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The original concept of the show was to allow the viewer to see the inner workings of a movie studio and featured interviews with MGM stars and explanations of how movies were made. Later, the format changed to show edited versions of MGM films.
George Murphy
Host
Streaming availability information not available
1955
A promotional film hosted by George Murphy promoting the studio's past and its current release of "It's Always Fair Weather."
In recapping the presentation of the "If I Only Had the Nerve/We're Off To See The Wizard" musical number, host George Murphy hopes that it will bring back fond memories for adults who have seen The Wizard of Oz (1939), and will encourage children who haven't seen the movie to see it. He is appropriately in the MGM trophy room to introduce the short The Story of Alfred Nobel (1939). He is visited by young Leo, who wants George to showcase his friends Screwball Squirrel and Meathhead as they duke it out in animated short Screwball Squirrel (1944). And he visits with Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse on the set of It's Always Fair Weather (1955). Gene is featured in the "I Like Myself" roller skating musical number from the movie.
After thanking the viewing audience for their positive reception to the show, host George Murphy introduces from the MGM vaults the classic movie A Free Soul (1931), showing a clip featuring the Academy Award winning performance by Lionel Barrymore. Next, he shows a short film, One Against the World (1939), which chronicles the career of Dr. Ephraim McDowall, who was the first person ever to perform internal surgery, which was before then considered sacrilegious and was therefore unheard of. Then he shows Guest Pests (1945), which demonstrates the different kinds of house guests that can be an annoyance. And in the coming attraction, he shows a few scenes from Trial (1955), based on the Harper Award winning novel of the same name by Don Mankiewicz, who adapted his novel for the big screen.
Includes clips of "Trial" (1955) and the musical number "The French Lesson" from "Good News" (1947). Also shown is a tour of Lake Metro on the MGM back lot.
Host George Murphy talks about masks as his introduction to the short film, The Face Behind the Mask (1938), which tells the true story of Louis XIV of France and the unknown man he imprisoned behind an iron mask. He then introduces one of the late Robert Benchley's classic comic "how to" shorts, How to Train a Dog (1936). Murphy next introduces the MGM hall of fame movie of the week, Till the Clouds Roll By (1946), which is about composer, Jerome Kern. In the film clip shown, Tony Martin sings "All the Things You Are" written by Kern. Murphy lastly receives a visit from actor John Hodiak, who talks about his latest movie, Trial (1955).
Clips from "The Amazing Mr. Nordill", Greta Garbo in "Anna Christie", and an interview with Robert Taylor.
Included are clips from the Carey Wilson Miniature Changed Identity (1941) and the Tex Avery Cartoon The Early Bird Dood It! (1942), as well as an interview with Debbie Reynolds.
Features film clips from The Philadelphia Story (1940) and Ziegfeld Follies (1946).
Marlon Brando drops and talks about his role with scenes from his most recent movie, "Guys and Dolls".
Host George Murphy introduces clips from "A Guy Named Joe" (1943), the Carey Wilson Miniature "A Door Will Open" (1940), and the Pete Smith Specialty "You Can't Win" (1948).
Features clips from the John Nesbitt's Passing Parade short "Strange Testament" (1941), the Pete Smith Specialty "Let's Talk Turkey" (1941), and an interview with Susan Hayward.
Host George Murphy introduces clips from "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo" (1944), "Home Movies" (1940), and "Master Will Shakespeare" (1936), as well as a preview of the then-upcoming "Kismet" (1955).
Host George Murphy introduces clips featuring Fernand Gravey in The Great Waltz (1938), Susan Hayward in I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955), and the MGM Historical Mystery The Miracle of Salt Lake (1938).
Host George Murphy introduces segments from two MGM productions, the feature length movie Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) and the short film The Greatest Gift (1942). He then presents a few common pet peeves, dramatized by an unfortunate man, who must wait to use the only pay telephone booth around which is occupied by a very talkative woman; as a shopkeeper, who is waiting on a customer who doesn't seem to want to spend any money but causes calamity in the store; who slips on a loose rug at the top of a flight of stairs; who battles a stuck ice cube tray in a freezer; and who needs to find the burnt out bulb on a string of Christmas tree lights. Murphy then meets with actor/singer Howard Keel, who is to appear in the upcoming MGM musical Kismet (1955).
