With the arrival of sound films, musicals conquered the international cinema. Europe had its own genre in the early 1930s: the film operetta. Especially in Germany and France, this genre with such stars as Lilian Harvey, Henri Garat, and Martá Eggerth became so popular that publishers started to make Sing-Along cards. The French publisher P-C in Paris specialised in these cards with the text and music of the most popular film songs. EFSP selected 24 P-C postcards, so... Let's Sing-Along!
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 1. Photo: Paramount. Henri Garat sang the song 'En parlant un peu de Paris' in Il est charmant/He Is Charming (Louis Mercanton, 1932). Text by Albert Willemetz and music by Raoul Moretti. Copyright: Editions Salabert, Paris, 1932.
‘Beau garcon’ Henri Garat (1902-1959) was a popular singer and leading man in light romances during the 1930s. In 1930 he made his first film for the Ufa, Flagrant délit/Burglars (Hanns Schwarz, Georges Tréville, 1930). He replaced Willy Fritsch in the French adaptation of the popular German film operetta Die Drei von der Tankstelle (1930) starring Lilian Harvey and the result, Le chemin du Paradis/The Road to Paradise (Wilhelm Thiele, Max de Vaucorbeil, 1930) was a huge success and made Garat a 'grand vedette' in France.
He replaced Fritsch again in the French but also in the English versions of Der Kongress Tanzt (1931): Le congrès s'amuse (Erik Charell, Jean Boyer, 1931) and Congress Dances (Erik Charell, Jean Boyer, 1931), both with Lilian Harvey. Other films with Harvey were La fille et le garçon/The Girl and the Boy (Roger Le Bon, Wilhelm Thiele, 1931), Princesse, à vos ordres/Adorable (Hanns Schwarz, Max de Vaucorbeil, 1931) and Un rêve blond/Happy Ever After (André Daven, Paul Martin, 1932) based on a script by Walter Reisch and Billy Wilder. His songs in these films became huge hits.
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 4. Photo: Paramount. Meg Lemonnier sang the waltz 'Il est charmant' in Il est charmant/He is Charming (Louis Mercanton, 1932), also with Henri Garat. Text by Albert Willemetz, and music by Raoul Moretti. Copyright: Editions Salabert, Paris, 1932.
French actress and singer Meg Lemonnier (1905-1988) was most active in the French cinema of the 1930s. In the early days of the talking pictures, she made her film debut in Mon gosse de père/My Kid of a Father (Jean de Limur, 1930). It was an alternate language version of The Parisian (Jean de Limur, 1931), both featuring Hollywood star Adolphe Menjou.
In the following years, Lemonnier nicely played more or less saucy ingénues in romantic comedies and film operettas. She accompanied the popular jeune premier Henri Garat in many of his successes produced by Paramount, such as the filmed versions of Il est charmant/He is Charming (Louis Mercanton, 1932) and Un soir de réveillon/Christmas Eve (Karl Anton, 1933). Lemmonier sang the hit 'Être une poule' (Being a Tart) in Un soir de réveillon.
Meg Lemonnier sings 'Il est charmant' in Il est charmant/He is Charming (Louis Mercanton, 1932). Source:
Jozef Sterkens (YouTube).
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 7. Photo: Paramount. Dranem sings the foxtrot 'J'en suis un' in the operetta film Il est Charmant/He Is Charming (Louis Mercanton, 1932). Words by Albert Willemetz and music by Raoul Moretti. Copyright: Editions Salabert, Paris, 1932.
Dranem (1869-1935) was a French comic singer, music hall, stage, and film actor. He already appeared in Pathé shorts in the early 1900s. The advent of sound film in the late 1920s made Dranem again much in demand for screen roles. In the early 1930s, he played in some 13 films, from which several with himself in the lead, such as La poule/The Hen (1932), and Ah! Quelle gare!/Ah! What a girl! (1933), or at least as the main male antagonist.
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 8. Photo: Nalpas. Bach sang the song 'On n' m' a pas' (a 6/8 One-Step) in L'affaire Blaireau (Henry Wulschleger, 1932). Text by Ch. L. Pothier and René Pujol, and music by C. Oberfeld. Copyright: Editions Salabert, Paris, 1931.
Bach (1882-1953) was a popular French actor, singer, and music hall performer. He starred in early sound comedies like Une grave erreur/A serious mistake (Joe Francis, 1930) and Le tampon du capiston/The capiston tampon (Joe Francis, Jean Toulout, 1930). In the following years, he appeared in such Comique Troupiers (coarse comedies) as En bordée/Bordered (Joe Francis, Henry Wulschleger, 1931), L'affaire Blaireau/The Blaireau Case (Henry Wulschleger, 1932), and Le champion du régiment/The Regiment's Champion (Henry Wulschleger, 1932) with Josette Day. He co-starred with Georges Tréville and Charles Montel in L'enfant de ma soeur/My sister's child (Henry Wulschleger, 1933) and Bach millionnaire/Bach the Millionaire (Henry Wulschleger, 1933).
French postcard by Editions P-C, Paris, no. 9. Photo: Ufa. Henri Garat sang the waltz 'Ville d'amour' in Le congrès s'amuse/The Congress Dances (Jean Boyer, Erik Charell, 1931), an alternate language version of Der Kongreß tanzt (Erik Charell, 1931) and The Congress Dances (Erik Charell, 1932). Multiple-language versions were common in the years following the introduction of sound film, before the practice of dubbing became widespread. In the German version, Willy Fritsch played Garat's role, and sang the song 'Das muss ein Stück vom Himmel sein!' Text by Jean Boyer and music by Werner R. Heymann. Copyright: Ufaton Verlag, Berlin / Editions Salabert, Paris, 1931.
