rected in between Cabin in the Sky and Meet Me In St Louis, so we went back in time a little bit for 1943's I Dood It. Well, you saw Red Skelton's mug on the cover image, that means there's only one guest who can cover this movie adequately, and that's John Cassaro, who produces music under the name Journeyman John Baker, find his work where ever you find music.

But wait, there's so much more reason to cover this film. It is the final MGM starring role of the luminous Eleanor Powell. Hazel Scott and Lena Horne both perform an incredible specialty number, and this film begins the reign of Kay Thompson at MGM.

We talk about all this along with Buster Keaton's love for Red Skelton, Arthur Freed's shadow producer at MGM and the modern state of the kissing booth.

It's chock-full of important vitamins this week!

Texts Referenced:

Vincente Minnelli: Hollywood's Dark Dreamer by Emanuel Levy

A Hundred or More Hidden Things: The Life and Films of Vincente Minnelli by Mark Griffin

Stormy Weather: The Life of Lena Horne by James Gavin

Lena Horne: In Person as told to Helen Arstein & Carlton Moss

Kay Thompson: From Funny Face to Eloise by Sam Lefin

Camera Man by Dana Stevens

Buster Keaton: A Filmmaker's Life by James Curtis

People Will Talk by John Kobal

Red Skelton: The Mask Behind the Mask by Wes Gehring

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Write us a letter: adreamescapade@gmail.com

Intro theme performed by Journeyman John Baker (@pos1)

Ephemera 11: I Dood It (with John Cassarro)

TW: Domestic Violence

Welcome back for our exciting conclusion to our two part Ephemera episode on the morally execrable 1951 film My Son John. This week, we welcome back our guest John Cassaro, or Journeyman John Baker, who was forced at gunpoint to watch this movie.

So, let's get real, folks, this one made us a little sad. However, the film is a fascinating document of a poisoned mind, and as such, it becomes very interesting to talk about. There are many parts of My Son John that seem literally ripped from a modern Facebook page, often phrased almost word for word the same. There's fears about communism, of course. There's also a lot about the separation of church and state, fears about immigrants and a whole heaping helping of queer panic. 

This one's a party, what can I say. So come for our trawl through the American id and stay for our deconstruction of possibly the most evil character ever created, the father, played by Dean Jagger.

Escapades! I mean, there's nobody else here!

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Write us a letter: adreamescapade@gmail.com

Texts Referenced:

Leo McCarey: From Marx to McCarthy by Wes D. Gehring

Helen Hayes: On Reflection by Helen Hayes

Intro theme performed by Journeyman John Baker (@pos1)

Ephemera 12.2: My Son John (with John Cassaro)

Have you missed us? Well, miss us no longer, because we've brought you an overstuffed episode for your delectation all about a movie not many people like. That's right, it's time for our film breakdown of Till the Clouds Roll By, the longest project yet produced by the Freed Unit. It's also the second most expensive. It also stars an actor who can't sing.

Also, the guy the movie is about died halfway through production.

Also, Judy's pregnant and there are a whole bunch of elephants.

Also, they couldn't land a director.

So, we have a lot to talk about this project that seemed to crumble in the hands of anyone who touched it, this proud studio tribute that was absolutely not an attempt to cash in on the death of Jerome Kern. 

They produced a soundtrack album! How can anything be a garish mockery of a man's life when there's a glossy soundtrack album to buy in the lobby?

Join Harry and John as they once again plunge into the abyss that is the worst parts of the MGM studio machine. 

Texts Referenced:

The World of Entertainment by Hugh Fordin

The World of Jerome Kern by David Ewen

Jerome Kern by Stephen Bonfield


Buzz: the Life and Art of Busby Berkeley by Jeffery Spivak

Lion of Hollywood: The Life and Times of Louie B Mayer by Scott Eyman

People Will Talk by John Kobal

Kay Thompson: From Funny Face to Eloise by Sam Irvin

Get Happy: The Life and Times of Judy Garland by Gerald Clark

Judy Garland: a Biography by Anne Edwards

Judy Garland: The Day to Day Chronicle of a Legend by Scott Schecter

Vincente Minnelli: Hollywood's Dark Dreamer by Emanuel Levy

A Hundred or More Hidden Things: The Life and Films of Vincente Minnelli by Mark Griffin

Stormy Weather: The Life of Lena Horne by James Gavin

Lena Horne: In Person as told to Helen Arstein & Carlton Moss

People Will Talk by John Kobal

Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @adreamescapade

Write us a letter: adreamescapade@gmail.com

Intro theme performed by Journeyman John Baker (@pos1)

Episode 17.2: Till the Clouds Roll By (with John Cassaro)

We're back, with a long sad goodbye to the two talents that made this unit, one of the most personally insulting movies ever foisted upon its actors, 1948's Words and Music.

Wait! Don't go! Please? There's still fun and frolic to be had! In this first episode, we get to talk about the life story of the two geniuses that are nominally the subject of the film. That's right, we're talking Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers. Who knows, the boys themselves might show up for a little cameo.

That's a promise, actually. Give us a listen. Two full hours of entertainment for your delectation, and an extra ten minutes in the bargain!

Texts Referenced:

The World of Entertainment by Hugh Fordin

Lion of Hollywood: The Life and Times of Louie B Mayer by Scott Eyman

Get Happy: The Life and Times of Judy Garland by Gerald Clark

Judy Garland: a Biography by Anne Edwards

Judy Garland: The Day to Day Chronicle of a Legend by Scott Schecter

Gene Kelly: The Making of a Creative Legend by Earl J Hess and Pratibha A Dabholkar

He's Got Rhythm: The Life and Career of Gene Kelly by Cynthia Brideson and Sara Brideson

The Life and Times of Mickey Rooney by William J Birnes and Richard A Lertzman

Elvis' Favorite Director: The Amazing 52 Year Career of Norman Taurog by Michael A Hoey

Stormy Weather: The Life of Lena Horne by James Gavin

Lena Horne: In Person as told to Helen Arstein & Carlton Moss

We'll Have Manhattan by Dominic Symonds

Richard Rodgers by Geoffrey Block

The Richard Rodgers Reader by Geoffrey Block

Musical Stages by Richard Rodgers

A Ship Without a Sail Gary Marmorstein

Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @adreamescapade

Write us a letter: adreamescapade@gmail.com

Intro theme performed by Journeyman John Baker (@pos1)

Episode 22.1: Words and Music

A podcast examining the films of the Arthur Freed unit through the lens of two people who should know better.

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Ephemera 12.2: My Son John (with John Cassaro)

Escapades Through the Dream Factory

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