Host George Murphy introduces clips from Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) (as Judy Garland sings "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas), A Christmas Carol (1938), and Kismet (1955) ("Stranger in Paradise").
Host George Murphy introduces the musical number "Czaritza" from the movie, Maytime (1937), sung by one of the most enduring set of screen sweethearts, Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. He then introduces the short film That Inferior Feeling (1940), where everyman Joe Doakes provides examples of how men can feel inferior and, thus, make themselves look more inferior than they are. Next, Murphy introduces a short movie about a non-inferior man, Matthew Fontaine Maury, who is credited with creating the first maritime wind and currents charts. That movie is Prophet Without Honor (1939). And finally, Murphy presents a few scenes from I'll Cry Tomorrow (1955), where real-life singer Lillian Roth, portrayed by Susan Hayward, admits her alcoholism.
Host George Murphy, who has been told that most Latin dances are flirtation set to music, presents one of the most flirtatious ever put on screen, from The Kissing Bandit (1948), featuring Ricardo Montalban, Cyd Charisse and Ann Miller. He then presents two shorts: The Forgotten Step (1938) in which a man recently hit hard by the stock market crash, tries to regain his fortune through committing what he considers the perfect crime; and The Story of 'The Jonker Diamond' (1936) which tells the story of the the discovery and post-discovery journey of one of the most famous jewels in the world. And finally, he introduces a scene from the new movie Diane (1956), where Marisa Pavan plays Henry VIII's current wife, Catherine de Medici, and Lana Turner plays Diane de Poitiers, the Countess de Breze, the woman that Catherine suspects Henry truly loves.
Host George Murphy, in the hall of fame segment, introduces a scene with two of the screen's greatest stars, Greta Garbo and John Barrymore, from Grand Hotel (1932), that scene which contains one of Garbo's most famous on-screen quotes. He then presents the short film The Man on the Rock (1938) which questions what are the historically recorded facts surrounding Napoleon Bonaparte's death. Next, one can witness what it would be like to have lion cubs as pets in Lions on the Loose (1941). And Murph makes a visit to the set of Diane (1956) to speak with one of the movie's stars, Roger Moore who portrays King Henri II of France and who presents a scene from the movie.
Host George Murphy first introduces the song and dance number "The Babbit and the Bromide" performed by Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly in Ziegfeld Follies (1945), that number which satirizes clichéd social niceties. Next, several serial cartoonists are shown at work in the short film People on Paper (1945). Murph then introduces another short film, Ghost Treasure (1941), which details the treacherous search for gold in the inhospitable Death Valley. And in the coming attractions segment, he introduces Ransom! (1956), the clip shown which highlights the pros and cons of paying ransom in a kidnapping situation.
In the family album segment, host George Murphy introduces the water ballet performed by Esther Williams in Ziegfeld Follies (1945). Next, he introduces the short film Our Old Car (1946), which presents the various automobiles owned by one family over the years and generations. The transportation/travel theme is continued with the next short film, What Do You Think?: Tupapaoo (1938), which describes the first encounter between a South Pacific island's inhabitants and the first non-native to land on the island. Finally, Murphy pays a visit to actress Donna Reed, who talks about her intense role in the soon to be released film, Ransom! (1956), from which a scene is shown.
In the MGM trophy room, host George Murphy is proud to display the latest award for the studio, specifically Redbook Magazine's annual movie award to Dore Schary. In the hall of fame segment, Murph introduces a scene from The Champ (1931), where the character portrayed by Wallace Berry, who won a Best Actor Oscar for this performance, announces from his prison cell his long term future plans for his adoring son, Dink. Next, he introduces the short film The Lady or the Tiger? (1942), which posits whether a cold hearted woman would rather send her lover to death or into the arms of another woman. He then introduces the "Number Please" skit from the movie revue, Ziegfeld Follies (1945), where an exasperated man is having problems getting through to his friend Louis on the telephone though of no fault of his own. Finally, he chats with Russ Tamblyn about his latest movie, The Last Hunt (1956).
