''Follow Thru'' is a 1930 American

pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was an era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry that occurred between the widespread adoption of sound in film in the late 1920s and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorship gui ...

musical romantic comedy film photographed entirely in

Technicolor Technicolor is a family of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes. The first version, Process 1, was introduced in 1916, and improved versions followed over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black-and ...

. It was the second all-color, all-talking feature to be produced by

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

. The film was based on the hit 1929 Broadway musical of the same name by

Lew Brown Lew Brown (born Louis Brownstein; December 10, 1893 – February 5, 1958) was a lyricist for popular songs in the United States. During World War I and the Roaring Twenties, he wrote lyrics for several of the top Tin Pan Alley composers, espec ...

B. G. DeSylva George Gard "Buddy" DeSylva (January 27, 1895 – July 11, 1950) was an American songwriter, film producer and record executive. He wrote or co-wrote many popular songs, and along with Johnny Mercer and Glenn Wallichs, he co-founded Capitol R ...

Ray Henderson Ray Henderson (born Raymond Brost; December 1, 1896 – December 31, 1970) was an American songwriter. Early life Born in Buffalo, New York, Henderson moved to New York City and became a popular composer in Tin Pan Alley. He was one-third of ...

and

Laurence Schwab Laurence Schwab (1893 – May 29, 1951) was an American theater and film producer, writer, and director. He was born in Boston and attended Harvard University. His first success was as co-producer of '' The Gingham Girl'' (1922). He co-authored a ...

. The musical ran a total of 401 performances from January 9, 1929, to December 21, 1929.

Jack Haley John Joseph Haley Jr. (August 10, 1898 – June 6, 1979) was an American actor, comedian, dancer, radio host, singer, drummer and vaudevillian. He was best known for his portrayal of the Tin Man and his farmhand counterpart Hickory in the 193 ...

Zelma O'Neal Zelma O'Neal (May 29, 1903 – November 3, 1989) was an American actress, singer, and dancer in the 1920s and 1930s. She appeared on Broadway and in early sound films, including the Paramount Pictures films '' Paramount on Parade'' and '' ...

ad Don Tomkins, who starred in the Broadway production, reprised their roles in the film version. The film is one of dozens of musicals made in 1929 and 1930 following the advent of sound, and it is one of several to feature color cinematography. Though many of these films have been lost or were destroyed by the original studios, the original camera negative of ''Follow Thru'' survives in its entirety and in excellent condition. It has been preserved by the

UCLA Film and Television Archive The UCLA Film & Television Archive is a visual arts organization focused on the film preservation, preservation, film studies, study, and appreciation of film and television, based at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). As a nonpro ...

Cast

Charles "Buddy" Rogers Charles Edward "Buddy" Rogers (August 13, 1904 – April 21, 1999) was an American film actor and musician. During the peak of his popularity in the late 1920s and early 1930s, he was publicized as "America's Boyfriend". Life and career Earl ...

as Jerry Downes, golf pro *

Nancy Carroll Nancy Carroll (born Ann Veronica Lahiff; November 19, 1903 – August 6, 1965) was an American actress. She started her career in Broadway musicals and then became an actress in sound films and was in many films from 1927 to 1938. She was t ...

as Lora Moore, Mac's daughter and club champion *

as Angie Howard, Lora's friend and caddy *

as Jack Martin, department store heir and Jerry's golf student *

Eugene Pallette Eugene William Pallette (July 8, 1889 – September 3, 1954) was an American actor who worked in both the silent and sound eras, performing in more than 240 productions between 1913 and 1946. After an early career as a slender leading man, ...

as J.C. Effingham, girdle manufacturer *

Thelma Todd Thelma Alice Todd (July 29, 1906 – December 16, 1935) was an American actress and businesswoman who carried the nicknames "The Ice Cream Blonde" and "Hot Toddy". Appearing in about 120 feature films and shorts between 1926 and 1935, she ...

as Mrs. Ruth Van Horn, wealthy widow and champion golfer *

Claude King Claude King (February 5, 1923 – March 7, 2013) was an American country music singer and songwriter, best known for his 1962 million-selling hit, " Wolverton Mountain". Biography King was born in Keithville in southern Caddo Parish south ...

as Mac Moore, golf pro and Lora's father * Don Tomkins as Dinty Moore, Lora's teenage brother *

Albert Gran Albert Gran (August 4, 1862 – December 16, 1932) was a Norwegian-born American stage and film actor. He is most associated with his appearance in drama and light comedy films. Biography Albert Gran was born in Bergen, Norway. He was the s ...

