The Show of Shows

5.5 / 10

English / 128 min. / 1929-11-21

the genres:

Storyline:

Now hear this. The studio that gave the cinema its voice offered 1929 audiences a chance to see and hear multiple silent-screen favorites for the first time in a gaudy, grandiose music-comedy-novelty revue that also included Talkie stars, Broadway luminaries and of course, Rin-Tin-Tin. Frank Fay hosts a jamboree that, among its 70+ stars, features bicyclers, boxing champ Georges Carpentier, chorines in terpsichore kickery, sister acts, Myrna Loy in two-strip Technicolor as an exotic Far East beauty, John Barrymore in a Shakespearean soliloquy (adding an on-screen voice to his legendary profile for the first time) and Winnie Lightner famously warbling the joys of Singing in the Bathtub. Watch, rinse, repeat!

Cast:

Frank Fay

Frank Fay

as Master of Ceremonies

Lloyd Hamilton

Lloyd Hamilton

as Hansom Cabby in "What Became of the Floradora Boys" number" / (segment "Recitations") / Soldier (segment "Rifle Execution")

Lupino Lane

Lupino Lane

as Street Cleaner in 'What Became of the Floradora Boys' Number / 'Tramp' Ballet

Ben Turpin

Ben Turpin

as Waiter in 'What Became of the Floradora Boys' Number

Sally O'Neil

Sally O'Neil

as Performer in 'What Became of the Floradora Boys' & 'Meet My Sister' Numbers

Alice Day

Alice Day

as Performer in 'What Became of the Floradora Boys' & 'Meet My Sister' Numbers

Patsy Ruth Miller

Patsy Ruth Miller

as Performer in 'What Became of the Floradora Boys' & 'If I Could Learn to Love' Numbers

Marian Nixon

Marian Nixon

as Performer in 'What Became of the Floradora Boys' Number

Lila Lee

Lila Lee

as Performer in 'What Became of the Floradora Boys' Number

Myrna Loy

Myrna Loy

as Performer in 'What Became of the Floradora Boys' & 'Chinese Fantasy' Numbers

Chester Morris

Chester Morris

as Performer in $20 Bet Sketch and 'Bicycle Built for Two' Numbers

Jack Mulhall

Jack Mulhall

as Performer in '$20 Bet' Sketch and 'Bicycle Built for Two' Number

Sôjin Kamiyama

Sôjin Kamiyama

as Performer in '$20 Bet' Sketch (as Sojin)

Ted Lewis

Ted Lewis

as Performer in 'The Pirate' Number

Winnie Lightner

Winnie Lightner

as Performer in 'Pingo Pongo' & 'Singing in the Bathtub' Numbers

Nick Lucas

Nick Lucas

as Lady Luck Solo for 'The Only Song I Know' & 'Chinese Fantasy' Numbers

Dolores Costello

Dolores Costello

as Performer in 'Meet My Sister' Number

Helene Costello

Helene Costello

as Performer in 'Meet My Sister' Number

Molly O'Day

Molly O'Day

as Performer in 'Meet My Sister' Number

Marceline Day

Marceline Day

as Performer in 'Meet My Sister' Number

Sally Blane

Sally Blane

as Performer in 'Meet My Sister' Number

Loretta Young

Loretta Young

as Performer in 'Meet My Sister' Number

Armida

Armida

as Performer in 'Meet My Sister' Number (as Mimi Vendrell)

Lolita Vendrell

Lolita Vendrell

as Performer in 'Meet My Sister' Number (as Lola Vendrell)

Marion Byron

Marion Byron

as Performer in 'Meet My Sister' Number

Ann Sothern

Ann Sothern

as Performer in 'Meet My Sister' & 'Bicycle Built for Two' Numbers (as Harriet Lake)

Alberta Vaughn

Alberta Vaughn

as Performer in 'Meet My Sister' Number

Ada Mae Vaughn

Ada Mae Vaughn

as Performer in 'Meet My Sister' Number

Viola Dana

Viola Dana

as Performer in 'The Pirate,' 'Meet My Sister' & 'Ladies of the Ensemble' Numbers

