The Swing Shift Shuffle is a radio program of swing, big band, jazz, boogie woogie and other popular music from the 1930's and 40's that airs every Wednesday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. (US Central Time) on WEVL 89.9 FM in Memphis, Tennessee, with a live webcast at wevl.org. In addition to the radio show, this blog is dedicated to all aspects of the Swing Era, including art, automobiles, cartoons, comics, history, movies, music, news, science, technology, and anything else that happened during that time. It also includes announcements about events in the Memphis/Mid-South area related to the Swing Era, such as classic movies, concerts, dances, lectures, etc. If you see something that fits the description, send it to me at tim@wevl.org. If you would like more information about the radio show, just go to the Radio Show FAQ page.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Drive Ins, Donald Duck And More

MovieFanFare does a regular "This Week In Film History" feature with, as the name implies, facts about notable dates in the movie industry.  This week's list had several interesting items during the Swing Era.
June 6, 1933: The first drive-in theater opens on a 10-acre site on Admiral Wilson Boulevard in Camden, N.J. Now Showing: Wife, Beware.
June 9, 1934: Donald Duck debuts, as a minor character uttering only eight words, in Disney's The Wise Little Hen.

June 7, 1937: Blonde bombshell Jean Harlow, who, during filming of Saratoga, was hospitalized for uremic poisoning, dies at the age of 26.

June 7, 1950: Director Anthony Mann's Winchester '73, with James Stewart, launches a cycle of more serious-themed Western movies.
Winchester '73 is one of my all-time favorite movies, and the first pairing of James Stewart and Director Anthony Mann.

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