The Star Maker (1939)

Two vaudeville performers fall in love, but find their relationship tested by the arrival of WWI.

Foreign investors converge on a luxury hotel in China to bid on a new kind of radioscope. But, this is a hotel where Burns and Allen are the in-house medical staff, a measles risk sends the whole building into quarantine, and a madcap millionaire crashes dinner in his autogyro. Hotel and radioscope become a stage for an all-star cast of comedians and musicians, from vaudeville to the new generation.

Construction worker Buzz Blackwell becomes the guardian of 12-year-old Pat Johnson after one of his buddies, her father, is killed. Buzz and Pat, along with their chum Axel Swensen, head to New York to look for the girl's uncle. The trio soon unexpectedly become owners of a tired restaurant.

Old Nat Moyer is a talker, a philosopher, and a troublemaker with a fanciful imagination. His companion is Midge Carter, who is half-blind, but still the super of an apartment house. When he is threatened with retirement, Nat battles on his behalf. Nat also takes on his daughter, a drug dealer, and a mugger in this appealing version of a really 'odd couple'.

A married couple who have a song-and-dance act in vaudeville are in trouble. Their struggling act is going nowhere, they're almost broke and they have to do something to get them back on top or they'll really be in trouble. They decide to put their young son in the act in hopes of attracting some new attention. The boy turns out to be a major talent, audiences love him and the act is on its way to the top. That's when an organization whose purpose is to stop children from performing on stage shows up, and they're dead set on breaking up the act.

A woman shows off her trained dogs.

The pursuit of Hop Lee by an irate policeman.

A joyful insight into the creative world of Barry and Joan Grantham, two British eccentrics who have kept the skills of vaudeville alive for over seventy years. Since becoming stage-struck lovers in 1948, Barry and Joan have taught, danced and acted alongside the greats of British film and theatre. They are the last of the golden generation of vaudeville, eager to pass their legacy on to future generations.

Vaudeville comedians Foottit and Chocolat hop and dance around and occasionally fight.

Two men box in a comedic manner, with the film opening as one man in a cap punches the other and then ducks behind him.

The champion lady boxers of the world. Shows two female pugilists who are really clever. They engage in a hot one-round sparring bout. A park, with marble entrance and walk, and beautiful trees and shrubbery, make a very pleasing background. The exhibition is very lively from start to finish; the blows fall thick and fast, and some very clever pugilistic generalship is shown. Sold complete or in separate lengths.

An "Out of the Inkwell" cartoon featuring Ko-Ko the Clown.

The film concerns a family vaudeville troupe headed by patriarch Pete Monahan. Because of his love affair with the bottle, Pete manages to get himself and his family blacklisted from every major vaude house in the country. Though Pete's kids Jimmy and Patsy love their dad, they're forced to break away from the act and go off on their own to survive. Eventually, the whole gang is reunited in a shamelessly lachrymose musical finale.

A comedic team. The Ann seems to try and come across as a Mae West type. Jay plays the role of the straight partner.

Jack Waldron performs his stand-up vaudeville act.

Ben Bernie and his orchestra play a few songs for a vitaphone recording.

Comedian Pat West performs his vaudeville act.

Harry Fox performs his vaudeville act.

The 'Debutantes' are an all female orchestra led and directed by Harry Wayman doing some musical and dancing routines, Harrry accompanies with the violin.

The scene is a parlor out West, with Ray Mayer sitting at the piano in is cowboy duds - hat, scarf, and chaps. He plays a little barrel-house music and then introduces Edith Evans, who enters wearing fur. She sings - her voice a light-opera soprano - while Mayer plays.