French postcard by Editions P-C, Paris, no. 10. Photo: Ufa (Alliance Cinématographique Européenne). Lilian Harvey the Fox-trot 'Serait-ce un rêve?' in Le congrès s'amuse/The Congress Dances (Jean Boyer, Erik Charell, 1931), the alternate language version of Der Kongreß tanzt (Erik Charell, 1931) and The Congress Dances (Erik Charell, 1932). Text by Jean Boyer and music by Werner R. Heymann. Copyright: Ufaton Verlag, Berlin / Editions Salabert, Paris, 1931.
British born, German actress and singer Lilian Harvey (1906-1968) was Ufa's biggest star of the 1930s. Because of her training as a singer and a dancer, Ufa found a great use for her in light operettas. In the hit Liebeswalzer/The Love Waltz (Wilhelm Thiele, 1930) she starred with 'sunny boy' Willy Fritsch, and they became the 'dream couple' of the German cinema. Together Harvey and Fritsch would make eleven box office hits, including Hokuspokus/Hocuspocus (Gustav Ucicky, 1930), Die Drei von der Tankstelle/Three Good Friends (Wilhelm Thiele, 1930), and Ein blonder Traum/A Blonde Dream (Paul Martin, 1932). Their best film was the immensely popular film operetta Der Kongress tanzt/The Congress Dances (Erik Charell, 1931).
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 13. Photo: Films Osso. Albert Préjean sang the song 'Dans tous les ports du monde' (a 6/8 one step) in Le chant du marin/Sailor's Song (Carmine Gallone, 1932). Text by Serge Veber, and music by Georges van Parys. Copyright: Editions Salabert, Paris, 1931.
French actor and singer Albert Préjean (1894-1979) was a former WWI flying ace. He is best known for playing heroes in the silent films of René Clair, jeunes premiers in French early sound musicals, and for playing George Siménon's detective Maigret. In their his first sound feature, Sous Les Toits de Paris (René Clair, 1930), Préjean played the street performer Albert who leads the assembly line in singing the film's title song. Préjean went on to play singing working class heroes in L'Opéra de Quat'Sous (G.W. Pabst, 1931), Un soir de rafle (Carmine Gallone, 1931), the operetta Dédé (René Guissart, 1934), L'Or dans la rue (Curtis Bernhardt, 1934) and with Joséphine Baker in Princesse Tam-Tam (Edmond T. Gréville, 1935).
French postcard by P.C., Paris, no. 14. Photo: Films Osso. Albert Préjean sang the Slow-Fox 'Si l'on ne s'était pas connu' in Un soir de rafle (Carmine Gallone, 1931). Text by Léo Lelièvre fils, and music by Ph. Parès and G. van Parys. Copyright: Ed. Salabert, Paris, 1931.
Albert Préjean sings 'Si l'on ne s'était pas connu'. Source: Vieux Disques (YouTube).
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 16. Photo: Ufa. Lilian Harvey sings the Fox-Trot 'Je suis come ca' in La fille et le garcon (Roger Le Bon, Wilhelm Thiele, 1932), the alternate-language version of Zwei Herzen und ein Schlag (Wilhelm Thiele, 1932). Text by Jean Boyer, and music by Jean Gilbert. Copyright: Ufaton, Berlin / Ed. Salabert, Paris, 1932.
French postcard by Editions P-C, Paris, no. 17. Photo: Ufa. Jean Murat sang the march 'Les Gars de la marine' in Le Capitaine Craddock/Monte Carlo Madness (Hanns Schwarz, Max de Vaucorbeil, 1931). Text by Jean Boyer and music by Werner R. Heymann. Copyright: Ufaton Verlag, Berlin / Editions Salabert, Paris, in 1931. Sent by mail in 1932.
French actor Jean Murat (1888-1968) became a star as a handsome young soldier in silent films of the 1920s. The sound film allowed audiences to hear his beautiful deep voice. A success was the Paramount production Un Trou dans le Muir/The Hole In the Wall (René Barberis, 1930) with Dolly Davis, based on a play by Yves Mirande.
Even in his forties, Jean Murat retained the youthful leading man looks that had vaulted him to stardom. In 1931 he married Annabella. Together they starred in films like Paris-Méditerranée/Companion Wanted (Joe May, 1932), Mademoiselle Josette, ma femme/Miss Josette, My Wife (André Berthomieu, 1933) and L'équipage/Flight into Darkness (Anatole Litvak, 1935). He also appeared in such classic French films as La Kermesse Heroique (1935) and L'Eternal Retour (1943).
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 18. Photo: Ufa. Henri Garat and Lilian Harvey sang the Slow-Fox 'Toi tout près de moi' (Du wärst was für mich!) in La fille et le garcon (Roger le Bon, Wilhelm Thiele, 1932), an alternate-language version of Zwei Herzen und ein Schlag (Wilhelm Thiele, 1932). Text by Jean Boyer, and music by Jean Gilbert. Copyright: Ufaton Verlag, Berlin / Editions Salabert, Paris.
Henri Garat and Lilian Harvey sing 'Toi tout près de moi'. Source: hyppolite 1 (YouTube).
French postcard by Editions P-C, Paris, no. 19. Photo: Adolphe Osso / Gloria Film. Le Choer sang the military march 'Adieu, vieille Europe' in Le Sergent X/Sergeant X (Vladimir Strizhevsky, 1932).Text by Simon Delyon and music by René Mercier and Henri Forterre. Copyright: Editions Salabert, Paris, 1932.
Russian actor Ivan Mozzhukhin (in French Ivan Mosjoukine and in German Iwan Mosjukin) (1889-1939) was a legendary star of the European silent film, who shone in Russia, France, Germany and Austria, but suffered in Hollywood. Mozzhukhin continued to star in sound films like Le Sergent X/Sergeant X (Vladimir Strizhevsky, 1932), albeit with a smaller success.
