The 20th Amendment (1930). A forgotten Paramount-Astoria short subject starring Jack Haley (several years before he played the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz) as a man who benefits from the passage of an amendment allowing polygamy. His favorite female is Evelyn Hoey, with whom he sings the Gorney-Harburg song "You're the Cure for What Ails … Continue Reading ››

Devil Sea (1931). Paramount-Astoria Studios short subject starring Ethel Merman, who sings two early Harburg songs: "Old Devil Sea" (music by Vernon Duke) and "Glory, Glory" (music by Johnny Green). Not commercially available.

"What Wouldn't I Do for That Man?" (Harburg-Gorney, 1929) is featured in Any Little Girl That's a Nice Little Girl, a 1931 Fleischer Brothers "Talkartoon" starring "Lulu Belle," a precursor of brothers' famous Betty Boop. It is one of many classic Fleischer Brothers cartoons in Betty Boop: The Definitive Collection (Volume 4: Musical Madness).

Stolen Heaven (1931), a dramatic film from Paramount-Astoria Studios, includes the Harburg-Gorney song "You Gotta Live Today," sung by Nancy Carroll and ensemble.

They Call It Sin (1932). Yip and Jay Gorney had just made Broadway history with their classic "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" when this Warner Bros. drama was released in the fall of 1932. Their uncredited contribution to this feature is "Where Are You?" sung in a rehearsal scene by Clarence Nordstrom (best … Continue Reading ››

Moonlight and Pretzels (Universal, 1933) was the first motion picture musical to which Yip made a substantial contribution. Coming on the heels of the success earlier the same year of 42nd Street, it’s a backstage story about a struggling songwriter (Roger Pryor). Includes “There’s a Little Bit of You in Every Love Song” (Fain), and … Continue Reading ››

Take a Chance (Paramount, 1933) introduced the Harburg-Arlen classic "It's Only a Paper Moon" to a national audience (it had been sung previously in a short-lived 1932 Broadway play). Here it is performed by Buddy Rogers, June Knight and a large ensemble, starting as a simple duet but building to an operatic extravaganza. The song was … Continue Reading ››

Broadway Gondolier (Warner Bros., 1935). Yip contributed no lyrics to this feature film. He did, however, co-write the story with Sig Herzig, who with Fred Saidy would co-write the book for the Harburg-Arlen Broadway musical Bloomer Girl in 1944. Not commercially available.

Manhattan Moon (Universal, 1935). Yip contributed one song to this feature: "My Other Me" (with composer Karl Hajos). Not commercially available.

The Affair of Susan (Universal, 1935). Comedy starring ZaSu Pitts. Song: "Something in My Heart" by Yip and Franz Waxman. Not commercially available.