Pre-Code Hollywood

[Bounci]

A minor clip from the Pre-Code era, but one that was lurking about in my folder that I felt shouldn't be wasted. This video comes from the film One Hour With You (1932) and stars Jeanette MacDonald, who is getting ready in her bedroom for a party she is throwing later that night, and answers the telephone in just a thin negligee. The scene itself has a amusing twist that I shan't reveal so as not to spoil the scene, but is clearly Pre-Code in it's punchline. But what's more intriguing is noticing that Jeanette's negligee is somewhat see through and you can see her breasts under her top. The nightingale voiced Jeanette made 4 Pre-Code films with Maurice Chevalier (this is one of them) that are well worth checking out, but she is best remembered for her partnership on (and off) screen in a number of enjoyable musicals with Nelson Eddy, though they never married. She died in 1965, aged 61, and Nelson Eddy just 2 years later.

[Bounci]

These two videos (the 2nd to follow this post) come from the film Glorifying the American Girl from 1929, which is one of the early 'talkies' of the Hollywood era. It is also one of the very first to use colour, which is used for good effect in the stage acts near the end of the film (but we'll get to that later). It is also one of the first full length films to use nudity, and some of the costumes (when the girls are wearing them) are barely there. One such example is in this scene, where Dan Healy sees a showgirl who has caught his eye and makes a proposition to her that will give her a chance of stardom, but leaves in no doubt what she will have to do to earn it. I sadly do not know who the actress is in this scene, but her top is basically two tassels attached to her nipples, which means it leaves little doubt what her breasts look like!

[Bounci]

The 2nd video from this film is from the climatic stage acts in the film, which is shot in colour. What's more interesting is that there are two versions, and if you are lucky to get the colour version, it contains nudity from the showgirls in the acts. I've decided to combine all the acts in one video, to make it easier, but in the 2nd act the blonde actress is Mary Eaton, who is seen topless underneath her blouse. A number of the girls are either naked or wearing sheer fabric, and in one scene it contains Tarzan's very own Johnny Weissmuller with a naked girl kneeling down (don't worry, I've marked the pic which one it is of him). This is early Hollywood history, but also shows how liberal they were back then in including nudity in their films. Sadly that would change in 1934, but it's lovely to see how it was back then. Anyway, enjoy.

[allthatjazz]

Originally Posted by Bounci

The 2nd video from this film is from the climatic stage acts in the film, which is shot in colour. What's more interesting is that there are two versions, and if you are lucky to get the colour version, it contains nudity from the showgirls in the acts. I've decided to combine all the acts in one video, to make it easier, but in the 2nd act the blonde actress is Mary Eaton, who is seen topless underneath her blouse. A number of the girls are either naked or wearing sheer fabric, and in one scene it contains Tarzan's very own Johnny Weissmuller with a naked girl kneeling down (don't worry, I've marked the pic which one it is of him). This is early Hollywood history, but also shows how liberal they were back then in including nudity in their films. Sadly that would change in 1934, but it's lovely to see how it was back then. Anyway, enjoy.

That's a great find. I'm surprised I had never heard of that one before.

[nopirates]

i just wanted to say that this is one of my favorite threads here. thanks @Bounci for all of the work!

[Lotfw]

putting this out there to other fans of these old movies....

Many Years ago I watched a movie on Pbs about a stripper. I could swear it was dixie lee but Im finding no record of the name. It was a b+w movie following the life of this stripper. Not a documentary but I guess fictional story about the main character. She starts out in tableau scenes nude on stage and becomes a stripper. Not much to go on but please keep a look out for me. Thanks!

[Bounci]

Originally Posted by Lotfw

putting this out there to other fans of these old movies....

Many Years ago I watched a movie on Pbs about a stripper. I could swear it was dixie lee but Im finding no record of the name. It was a b+w movie following the life of this stripper. Not a documentary but I guess fictional story about the main character. She starts out in tableau scenes nude on stage and becomes a stripper. Not much to go on but please keep a look out for me. Thanks!

I had a look at Dixie Lee (who married Bing Crosby), but I've a feeling the actress you mean could be Dixie Evans, who appeared in a vaudeville film called Too Hot To Handle in 1950. It has comedy acts interspersed with strip acts, and one of them is Dixie Evans. I'm uploading it just in case it is, and I might as well upload the other girls who stripped off in the video too (though I will post their acts separately). First up is Dixie Evans' act...

[Bounci]

Two more acts that appear in the vaudeville/strip film Too Hot To Handle (1950), first up is Jean Carter, who also appears in a couple of the comedy vaudeville acts. She starts by singing a song about peanuts, while dishing some out to the audience for some reason, leading to the great line "There he sits up against the wall. I bet he doesn't have any nuts at all!" Then she does her strip act, where she goes topless. The 2nd act involves a girl called Novita, a small breasted sweet looking girl who does a Spanish dance while stripping. As I have few screenshots for these two, I thought I'd put the two together in a post for you to enjoy.

[Bounci]

The 4th stripper in the film Too Hot To Handle is Melodee Lane, who proves to be a flexible girl in her act. The final act follows this post, and easily my favourite out of the famous five...

[Bounci]

My own personal favourite out of the ladies who are called upon to strip in this vaudeville/comedy film is the girl whose act ends the film, and that is Patti Waggin. Not only does she remind me of a naughtier version of Gloria Talbot (look up We're No Angels from 1955 to see who I mean), but she is cutesy, coy, lively and occasionally a little blushing. Enjoy.