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 25. Photo: Gaumont / Franco-Film / Aubert. Grazia Del Rio sang the 'valse musette' 'Les d'moisell's de Montparnasse' in La petite de Montparnasse/Die Mädels von Montparnasse (Hanns Schwarz, 1932). Text by Lucien Boyer, and music by F. Wachsmann. Copyright: Alrobi, Berlin/ Ed. Salabert, Paris.
Little is known about the personal life of Italian actress and singer Grazia Del Rio, but probably because of her singing voice and clear vocals she had a prolific career in the earliest years of sound cinema. Between 1930 and 1933 she had a short but intense film career in Italy and France, peaking with La stella del cinema (Mario Almirante, 1931) in which she starred herself.
French postcard by Editions P-C, Paris, no. 29. Photo: Ufa (A.C.E.). Käthe von Nagy and Jean Murat sang the waltz 'Le route du bonheur' in Le Vainqueur/The Victor (Hans Hinrich, Paul Martin, 1932), an alternate-language version of Der Sieger (Hans Hinrich, Paul Martin, 1932) with Hans Albers in the role of Murat. 'Le route du bonheur' was a French version of the song 'Es führt kein andrer Weg zur Seligkeit'. Text by Jean Boyer and music by Werner R. Heymann. Copyright: Ufaton Verlag, Berlin / Editions Salabert, Paris, 1932.
Hungarian actress Käthe von Nagy (1904-1973) started as the ‘Backfish’ of German films of the late 1920s. In the early 1930s, she became a fashionable and charming star of the German and French cinema. To her successes of the 1930s belong Ihre Majestät die Liebe/Her Majesty Love (Joe May, 1930) with Franz Lederer, Meine Frau, die Hochstaplerin/My Wife, the Impostor (Kurt Gerron, 1931) opposite Heinz Rühmann, Ronny (Reinhold Schünzel, 1931), Ich bei Tag und Du bei Nacht/I by Day, You by Night (Ludwig Berger, 1932) opposite Willy Fritsch, Der Sieger/The Victor (Hans Hinrich, Paul Martin, 1932) with Hans Albers, and Das Schöne Abenteuer/Beautiful Adventure (Reinhold Schünzel, 1932).
Because of her multilingual education she was able to act in the French cinema too. As Kate de Nagy she became a star in France. To her French productions belong La Capitaine Craddock/Captain Craddock (Hanns Schwarz, Max de Vaucorbeil, 1931) with Jean Murat, La route impériale/The Imperial Road (Marcel L’Herbier, 1935) with Pierre Richard-Willm, and Cargaison blanche/Woman Racket (Robert Siodmak, 1937).
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 30. Photo: A.P.E.C. André Perchicot sings 'Java des assortis' in Pomme d'amour (Jean Dréville, 1932). Text by Ch. A. Abadie, R. de Cesse and Géo Koger, and music by Vincent Scotto. Copyright: Éditions Salabert, Paris.
André Perchicot or just Perchicot (1888-1950) was a professional cyclist and WWI pilot, who later became a singer and film actor. Perchicot acted in three feature films, as well as in a music clip: the German film Anny Music Hall (Carl Lamac, 1930) starring Anny Ondra, Pomme d'amour (Jean Dréville, 1932), the short À la Varenne (Jean Dréville, 1933) - an ancestor of the music video, and Sapho (Léonce Perret, 1934), staring Mary Marquet.
Perchicot sings Java des assortis. Source: lysgauty1 (YouTube).
French postcard by Editions P-C, Paris, no. 32.Davia sang the Fox-trot 'Je n'savais pas qu'c'était ça' in La Pouponnière/The nursery (Jean Boyer, 1933). Text by René Pujol and Ch. L. Pothier, and music by Henry Verdun and C. Oberfeld. Copyright: Editions Salabert, Paris, 1932.
Davia (1898-1996) was a French singer and vaudeville actress who appeared between 1932 and 1966 in ten films. During the Roaring Twenties and until the Second World War, Davia had great success in operettas and musicals, particularly those by Albert Willemetz. After the introduction of sound film, she made her film debut in the musical Passionnément/Passionately (René Guissart, Louis Mercanton, 1932) with Florelle and Fernand Gravey.
Jean Boyer, who had written the script for this film then directed her in the film operetta La Pouponnière/The nursery (Jean Boyer, 1933), which was written by Albert Willemetz, and was produced by the French subsidiary of Paramount. She played another supporting role in the Paramount musical Simone est comme ça/Simone is like that (Karl Anton, 1933) with Meg Lemonnier and Henri Garat. She also played a role in the short comedy Quatre à Troyes/Four in Troyes (Pierre-Jean Ducis, 1934), and opposite Pauley and Saint-Granier in the comedy Un coup de rouge/A shot of red (Gaston Roudès, 1937).
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 33. Photo: Ufa (ACE). Jean Murat and Käthe von Nagy sang the march-foxtrot 'Voilà l'travail' in Le Vainqueur (Hans Hinrich, Paul Martin, 1932), the alternate-language version of Der Sieger (Hans Hinrich, Paul Martin, 1932). Text: Jean Boyer, and music by W.R. Heymann. Copyright: Ufaton Verlag, Berlin / Ed. Salabert, Paris, 1932.
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 50. Photo: Paramount. Fernand Gravey performs the song 'Je suis coiffeur' in Coiffeur pour dames/Ladies Hairdresser (René Guissart, 1932. Text by F. Vimont and Didier Dax, and music by Claude Pingault. Copyright: Editions Campbell Connelly, Paris, 1932
Fernand Gravey (1905-1970) was an elegant Franco-Belgian stage, screen, and television actor, successfully working in Belgium, France, England, and Hollywood. Gravey’s debut in sound cinema came in 1930 with his role Armand Petitjean in L'amour chant (Robert Florey, 1930), one of several films at the Paris sound studio of Paramount. For years Gravey was the smiling, refined actor in boulevard comedies on the screen, often directed by René Guissart. His success in the French version of Ludwig Berger’s Ich bei Tag und du bei Nacht (1932) paved his way to London and later Hollywood.
