black and white |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures The Vitaphone Corporation |
Release date |
|
Running time | 7 min (one reel) |
| Language | English |
The title song had earlier been recorded by Dick Robertson in 1931 (Perfect 12772B) and called upon men to fight "these public enemies" brought into homes via radio.[3][4] It was probably the inspiration for the cartoon.
A tribe of American Indians is unhappy about the way that the three radio crooners (Bing Crosby, Russ Columbo and Rudy Vallée) have influenced their [sic] squaws and the cartoon opens with the braves singing the “Crosby, Columbo and Vallée” song.
Next a young brave is seen canoeing over various dangers to meet his girl. When he reaches her tipi, he produces a radio and with the help of a spider who provides the necessary connection, the radio gives out with some more of the title song and a snatch of a Crosby-like voice singing “Many Happy Returns of the Day”. The animals in the forest join in and a floppy-eared dog sings “This Is My Love Song” in a Vallée impression.
The radio is retuned and the title song emerges again and many young Indians join in a dance as do the forest animals. A fire breaks out and three baby birds are trapped at the top of a tree. The young Indian brave enlists the help of ten bees who pick up a large spider's web and the baby birds jump down into the web and are saved.
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The Film Daily called it "A lively cartoon...Makes a tuneful number, with the usual animated antics."[5] The Motion Picture Herald said: "Amusing, especially for the younger element..."[6]
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