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Kay Kyser Double Feature: Swing Fever/Playmates [DVD]
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Language:English
: Program Type:Movie
: Screen Format:Black & White
: Studio:Warner Bros. Digital Distribution
: Region Code:0
: Sound Features:monaural
: Aspect Ratio:1.37:1
: Format:DVD
: Product Name:Kay Kyser Double Feature: Swing Fever/Playmates [DVD]
: Product Tags:DVD
The much-maligned Playmates callously offers the appalling spectacle of a thoroughly dissolute John Barrymore in his final screen performance, but the film isn't quite as bad as it's supposed to be. Barrymore plays himself, a washed-up ham actor up to his ears in debts. When the IRS demands payment for back taxes, Barrymore's press agent Pete Lindsey (Peter Lynd Hayes) and manager Lulu Monohan (Patsy Kelly) suggest a sure-fire moneymaking scheme: the venerable thespian will transform bucolic bandleader Kay Kyser (also playing himself) into a Shakespearean actor, in exchange for a fat radio contract. Neither Kyser nor Barrymore are keen on this set-up, but while Kyser is willing to go through with the plan, Barrymore seeks various devious methods of wriggling out of the committment. Barrymore goes so far as to sic his peppery girlfriend Carmen del Toro (Lupe Velez) on poor Kyser, hoping to dissuade the bandleader from showing up at the climactic Long Island Shakespeare Festival peformance. When this fails, Barrymore spikes Kyser's throat spray with alum, only to be rendered speechless himself when the spray bottles are switched. Suffice to say that all ends happily, with Kay Kyser and his aggregation (Ginny Simms, Harry Babbitt, Ish Kabibble et. al.) performing a rather pleasant ""swing"" version of Romeo and Juliet. Admittedly, it's rather hard to watch Playmates knowing that John Barrymore had once been regarded as the greatest actor of his generation. Even so, a few bright moments shrine through, notably a poignant scene in which Barrymore briefly recaptures the old magic by reciting a few passages from Hamlet's soliloquy.~Hal Erickson
Name : John Barrymore: Role : Himself
Name : Lupe Velez: Role : Carmen del Torre
Name : Ginny Simms: Role : Herself
Name : May Robson: Role : Grandma Kyser
Name : Patsy Kelly: Role : Lulu Monahan
Name : Peter Lind Hayes: Role : Himself
Name : George Cleveland: Role : Mr. Pennypacker
Name : Alice Fleming: Role : Mrs. Pennypacker
Name : Dorothy Babb: Role : Autograph Girl
Name : Leon Belasco: Role : Prince Maharoohu
Name : Cliff Reid: Role : Producer
Name : James Kern: Role : Screenwriter
Name : Frank Redman: Role : Cinematographer
Name : Roy Webb: Role : Musical Direction/Supervision
Name : Irene Morra: Role : Editor
Name : Albert S. D'Agostino: Role : Art Director
Name : Carroll Clark: Role : Art Director
Name : Darrell Silvera: Role : Set Designer
Name : Edward Stevenson: Role : Costume Designer
Name : Vernon Walker: Role : Special Effects
[!Language:English!] [!Program Type:Movie!] [!Screen Format:Black & White!] [!Studio:Warner Bros. Digital Distribution!] [!Region Code:0!] [!Sound Features:monaural!] [!Aspect Ratio:1.37:1!] [!Product Name:Kay Kyser Double Feature: Swing Fever/Playmates [DVD!]] [!Product Tags:DVD!] [!John Barrymore:Himself!] [!Lupe Velez:Carmen del Torre!] [!Ginny Simms:Herself!] [!May Robson:Grandma Kyser!] [!Patsy Kelly:Lulu Monahan!] [!Peter Lind Hayes:Himself!] [!George Cleveland:Mr. Pennypacker!] [!Alice Fleming:Mrs. Pennypacker!] [!Dorothy Babb:Autograph Girl!] [!Leon Belasco:Prince Maharoohu!] [!Cliff Reid:Producer!] [!James Kern:Screenwriter!] [!Frank Redman:Cinematographer!] [!Roy Webb:Musical Direction/Supervision!] [!Irene Morra:Editor!] [!Albert S. D'Agostino:Art Director!] [!Carroll Clark:Art Director!] [!Darrell Silvera:Set Designer!] [!Edward Stevenson:Costume Designer!] [!Vernon Walker:Special Effects!]