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 53. Photo: UFA/ ACE. Roger Tréville sang the tango 'Tomber amoureux' in Vous serez ma femme (Carl Boese, Serge de Poligny, 1932). Text by Jean Boure, and music by Stephan Samer. Copyright: Ufaton Verlag, Berlin / Ed. Salabert, Paris, 1932.
French singer and actor Roger Tréville (1902-2005) was a popular star of the early 1930s. Between 1908 and 1980 he appeared in more than fifty films and TV series in France but also in Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and the USA. He also appeared in silent films such as the Alphonse Daudet adaptation Jack (Robert Saidreau, 1925), but with his beautiful voice, he was perfect for the sound film. His breakthrough was the comedy The Parisian (Jean de Limur, 1930) with Adolphe Menjou and Elissa Landi. Among his films of the early 1930s were also Son altesse l’amour (Robert Péguy, Erich Schmidt, 1931) with Annabella, Enlevez-moi (Leonce Perret, 1932) with Arletty, Minuit, place Pigalle (Roger Richebé, 1934) with Raimu, and Parlez moi d’amour (René Guissart, 1935).
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 55. André Baugé sang the title song of Pour un sou d'amour (1932). Text by Pierre Maudru and music by Albert Chantrier. Copyright: Editions Cinéphoniques, 1932.
André Baugé (1893-1966) was a French baritone, active in opera and operetta. Baugé appeared in La Route est belle (Robert Florey, 1930), one of the first French sound films with music by Szulc. As no French studios had been converted for the sound film yet, it was shot at Elstree Studios in Britain. In Germany, he starred opposite Liane Haid and Willi Forst in Petit officier... Adieu! (Géza von Bolváry, 1930), an alternate-language version of the operetta Das Lied ist aus (Géza von Bolváry, 1930).
The next year, he had a supporting part in another example, Le petit café/The Little Cafe (Ludwig Berger, 1931), a French-language American Pre-Code musical film starring Maurice Chevalier. The film is an alternative language version of Playboy of Paris (Ludwig Berger, 1930). The film received a better reception from critics than the English-language version.
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 58. Henri Garat sang the title song of 'Delphine' (Roger Capellani, 1931). Text by Saint-Granier and J.A. Hornez, and music by Paul Barnaby and Lionel Cazaux. Copyright: Editions Campbell-Connelly, Paris, 1931.
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 89. Photo: Paramount. Fernand Gravey sang the song 'Passionnément' in Passionnément/Passionately (René Guissart, Louis Mercanton, 1932). Text by Maurice Hennequin and Albert Willemetz, and music by André Messager. Copyright: Editions Salabert, Paris, 1926.
French postcard by Editions P-C, Paris, no. 108. Photo: Ufa. Márta Eggerth sings the Slow Fox 'C'est un amour qui passe' in C'est un amour qui passe (Geza von Bolvary, 1932), an alternate language version of Ein Lied, ein Kuß, ein Mädel/A Song, a Kiss, a Girl (Géza von Bolváry, 1932). Text by Jean Sorbier and music by Robert Stolz. Copyright: Alrobi, Berlin / Editions Salabert, Paris, 1932.
Hungarian-born singer and actress Márta Eggerth (1912-2013) maintained a global career for over 70 years. She was the popular and talented star of 30 German and Austrian operetta films of the 1930s. Many of the 20th century's most famous operetta composers, including Franz Lehár, Fritz Kreisler, Robert Stolz, Oscar Straus, and Paul Abraham, composed works especially for her. Her film career took off with the German sound film Bräutigamswitwe/Let's Love and Laugh (Richard Eichberg, 1931) co-starring Georg Alexander. The success of the film resulted in international fame.
Her German film debut was soon followed by more film operettas like Trara um Liebe/Trumpet Call of Love (Richard Eichberg, 1931) and Moderne Mitgift/Modern Dowry (E.W. Emo, 1932). Franz Léhar composed the music for Es war einmal ein Walzer/Once There Was a Waltz (Victor Janson, 1932), especially for Eggerth. In the silver age of the operetta Eggerth starred in numerous successful film operettas and musical comedies as the cheeky, captivating girl, but she also played more tragic roles. To her great successes belong Das Blaue vom Himmel/The Blue from the Sky (Victor Janson, 1932), Leise flehen meine Lieder/Lover Divine (Willi Forst, 1933), Unfinished Symphony (Anthony Asquith, Willi Forst, 1934), Der Zarewitsch (Victor Janson, 1933), and Die Czardasfürstin/The Csardas Princess (Georg Jacoby, 1934). Critics praised her musical abilities, but also her nuanced acting. After the rise of the Nazis, she continued her career with her partner Jan Kiepura in the US.
French postcard by Editions P-C, Paris, no. 113. Photo: Super Film / Vanderheyden. Márta Eggerth sang the English Waltz 'Je veux t'aimer' in C'est un amour qui passe, the French language version of Ein Lied, ein Kuß, ein Mädel/A Song, a Kiss, a Girl (Géza von Bolváry, 1932).Text by Jean Sorbier and music by Robert Stolz. Copyright: Alrobi, Berlin / Editions Salabert, Paris, 1932.
French postcard by Editions P-C, Paris, no. 114. Photo: Walery, Paris. Georges Milton sang the one-step march 'Adieu... Adieu...' (Adieu, mon petit officier) in the stage operetta 'L'auberge du cheval blanc' (The White Horse Inn). Text by René Dorin and music by Robert Stolz (music). Copyright: Alrobi, Berlin / Editions Salabert, Paris, in 1930.
Georges Milton (1886-1970) was a French singer and actor. With his daring, merry songs Milton expressed the atmosphere of the French roaring twenties. He peaked in the French cinema of the 1930s as the character Bouboule. The postcard was for a song in a stage operetta in which he appeared. The film operetta was in the mid-1930s at its return and P-C soon stopped making Sing-Along cards.