as Martin Bascomb, the club president *

Kathryn Givney Kathryn Givney (October 27, 1896 – March 16, 1978) was an American actress in theater and in films. Biography Givney was born Catharine Givney in Rhinelander, Wisconsin in 1896. In 1928, Givney was a member of the S. E. Cochran Repertor ...

as Mrs. Bascomb, his wife * Margaret Lee as Babs Bascomb, their teenage daughter

Plot

At the Mission Country Club in 1910, golf pro Mac Moore orders champagne to celebrate the birth of his child, whom he hopes to raise to be a champion golfer. When he learns that the newborn is a girl, he changes the order to beer. Twenty years later, Mac's daughter Lora has entered the club tournament, but she loses to Ruth Van Horn, a champion from another club, and contemplates giving up golf. Jerry Downes, a golf pro, and his friend Jack Martin arrive at the club. Lora takes one look at Jerry and decides to stay in the game. Meanwhile, Jack meets Lora's best friend, Angie, but is too flustered to make a move. (duet: "Button Up Your Overcoat") Jerry gives Lora golf lessons. (duet: "A Peach of a Pair") Babs and Dinty deny any romantic feelings for one another. (duet: "Then I'll Have Time for You") A title card announces a change of scene: "The masquerade party - across the border" At Ruth's housewarming party in Mexico, Angie sings "I Want to Be Bad", which evolves into a huge production number with dozens of dancing angels and devils, fire and smoke effects, and a little fire engine manned by children. Angry at Ruth's attempts to seduce Jerry, teetotaler Lora gets drunk, sings a reprise of "I Want to be Bad" and passes out. Jerry reprises "A Peach of a Pair". Jerry and Lora drive home. (duet: "It Must Be You") New club member J.C. Effingham ("Effie"), the girdle magnate, agrees to help Jack recover a family ring he gave to Angie if Jack's father will stock Effie's girdles in his department stores. Effie and Jack infiltrate the ladies locker room disguised as plumbers. Jack gets the ring and the girl. At another tournament, Lora, still upset with Jerry, gives him the cold shoulder and he walks away but Jack coaxes him back. On the 18th hole, Jerry steps in as Lora's caddy and she wins! Jerry walks away again. Jack and Angie encourage Jerry and Lora to make up so they can plan a double wedding. (reprise: "A Peach of a Pair")

Songs

Of the twelve songs in the original Broadway production, only five were performed in the film. *"A Peach of a Pair" by

George Marion Jr. George Marion Jr. (August 30, 1899 – February 25, 1968) was an American screenwriter. He wrote for 106 films between 1920 and 1940. Director Billy Wilder told Hollywood oral historian Max Wilk that, as a title writer for silent films, Mari ...

(lyrics),

Richard A. Whiting Richard Armstrong Whiting (November 12, 1891 – February 19, 1938) was an American composer of popular songs, including the standards " Hooray for Hollywood", " Ain't We Got Fun?" and " On the Good Ship Lollipop". He also wrote lyrics occas ...

(music) *"It Must Be You" by Elwood Eliscu and

Manning Sherwin Manning Sherwin (January 4, 1902 – July 26, 1974) was an American composer. Born in Philadelphia, Sherwin attended Columbia University before embarking upon a long career in musical theatre and films. His most enduring composition is the music ...

(lyrics and music) *"Then I'll Have Time for You," "I Want to be Bad" and "

Button Up Your Overcoat "Button Up Your Overcoat" is a popular song. The music was written by Ray Henderson, the lyrics by B.G. DeSylva and Lew Brown. The song was published in 1928, and was first performed later that same year by vocalist Ruth Etting. However, the mo ...

" by

and

(lyrics),

(music)

Production

The film was shot in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

and

Palm Springs Palm Springs (Cahuilla language, Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Rivers ...

. The extras who appear in golf course scenes had to be coached with regard to golf etiquette (when to applaud a strike, etc.). About two hundred extras were used for the climactic golf championship sequence.

Preservation

For a long time, the film was believed to be lost, but a print was found in the 1990s and it was carefully restored and preserved by the

References

External links

* * * {{TCMDb title, 75287, Follow Thru 1930 films 1930s color films 1930 musical comedy films American musical comedy films American romantic comedy films American films based on plays Films directed by Lloyd Corrigan Films shot in Los Angeles American golf films Paramount Pictures films 1930s rediscovered films 1930 romantic comedy films Rediscovered American films Early color films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films English-language romantic comedy films English-language musical comedy films