Shirley Mason

Shirley Mason

as Performer in 'Meet My Sister' & 'Ladies of the Ensemble' Numbers

Irène Bordoni

Irène Bordoni

as Performer in 'Just for One Hour of Love' Number

Rin-Tin-Tin

Rin-Tin-Tin

as 'Chinese Fantasty' Presenter

Sid Silvers

Sid Silvers

as Al Jolson Impersonator / Introducing Larry Ceballos Black and White Girls Number

Harry Akst

Harry Akst

as Pianist Accompanying Irene Bordoni

Johnny Arthur

Johnny Arthur

as Hero - Performer in 'The Pirate' (uncredited)

Mary Astor

Mary Astor

as Performer in 'The Pirate' Number (uncredited)

William Bakewell

William Bakewell

as Performer in 'Bicycle Built for Two' Number (uncredited)

John Barrymore

John Barrymore

as Richard III in 'Henry VI Part III' (uncredited)

Richard Barthelmess

Richard Barthelmess

as Meet My Sister Presenter (uncredited)

Noah Beery

Noah Beery

as Performer in "The Pirate" Number / Soldier (segment "Rifle Execution") (uncredited)

Monte Blue

Monte Blue

as Condemned Man (segment "Rifle Execution") (uncredited)

Hobart Bosworth

Hobart Bosworth

as Executioner - Guillotine Sequence (uncredited)

Jack Buchanan

Jack Buchanan

as Jack (uncredited)

Joseph A. Burke

Joseph A. Burke

as Joe Burke (as Joe Burke) (uncredited)

Georges Carpentier

Georges Carpentier

as Boulevardier in 'If I Could Learn to Love' Number (uncredited)

Ethlyne Clair

Ethlyne Clair

as Performer in 'Ladies of the Ensemble' Number (uncredited)

James Clemens

James Clemens

as Performer (as Jimmy Clemons) (uncredited)

Ruth Clifford

Ruth Clifford

as Performer in 'Ladies of the Ensemble' Number (uncredited)

William Collier Jr.

William Collier Jr.

as Performer in 'Bicycle Built for Two' Number (uncredited)

Betty Compson

Betty Compson

as Performer in 'The Pirate Number' & 'Lady Luck' Numbers (uncredited)

Chester Conklin

Chester Conklin

as Traffic Cop in 'Bicycle Built for Two' Number (uncredited)

Heinie Conklin

Heinie Conklin

as Ice Man in 'What Became of the Floradora Boys' Number (uncredited)

William Courtenay

William Courtenay

as The Minister - Guillotine Sequence (uncredited)

Jack Curtis

Jack Curtis

as Performer in 'The Pirate' Number (uncredited)

Sally Eilers

Sally Eilers

as Performer in 'Ladies of the Ensemble' Number (uncredited)

Douglas Fairbanks Jr.

Douglas Fairbanks Jr.

as Ambrose in 'Bicycle Built for Two' Number (uncredited)

Louise Fazenda

Louise Fazenda

as 'Recitations' Sketch (uncredited)

Frances Lee

Frances Lee

as Performer in 'Ladies of the Ensemble' Number (uncredited)

Beatrice Lillie

Beatrice Lillie

as Performer in 'Recitations' Number (uncredited)

Jacqueline Logan

Jacqueline Logan

as Performer in 'The Pirate' & 'Bicycle Built for Two' Numbers (uncredited)

Tully Marshall

Tully Marshall

as Performer in "The Pirate" / Soldier (segment "Rifle Execution") (uncredited)

Edna Murphy

Edna Murphy

as Performer in 'Bicycle Built for Two' Number (uncredited)

Carmel Myers

Carmel Myers

as Performer in 'Ladies of the Ensemble' Number (uncredited)

Gertrude Olmstead

Gertrude Olmstead

as Performer in 'Bicycle Built for Two' Number (uncredited)

H.B. Warner

H.B. Warner

as The Victim - Guillotine Sequence (uncredited)

Dorothy Coonan Wellman

Dorothy Coonan Wellman

as (uncredited)

Alice White

Alice White

as Performer in 'If I Could Learn to Love' Number (uncredited)

Lois Wilson

Lois Wilson

as Performer in 'Bicycle Built for Two' Number (uncredited)

Grant Withers

Grant Withers

as Performer in 'Bicycle Built for Two Number (uncredited)