Georges Milton sings 'Adieu... Adieu...'. Source: jonjamg (YouTube).
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 1. Photo: Paramount. Henri Garat sang the song 'En parlant un peu de Paris' in Il est charmant/He Is Charming (Louis Mercanton, 1932). Text by Albert Willemetz and music by Raoul Moretti. Copyright: Editions Salabert, Paris, 1932.
‘Beau garcon’ Henri Garat (1902-1959) was a popular singer and leading man in light romances during the 1930s. In 1930 he made his first film for the Ufa, Flagrant délit/Burglars (Hanns Schwarz, Georges Tréville, 1930). He replaced Willy Fritsch in the French adaptation of the popular German film operetta Die Drei von der Tankstelle (1930) starring Lilian Harvey and the result, Le chemin du Paradis/The Road to Paradise (Wilhelm Thiele, Max de Vaucorbeil, 1930) was a huge success and made Garat a 'grand vedette' in France.
He replaced Fritsch again in the French but also in the English versions of Der Kongress Tanzt (1931): Le congrès s'amuse (Erik Charell, Jean Boyer, 1931) and Congress Dances (Erik Charell, Jean Boyer, 1931), both with Lilian Harvey. Other films with Harvey were La fille et le garçon/The Girl and the Boy (Roger Le Bon, Wilhelm Thiele, 1931), Princesse, à vos ordres/Adorable (Hanns Schwarz, Max de Vaucorbeil, 1931) and Un rêve blond/Happy Ever After (André Daven, Paul Martin, 1932) based on a script by Walter Reisch and Billy Wilder. His songs in these films became huge hits.
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 4. Photo: Paramount. Meg Lemonnier sang the waltz 'Il est charmant' in Il est charmant/He is Charming (Louis Mercanton, 1932), also with Henri Garat. Text by Albert Willemetz, and music by Raoul Moretti. Copyright: Editions Salabert, Paris, 1932.
French actress and singer Meg Lemonnier (1905-1988) was most active in the French cinema of the 1930s. In the early days of the talking pictures, she made her film debut in Mon gosse de père/My Kid of a Father (Jean de Limur, 1930). It was an alternate language version of The Parisian (Jean de Limur, 1931), both featuring Hollywood star Adolphe Menjou.
In the following years, Lemonnier nicely played more or less saucy ingénues in romantic comedies and film operettas. She accompanied the popular jeune premier Henri Garat in many of his successes produced by Paramount, such as the filmed versions of Il est charmant/He is Charming (Louis Mercanton, 1932) and Un soir de réveillon/Christmas Eve (Karl Anton, 1933). Lemmonier sang the hit 'Être une poule' (Being a Tart) in Un soir de réveillon.
Meg Lemonnier sings 'Il est charmant' in Il est charmant/He is Charming (Louis Mercanton, 1932). Source:
Jozef Sterkens (YouTube).
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 7. Photo: Paramount. Dranem sings the foxtrot 'J'en suis un' in the operetta film Il est Charmant/He Is Charming (Louis Mercanton, 1932). Words by Albert Willemetz and music by Raoul Moretti. Copyright: Editions Salabert, Paris, 1932.
Dranem (1869-1935) was a French comic singer, music hall, stage, and film actor. He already appeared in Pathé shorts in the early 1900s. The advent of sound film in the late 1920s made Dranem again much in demand for screen roles. In the early 1930s, he played in some 13 films, from which several with himself in the lead, such as La poule/The Hen (1932), and Ah! Quelle gare!/Ah! What a girl! (1933), or at least as the main male antagonist.
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 8. Photo: Nalpas. Bach sang the song 'On n' m' a pas' (a 6/8 One-Step) in L'affaire Blaireau (Henry Wulschleger, 1932). Text by Ch. L. Pothier and René Pujol, and music by C. Oberfeld. Copyright: Editions Salabert, Paris, 1931.
Bach (1882-1953) was a popular French actor, singer, and music hall performer. He starred in early sound comedies like Une grave erreur/A serious mistake (Joe Francis, 1930) and Le tampon du capiston/The capiston tampon (Joe Francis, Jean Toulout, 1930). In the following years, he appeared in such Comique Troupiers (coarse comedies) as En bordée/Bordered (Joe Francis, Henry Wulschleger, 1931), L'affaire Blaireau/The Blaireau Case (Henry Wulschleger, 1932), and Le champion du régiment/The Regiment's Champion (Henry Wulschleger, 1932) with Josette Day. He co-starred with Georges Tréville and Charles Montel in L'enfant de ma soeur/My sister's child (Henry Wulschleger, 1933) and Bach millionnaire/Bach the Millionaire (Henry Wulschleger, 1933).
French postcard by Editions P-C, Paris, no. 9. Photo: Ufa. Henri Garat sang the waltz 'Ville d'amour' in Le congrès s'amuse/The Congress Dances (Jean Boyer, Erik Charell, 1931), an alternate language version of Der Kongreß tanzt (Erik Charell, 1931) and The Congress Dances (Erik Charell, 1932). Multiple-language versions were common in the years following the introduction of sound film, before the practice of dubbing became widespread. In the German version, Willy Fritsch played Garat's role, and sang the song 'Das muss ein Stück vom Himmel sein!' Text by Jean Boyer and music by Werner R. Heymann. Copyright: Ufaton Verlag, Berlin / Editions Salabert, Paris, 1931.
Together Harvey and Fritsch would make eleven box office hits
French postcard by Editions P-C, Paris, no. 10. Photo: Ufa (Alliance Cinématographique Européenne). Lilian Harvey the Fox-trot 'Serait-ce un rêve?' in Le congrès s'amuse/The Congress Dances (Jean Boyer, Erik Charell, 1931), the alternate language version of Der Kongreß tanzt (Erik Charell, 1931) and The Congress Dances (Erik Charell, 1932). Text by Jean Boyer and music by Werner R. Heymann. Copyright: Ufaton Verlag, Berlin / Editions Salabert, Paris, 1931.
