International Burlesque
Cast & Crew
W. Merle Connell
Betty Rowland
Vince Barnett
Inez Claire
George "beetlepuss" Lewis
Harry Rose
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
In Hollywood, people gather around a television store and watch through the window as commentator Carlton W. Davis announces that the laying of a coaxial television cable connecting all the capital cities of the world was completed that morning. Davis explains that this technological breakthrough will enable programs to be televised all over the world, and that the Gopher Drug Company, television's largest sponsor, will inaugurate the new service with an international broadcast. To make sure everything goes right, he adds, the International Broadcasting Company has sent two top announcers from New York: Jack Martin and Anthony McCoy. Jack and Anthony show up at the television studio with a letter from the IBC president asking studio head Roberto Minsk to give them complete liberty during the broadcast. Unfortunately, they drop the letter on their way to lunch, and it is found by two down-and-out fellows, who show it to the security guard. The guard phones Minsk, who says the broadcast has been moved up and will start in three minutes, and instructs him not to let anybody else into the studio. The imposters are escorted into the studio, and when Jack and Anthony show up, the guard throws them out. The broadcast begins with a burlesque number from Haiti, after which the men improvise a commercial for a hearing aid. The show continues with dance numbers from cities around the world, including Rio de Janeiro, Istanbul, Paris and Havana, and is interspersed with comic commercials for such products as spot remover and a book on sales techniques.
Director
W. Merle Connell
Cast
Betty Rowland
Vince Barnett
Inez Claire
George "beetlepuss" Lewis
Harry Rose
Ray Parsons
Morgan Jones
Thelma Bennett
Lois Knight
Don Mathers
Robin Jewel
Deenah Prince
Pam Adair
Genii Young
June Winters
Alice White
Crew
Vince Barnett
Jose Ma. Beltras
Jane Connell
Leland Daris
R. L. Grosch
Richard Kay
Don Mathers
Fred O'brien
Wilfred Rose
Harry Rybnick
Harold Soldinger
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Although the Variety review lists Richard Kay as the film's director, the onscreen credits identify W. Merle Connell as the director. In addition to numerous strip-tease performances, the film includes a ballet sequence and a big production number. Variety notes that much of this material appears to have been obtained from "various film libraries." An article in Time reported that two versions of the film had been released: a "cold" version for towns with strict censorship rules and a "hot" or "farm" version for the more liberal communities. The reviews in The Exhibitor and Variety give running times of 80 and 93 minutes, respectively, apparently reflecting the different versions. The viewed print ended after approximately 60 minutes.