Host George Murphy introduces the theme for this episode, which is love in all its forms. Romantic love is displayed between the characters portrayed by Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald in a scene of them singing "Sweetheart" from Maytime (1937). Patriotic love for Abraham Lincoln is displayed in Charles 'Chic' Sale's portrayal of the president in excerpts from The Perfect Tribute (1935) which deals with a more private incident between the president and a wounded soldier, who doesn't know to whom he is speaking, following the delivery of the Gettysburg address. A more literal use of the word love is presented as Lena Horne sings the song "Love" in a scene from Ziegfeld Follies (1945), the song which describes love in its many facets. And love in wedded bliss is displayed in real life and on the silver screen as husband and wife guests Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball present a scene from their upcoming feature, Forever, Darling (1956).
Host George Murphy, in the MGM family album segment, introduces a number from Anchors Aweigh (1945) featuring Gene Kelly performing with Jerry the Mouse as the King of Cartoonland. This was the first number on the big screen where a live human and an animated character sang and danced together. Another King, or more precisely one that never was, is presented in The King Without a Crown (1937), which provides an account of a Christian missionary name Eleazar Williams living in Green Bay, Wisconsin, who actually could have been King Louis XVII of France. Murphy then introduces producer Dore Schary and writer/director Richard Brooks, who, collaborating on The Last Hunt (1956), documented the filming of the final buffalo stampede scene.
Host George Murphy introduces long clips from Strike Up the Band (1940) featuring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland in "Our Love Affair" number, the farewell scene with John Gilbert and Renée Adorée from The Big Parade (1925), and documentary footage on Thomas A. Edison in his Menlo Park laboratory from the documentary Servant of Mankind (1940). He also shows shorter clips of Allan Jones and Jeanette MacDonald in "The Donkey Song" number from The Firefly (1937) and a comedic exchange between Jean Harlow and Wallace Beery from Dinner at Eight (1933). A promotional dramatic clip from The Last Hunt (1956) with Robert Taylor and Stewart Granger is also previewed.
Host George Murphy, in the musical section, introduces "The Donkey Serenade" number from The Firefly (1937), the number which takes an unusual approach in a love song: by having the protagonist (portrayed by Allan Jones) use a third party to profess his love, namely though his donkey. In the "Hall of Fame" segment, Murphy shows a scene from Dinner at Eight (1933) featuring Wallace Beery and Jean Harlow, both of whom carved out a unique niche in Hollywood. Murphy then shows the short film Inca Gold (1943), which tells the story of the lost Inca gold of El Dorado. In the Upcoming Feature segment, the host then introduces Dan Dailey who, in turn, introduces his young Japanese co-star Mitsuko Sawamura. They talk about their new movie Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956) and how non-English speaking Mitsuko learned the English lyrics for their song "My Lucky Charm".
Host George Murphy introduces the Judy Garland showcased musical number "On the Atcheson, Topeka and the Santa Fe" from the movie The Harvey Girls (1946). The next feature is of the short movie The Man in the Barn (1937), which provides an alternate view of the death of Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth. A clip of the family movie The Yearling (1946) is shown, followed by one from the upcoming movie Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956) featuring Dan Dailey and Cyd Charisse. As Murphy will be traveling for the next few weeks, he lets the viewer know of his temporary replacement and the movie which he will feature on the next show.
Host Walter Pidgeon introduces the movie Captains Courageous (1937). Based on a novel by Rudyard Kipling, it is the first MGM feature film ever to be shown on network television. It tells the story of a spoiled boy who falls overboard of a luxury liner. He's picked up by a fishing boat. He has to endure life on the boat until they dock in two weeks, but it's more like the fishing crew have to put up with his spoiled ways. Pidgeon then introduces his latest starring role, that in the movie Forbidden Planet (1956). The segments shown from both movies are only the first installments, with future installments shown in weeks to come.