British born, German actress and singer Lilian Harvey (1906-1968) was Ufa's biggest star of the 1930s. Because of her training as a singer and a dancer, Ufa found a great use for her in light operettas. In the hit Liebeswalzer/The Love Waltz (Wilhelm Thiele, 1930) she starred with 'sunny boy' Willy Fritsch, and they became the 'dream couple' of the German cinema. Together Harvey and Fritsch would make eleven box office hits, including Hokuspokus/Hocuspocus (Gustav Ucicky, 1930), Die Drei von der Tankstelle/Three Good Friends (Wilhelm Thiele, 1930), and Ein blonder Traum/A Blonde Dream (Paul Martin, 1932). Their best film was the immensely popular film operetta Der Kongress tanzt/The Congress Dances (Erik Charell, 1931).
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 13. Photo: Films Osso. Albert Préjean sang the song 'Dans tous les ports du monde' (a 6/8 one step) in Le chant du marin/Sailor's Song (Carmine Gallone, 1932). Text by Serge Veber, and music by Georges van Parys. Copyright: Editions Salabert, Paris, 1931.
French actor and singer Albert Préjean (1894-1979) was a former WWI flying ace. He is best known for playing heroes in the silent films of René Clair, jeunes premiers in French early sound musicals, and for playing George Siménon's detective Maigret. In their his first sound feature, Sous Les Toits de Paris (René Clair, 1930), Préjean played the street performer Albert who leads the assembly line in singing the film's title song. Préjean went on to play singing working class heroes in L'Opéra de Quat'Sous (G.W. Pabst, 1931), Un soir de rafle (Carmine Gallone, 1931), the operetta Dédé (René Guissart, 1934), L'Or dans la rue (Curtis Bernhardt, 1934) and with Joséphine Baker in Princesse Tam-Tam (Edmond T. Gréville, 1935).
French postcard by P.C., Paris, no. 14. Photo: Films Osso. Albert Préjean sang the Slow-Fox 'Si l'on ne s'était pas connu' in Un soir de rafle (Carmine Gallone, 1931). Text by Léo Lelièvre fils, and music by Ph. Parès and G. van Parys. Copyright: Ed. Salabert, Paris, 1931.
Albert Préjean sings 'Si l'on ne s'était pas connu'. Source: Vieux Disques (YouTube).
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 16. Photo: Ufa. Lilian Harvey sings the Fox-Trot 'Je suis come ca' in La fille et le garcon (Roger Le Bon, Wilhelm Thiele, 1932), the alternate-language version of Zwei Herzen und ein Schlag (Wilhelm Thiele, 1932). Text by Jean Boyer, and music by Jean Gilbert. Copyright: Ufaton, Berlin / Ed. Salabert, Paris, 1932.
French postcard by Editions P-C, Paris, no. 17. Photo: Ufa. Jean Murat sang the march 'Les Gars de la marine' in Le Capitaine Craddock/Monte Carlo Madness (Hanns Schwarz, Max de Vaucorbeil, 1931). Text by Jean Boyer and music by Werner R. Heymann. Copyright: Ufaton Verlag, Berlin / Editions Salabert, Paris, in 1931. Sent by mail in 1932.
French actor Jean Murat (1888-1968) became a star as a handsome young soldier in silent films of the 1920s. The sound film allowed audiences to hear his beautiful deep voice. A success was the Paramount production Un Trou dans le Muir/The Hole In the Wall (René Barberis, 1930) with Dolly Davis, based on a play by Yves Mirande.
Even in his forties, Jean Murat retained the youthful leading man looks that had vaulted him to stardom. In 1931 he married Annabella. Together they starred in films like Paris-Méditerranée/Companion Wanted (Joe May, 1932), Mademoiselle Josette, ma femme/Miss Josette, My Wife (André Berthomieu, 1933) and L'équipage/Flight into Darkness (Anatole Litvak, 1935). He also appeared in such classic French films as La Kermesse Heroique (1935) and L'Eternal Retour (1943).
A fashionable and charming star of the German and French cinema
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 18. Photo: Ufa. Henri Garat and Lilian Harvey sang the Slow-Fox 'Toi tout près de moi' (Du wärst was für mich!) in La fille et le garcon (Roger le Bon, Wilhelm Thiele, 1932), an alternate-language version of Zwei Herzen und ein Schlag (Wilhelm Thiele, 1932). Text by Jean Boyer, and music by Jean Gilbert. Copyright: Ufaton Verlag, Berlin / Editions Salabert, Paris.
Henri Garat and Lilian Harvey sing 'Toi tout près de moi'. Source: hyppolite 1 (YouTube).
French postcard by Editions P-C, Paris, no. 19. Photo: Adolphe Osso / Gloria Film. Le Choer sang the military march 'Adieu, vieille Europe' in Le Sergent X/Sergeant X (Vladimir Strizhevsky, 1932).Text by Simon Delyon and music by René Mercier and Henri Forterre. Copyright: Editions Salabert, Paris, 1932.
Russian actor Ivan Mozzhukhin (in French Ivan Mosjoukine and in German Iwan Mosjukin) (1889-1939) was a legendary star of the European silent film, who shone in Russia, France, Germany and Austria, but suffered in Hollywood. Mozzhukhin continued to star in sound films like Le Sergent X/Sergeant X (Vladimir Strizhevsky, 1932), albeit with a smaller success.
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 25. Photo: Gaumont / Franco-Film / Aubert. Grazia Del Rio sang the 'valse musette' 'Les d'moisell's de Montparnasse' in La petite de Montparnasse/Die Mädels von Montparnasse (Hanns Schwarz, 1932). Text by Lucien Boyer, and music by F. Wachsmann. Copyright: Alrobi, Berlin/ Ed. Salabert, Paris.
