Next up in my series is Everybody Sing from 1938! The film teams up Judy and Billie Burke one year before they were immortalized as Dorothy and Glinda the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz. It’s a musical comedy where Judy plays a precocious singing daughter of a madcap theatrical family who saves them from financial ruin with help from their Russian maid (Fanny Brice, in a rare film role!) and singing chef. Why not? haha.
The film is certainly an important reminder of the the development of Garland’s career and was even more important due to a seven-week, seven-city promotional tour made to promote the film. She traveled with her mentor, Roger Edens, who accompanied her on the piano. (Roger used to be the mentor of Ethel Merman who was a great battle ax of a broadway belter!) These performances were the first opportunities for her to command large stages, alone, to sing in front of adoring crowds and establish a dedicated audience and sincere rapport that would, in time, make her one of the world's greatest live entertainers in the world. (Listen to Judy at Carnegie Hall recorded in 1961 if you need me to convince you of this!)
The main title type uses a very lovely deco sans serif and the trailer uses more of that fun deco bulb typography. I combined both for my reinterpretation and I am really loving working with “bulbs” as building blocks for type.
Here’s the complete theatrical trailer. You must watch it for the hilarious use of music notes as windows for all of the actor’s faces. It’s quite a sight and thoroughly enjoyable!