DON'T QUIT YOUR JOB

Year Published: 1940s

Format: 16mm

Description: This short untitled black and white film from the 1940s is a compilation of a few Soundies jukebox movies. All distributed by Soundies Distributing Corporation of America, Inc. this particular compilation contains four three-minute musical numbers with the first act being "Don't Quit Your Job", a World War II propaganda song encouraging men to dedicate themselves to their work, particularly factory work. The other films consist of musical numbers Tap Happy with tap dancers Slim and Sweets and directed by William Forest Crouch, Chopsticks as performed by Johnnie Long and his band, and Swanee Smiles with the Cabin Kids. Produced between 1940 and 1947, Soundies are three-minute American musical films that display a song, dance, and/or band/ orchestral number. The films were shown in a coin-operated "movie jukebox" named the Panoram, manufactured by the Mills Novelty Company of Chicago. Soundies emphasized variety and displayed all genres of music from classical to big-band swing. In the seven years of its production, more than 1,800 Soundies minimusicals were made. Ken Schon sings "Don't Quit Your Job", a WWII industrial incentive film. Two war-time propaganda posters are used as background (0:09). Men clock-in for work at a factory (0:51). Metal casting and welding at a factory (0:59). Men in a room drawing designs and sketching plans (1:13). Back to musical number (1:22). Tractors and agricultural machinery in a field (2:05). Garbage man loads trash into a machine (2:12). Assembly line inspection of military tanks (2:15). Scenes from various assembly lines making military-grade weapons, vehicles, airplanes, and artillery (2:19). Credits: Tap Happy film (2:44). Tap dance performance by tap dance team Slim and Sweets (2:57). Credits: Chopsticks (5:54). Johnny Long (Johnnie Long) and his band perform "Chopsticks" (5:57). Credits: Swanee Smiles with the Cabin Kids, an early all-child singing group (8:47). African American kid performers take the stage in front of a large orchestra (9:05). The Cabin Kids performed alongside the Little Rascals. They were the Hall children from Asheville, NC: Helen (tenor), Ruth (soprano); (Bottom L-R) Frederick ("anything"), Winifred (bass), and James (baritone)