Little is known about the personal life of Italian actress and singer Grazia Del Rio, but probably because of her singing voice and clear vocals she had a prolific career in the earliest years of sound cinema. Between 1930 and 1933 she had a short but intense film career in Italy and France, peaking with La stella del cinema (Mario Almirante, 1931) in which she starred herself.
French postcard by Editions P-C, Paris, no. 29. Photo: Ufa (A.C.E.). Käthe von Nagy and Jean Murat sang the waltz 'Le route du bonheur' in Le Vainqueur/The Victor (Hans Hinrich, Paul Martin, 1932), an alternate-language version of Der Sieger (Hans Hinrich, Paul Martin, 1932) with Hans Albers in the role of Murat. 'Le route du bonheur' was a French version of the song 'Es führt kein andrer Weg zur Seligkeit'. Text by Jean Boyer and music by Werner R. Heymann. Copyright: Ufaton Verlag, Berlin / Editions Salabert, Paris, 1932.
Hungarian actress Käthe von Nagy (1904-1973) started as the ‘Backfish’ of German films of the late 1920s. In the early 1930s, she became a fashionable and charming star of the German and French cinema. To her successes of the 1930s belong Ihre Majestät die Liebe/Her Majesty Love (Joe May, 1930) with Franz Lederer, Meine Frau, die Hochstaplerin/My Wife, the Impostor (Kurt Gerron, 1931) opposite Heinz Rühmann, Ronny (Reinhold Schünzel, 1931), Ich bei Tag und Du bei Nacht/I by Day, You by Night (Ludwig Berger, 1932) opposite Willy Fritsch, Der Sieger/The Victor (Hans Hinrich, Paul Martin, 1932) with Hans Albers, and Das Schöne Abenteuer/Beautiful Adventure (Reinhold Schünzel, 1932).
Because of her multilingual education she was able to act in the French cinema too. As Kate de Nagy she became a star in France. To her French productions belong La Capitaine Craddock/Captain Craddock (Hanns Schwarz, Max de Vaucorbeil, 1931) with Jean Murat, La route impériale/The Imperial Road (Marcel L’Herbier, 1935) with Pierre Richard-Willm, and Cargaison blanche/Woman Racket (Robert Siodmak, 1937).
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 30. Photo: A.P.E.C. André Perchicot sings 'Java des assortis' in Pomme d'amour (Jean Dréville, 1932). Text by Ch. A. Abadie, R. de Cesse and Géo Koger, and music by Vincent Scotto. Copyright: Éditions Salabert, Paris.
André Perchicot or just Perchicot (1888-1950) was a professional cyclist and WWI pilot, who later became a singer and film actor. Perchicot acted in three feature films, as well as in a music clip: the German film Anny Music Hall (Carl Lamac, 1930) starring Anny Ondra, Pomme d'amour (Jean Dréville, 1932), the short À la Varenne (Jean Dréville, 1933) - an ancestor of the music video, and Sapho (Léonce Perret, 1934), staring Mary Marquet.
Perchicot sings Java des assortis. Source: lysgauty1 (YouTube).
French postcard by Editions P-C, Paris, no. 32.Davia sang the Fox-trot 'Je n'savais pas qu'c'était ça' in La Pouponnière/The nursery (Jean Boyer, 1933). Text by René Pujol and Ch. L. Pothier, and music by Henry Verdun and C. Oberfeld. Copyright: Editions Salabert, Paris, 1932.
Davia (1898-1996) was a French singer and vaudeville actress who appeared between 1932 and 1966 in ten films. During the Roaring Twenties and until the Second World War, Davia had great success in operettas and musicals, particularly those by Albert Willemetz. After the introduction of sound film, she made her film debut in the musical Passionnément/Passionately (René Guissart, Louis Mercanton, 1932) with Florelle and Fernand Gravey.
Jean Boyer, who had written the script for this film then directed her in the film operetta La Pouponnière/The nursery (Jean Boyer, 1933), which was written by Albert Willemetz, and was produced by the French subsidiary of Paramount. She played another supporting role in the Paramount musical Simone est comme ça/Simone is like that (Karl Anton, 1933) with Meg Lemonnier and Henri Garat. She also played a role in the short comedy Quatre à Troyes/Four in Troyes (Pierre-Jean Ducis, 1934), and opposite Pauley and Saint-Granier in the comedy Un coup de rouge/A shot of red (Gaston Roudès, 1937).
No French studios had been converted for the sound film yet
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 33. Photo: Ufa (ACE). Jean Murat and Käthe von Nagy sang the march-foxtrot 'Voilà l'travail' in Le Vainqueur (Hans Hinrich, Paul Martin, 1932), the alternate-language version of Der Sieger (Hans Hinrich, Paul Martin, 1932). Text: Jean Boyer, and music by W.R. Heymann. Copyright: Ufaton Verlag, Berlin / Ed. Salabert, Paris, 1932.
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 50. Photo: Paramount. Fernand Gravey performs the song 'Je suis coiffeur' in Coiffeur pour dames/Ladies Hairdresser (René Guissart, 1932. Text by F. Vimont and Didier Dax, and music by Claude Pingault. Copyright: Editions Campbell Connelly, Paris, 1932
Fernand Gravey (1905-1970) was an elegant Franco-Belgian stage, screen, and television actor, successfully working in Belgium, France, England, and Hollywood. Gravey’s debut in sound cinema came in 1930 with his role Armand Petitjean in L'amour chant (Robert Florey, 1930), one of several films at the Paris sound studio of Paramount. For years Gravey was the smiling, refined actor in boulevard comedies on the screen, often directed by René Guissart. His success in the French version of Ludwig Berger’s Ich bei Tag und du bei Nacht (1932) paved his way to London and later Hollywood.