Host Walter Pidgeon continues with the second of three installments of the movie Captains Courageous (1937) and the second and final installment of the preview of his new movie Forbidden Planet (1956). With the former, Pidgeon discusses a little of the source material - a novel by Rudyard Kipling - before continuing on with the story of the movie, where spoiled Harvey Cheyne has transformed into a responsible young man wanting to please his new friend, fisherman Manuel Fidello. With the latter, Pidgeon introduces one of his key co-stars in the movie, namely Robby the Robot. As his movie's character, Dr. Edward Morbius, Pidgeon ponders Robby's true artificial intelligence.
Host Walter Pidgeon continues with the third and final installment of the movie Captains Courageous (1937), which he shows after he talks of the origin of the movie's title. This last installment has a now responsible Harvey Cheyne dreading the eventuality of reuniting with his father as Harvey would like to stay with Manuel Fidello aboard the boat and become a real fisherman. Before they reach their intended port of Gloucester, those aboard the ship face some obstacles associated with life at sea, with Manuel making a difficult decision in large part for Harvey's sake. Pidgeon then shows scenes from a new movie, Tribute to a Bad Man (1956), a tale of ranching, horse rustling and vigilante justice. In his stated final act as temporary host, Pidgeon introduces next week's show, which will be a tribute to Greta Garbo. (However, Pidgeon continued to host the show until its end.)
Host by Walter Pidgeon, presents the film career of the legendary Greta Garbo, starting with her brief European beginnings before moving to Hollywood silent films in the mid-1920's, her debut in talkies in 'Anna Christie' (1930), and taking the retrospective as far as the mid 1930's. Irene Papas discusses filming the 'Tribute to a Bad Man' (1956) starring James Cagney.
Host Walter Pidgeon continues with the film career retrospective of Greta Garbo, stating that this and the last show were the most highly anticipated ever since they were announced. The retrospective continues from the mid 1930s and the remake of Anna Karenina (1935) (There was an earlier silent version which also starred Garbo.) to her comedy success in Ninotchka (1939). Director George Cukor, who directed Garbo in Camille (1936), provides his insight into her as an actress and person. Pidgeon ends the retrospective with a fan letter writing campaign to encourage Garbo to return to making movies. As an upcoming feature, Pidgeon discusses the new movie Gaby (1956), starring Leslie Caron and John Kerr. And he provides a preview of upcoming episodes, which will feature scenes from The Pirate (1948) and The Swan (1956).
Host Walter Pidgeon and his two female helpers are relaxing in a West Indies setting to discuss this week's feature presentation of the movie The Pirate (1948) starring Gene Kelly and Judy Garland. This week's discussion will be the first of three parts. In part one, a young woman named Manuela dreams of a pirate named Macoco, but who is betrothed to the mean spirited mayor Don Pedro. While Manuela visits a nearby town, a traveling theater troupe arrives and one of its performers, Serafin, falls in love with Manuela at first sight. He is hoping that she secretly loves him, but under hypnosis, admits to him that she dreams of Macoco instead. Pidgeon then introduces the coming attraction, The Swan (1956), starring Grace Kelly, Alec Guinness, and Louis Jourdan.
Host Walter Pidgeon and his female guests continue with part two of their presentation of the movie The Pirate (1948) starring Judy Garland as Manuela and Gene Kelly as Serafin. Despite Manuela's growing attraction to Serafin, she is still determined to go through with her marriage to Don Pedro. But Serafin tries to use what knowledge he has of Don Pedro's true identity to twist it to his own advantage in wooing Manuela. But Serafin's plan may backfire on him. Pidgeon and his guests then introduce the new feature, Gaby (1956), starring Leslie Caron and John Kerr.
Host Walter Pidgeon and his two female assistants, Luana Lee and Janet Lake conclude their presentation of the movie The Pirate (1948) starring Gene Kelly and Judy Garland. Don Pedro is about to have Serafin hanged for being the pirate Macoco, which he knows is not the case since Don Pedro himself is Macoco. Manuela, who now realizes that she loves Serafin and not Macoco, tries to save him. Being an actor, Serafin does his own improvisation to try and save himself. Pidgeon and his assistants then move on to the week's upcoming attraction, The Swan (1956), starring Alec Guinness, Grace Kelly and Louis Jourdan whose characters are matched in a royal love triangle.