: Program Type:Movie
: Screen Format:Black & White
: Studio:Warner Bros. Digital Distribution
: Region Code:0
: Sound Features:monaural
: Aspect Ratio:1.37:1
: Format:DVD
: Product Name:Kay Kyser Double Feature: Swing Fever/Playmates [DVD]
: Product Tags:DVD
The much-maligned Playmates callously offers the appalling spectacle of a thoroughly dissolute John Barrymore in his final screen performance, but the film isn't quite as bad as it's supposed to be. Barrymore plays himself, a washed-up ham actor up to his ears in debts. When the IRS demands payment for back taxes, Barrymore's press agent Pete Lindsey (Peter Lynd Hayes) and manager Lulu Monohan (Patsy Kelly) suggest a sure-fire moneymaking scheme: the venerable thespian will transform bucolic bandleader Kay Kyser (also playing himself) into a Shakespearean actor, in exchange for a fat radio contract. Neither Kyser nor Barrymore are keen on this set-up, but while Kyser is willing to go through with the plan, Barrymore seeks various devious methods of wriggling out of the committment. Barrymore goes so far as to sic his peppery girlfriend Carmen del Toro (Lupe Velez) on poor Kyser, hoping to dissuade the bandleader from showing up at the climactic Long Island Shakespeare Festival peformance. When this fails, Barrymore spikes Kyser's throat spray with alum, only to be rendered speechless himself when the spray bottles are switched. Suffice to say that all ends happily, with Kay Kyser and his aggregation (Ginny Simms, Harry Babbitt, Ish Kabibble et. al.) performing a rather pleasant ""swing"" version of Romeo and Juliet. Admittedly, it's rather hard to watch Playmates knowing that John Barrymore had once been regarded as the greatest actor of his generation. Even so, a few bright moments shrine through, notably a poignant scene in which Barrymore briefly recaptures the old magic by reciting a few passages from Hamlet's soliloquy.~Hal Erickson
Name : John Barrymore: Role : Himself
Name : Lupe Velez: Role : Carmen del Torre
Name : Ginny Simms: Role : Herself
Name : May Robson: Role : Grandma Kyser
Name : Patsy Kelly: Role : Lulu Monahan
Name : Peter Lind Hayes: Role : Himself
Name : George Cleveland: Role : Mr. Pennypacker
Name : Alice Fleming: Role : Mrs. Pennypacker
Name : Dorothy Babb: Role : Autograph Girl
Name : Leon Belasco: Role : Prince Maharoohu
Name : Cliff Reid: Role : Producer
Name : James Kern: Role : Screenwriter
Name : Frank Redman: Role : Cinematographer
Name : Roy Webb: Role : Musical Direction/Supervision
Name : Irene Morra: Role : Editor
Name : Albert S. D'Agostino: Role : Art Director
Name : Carroll Clark: Role : Art Director
Name : Darrell Silvera: Role : Set Designer
Name : Edward Stevenson: Role : Costume Designer
Name : Vernon Walker: Role : Special Effects
[!Language:English!] [!Program Type:Movie!] [!Screen Format:Black & White!] [!Studio:Warner Bros. Digital Distribution!] [!Region Code:0!] [!Sound Features:monaural!] [!Aspect Ratio:1.37:1!] [!Product Name:Kay Kyser Double Feature: Swing Fever/Playmates [DVD!]] [!Product Tags:DVD!] [!John Barrymore:Himself!] [!Lupe Velez:Carmen del Torre!] [!Ginny Simms:Herself!] [!May Robson:Grandma Kyser!] [!Patsy Kelly:Lulu Monahan!] [!Peter Lind Hayes:Himself!] [!George Cleveland:Mr. Pennypacker!] [!Alice Fleming:Mrs. Pennypacker!] [!Dorothy Babb:Autograph Girl!] [!Leon Belasco:Prince Maharoohu!] [!Cliff Reid:Producer!] [!James Kern:Screenwriter!] [!Frank Redman:Cinematographer!] [!Roy Webb:Musical Direction/Supervision!] [!Irene Morra:Editor!] [!Albert S. D'Agostino:Art Director!] [!Carroll Clark:Art Director!] [!Darrell Silvera:Set Designer!] [!Edward Stevenson:Costume Designer!] [!Vernon Walker:Special Effects!]