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 53. Photo: UFA/ ACE. Roger Tréville sang the tango 'Tomber amoureux' in Vous serez ma femme (Carl Boese, Serge de Poligny, 1932). Text by Jean Boure, and music by Stephan Samer. Copyright: Ufaton Verlag, Berlin / Ed. Salabert, Paris, 1932.
French singer and actor Roger Tréville (1902-2005) was a popular star of the early 1930s. Between 1908 and 1980 he appeared in more than fifty films and TV series in France but also in Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and the USA. He also appeared in silent films such as the Alphonse Daudet adaptation Jack (Robert Saidreau, 1925), but with his beautiful voice, he was perfect for the sound film. His breakthrough was the comedy The Parisian (Jean de Limur, 1930) with Adolphe Menjou and Elissa Landi. Among his films of the early 1930s were also Son altesse l’amour (Robert Péguy, Erich Schmidt, 1931) with Annabella, Enlevez-moi (Leonce Perret, 1932) with Arletty, Minuit, place Pigalle (Roger Richebé, 1934) with Raimu, and Parlez moi d’amour (René Guissart, 1935).
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 55. André Baugé sang the title song of Pour un sou d'amour (1932). Text by Pierre Maudru and music by Albert Chantrier. Copyright: Editions Cinéphoniques, 1932.
André Baugé (1893-1966) was a French baritone, active in opera and operetta. Baugé appeared in La Route est belle (Robert Florey, 1930), one of the first French sound films with music by Szulc. As no French studios had been converted for the sound film yet, it was shot at Elstree Studios in Britain. In Germany, he starred opposite Liane Haid and Willi Forst in Petit officier... Adieu! (Géza von Bolváry, 1930), an alternate-language version of the operetta Das Lied ist aus (Géza von Bolváry, 1930).
The next year, he had a supporting part in another example, Le petit café/The Little Cafe (Ludwig Berger, 1931), a French-language American Pre-Code musical film starring Maurice Chevalier. The film is an alternative language version of Playboy of Paris (Ludwig Berger, 1930). The film received a better reception from critics than the English-language version.
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 58. Henri Garat sang the title song of 'Delphine' (Roger Capellani, 1931). Text by Saint-Granier and J.A. Hornez, and music by Paul Barnaby and Lionel Cazaux. Copyright: Editions Campbell-Connelly, Paris, 1931.
The silver age of the operetta
French postcard by P-C, Paris, no. 89. Photo: Paramount. Fernand Gravey sang the song 'Passionnément' in Passionnément/Passionately (René Guissart, Louis Mercanton, 1932). Text by Maurice Hennequin and Albert Willemetz, and music by André Messager. Copyright: Editions Salabert, Paris, 1926.
French postcard by Editions P-C, Paris, no. 108. Photo: Ufa. Márta Eggerth sings the Slow Fox 'C'est un amour qui passe' in C'est un amour qui passe (Geza von Bolvary, 1932), an alternate language version of Ein Lied, ein Kuß, ein Mädel/A Song, a Kiss, a Girl (Géza von Bolváry, 1932). Text by Jean Sorbier and music by Robert Stolz. Copyright: Alrobi, Berlin / Editions Salabert, Paris, 1932.
Hungarian-born singer and actress Márta Eggerth (1912-2013) maintained a global career for over 70 years. She was the popular and talented star of 30 German and Austrian operetta films of the 1930s. Many of the 20th century's most famous operetta composers, including Franz Lehár, Fritz Kreisler, Robert Stolz, Oscar Straus, and Paul Abraham, composed works especially for her. Her film career took off with the German sound film Bräutigamswitwe/Let's Love and Laugh (Richard Eichberg, 1931) co-starring Georg Alexander. The success of the film resulted in international fame.
Her German film debut was soon followed by more film operettas like Trara um Liebe/Trumpet Call of Love (Richard Eichberg, 1931) and Moderne Mitgift/Modern Dowry (E.W. Emo, 1932). Franz Léhar composed the music for Es war einmal ein Walzer/Once There Was a Waltz (Victor Janson, 1932), especially for Eggerth. In the silver age of the operetta Eggerth starred in numerous successful film operettas and musical comedies as the cheeky, captivating girl, but she also played more tragic roles. To her great successes belong Das Blaue vom Himmel/The Blue from the Sky (Victor Janson, 1932), Leise flehen meine Lieder/Lover Divine (Willi Forst, 1933), Unfinished Symphony (Anthony Asquith, Willi Forst, 1934), Der Zarewitsch (Victor Janson, 1933), and Die Czardasfürstin/The Csardas Princess (Georg Jacoby, 1934). Critics praised her musical abilities, but also her nuanced acting. After the rise of the Nazis, she continued her career with her partner Jan Kiepura in the US.
French postcard by Editions P-C, Paris, no. 113. Photo: Super Film / Vanderheyden. Márta Eggerth sang the English Waltz 'Je veux t'aimer' in C'est un amour qui passe, the French language version of Ein Lied, ein Kuß, ein Mädel/A Song, a Kiss, a Girl (Géza von Bolváry, 1932).Text by Jean Sorbier and music by Robert Stolz. Copyright: Alrobi, Berlin / Editions Salabert, Paris, 1932.
French postcard by Editions P-C, Paris, no. 114. Photo: Walery, Paris. Georges Milton sang the one-step march 'Adieu... Adieu...' (Adieu, mon petit officier) in the stage operetta 'L'auberge du cheval blanc' (The White Horse Inn). Text by René Dorin and music by Robert Stolz (music). Copyright: Alrobi, Berlin / Editions Salabert, Paris, in 1930.
Georges Milton (1886-1970) was a French singer and actor. With his daring, merry songs Milton expressed the atmosphere of the French roaring twenties. He peaked in the French cinema of the 1930s as the character Bouboule. The postcard was for a song in a stage operetta in which he appeared. The film operetta was in the mid-1930s at its return and P-C soon stopped making Sing-Along cards.
Georges Milton sings 'Adieu... Adieu...'. Source: jonjamg (YouTube).
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