GRANDPA'S PICTURE PARTY

COMMERCIAL 16mm SOUND FILM
originally owned by Gustave A. Martens
apx. 2 minutes, Color, late 1930's
No credits other than title
When the Organ Played "Oh Promise Me"
Do you think these animations came from a 1960's light show, or a New Age video? Think again.
They were created in the late 1930's to accompany a song by Bing Crosby.

(Organ intro)
When I hear an organ in the twilight glow,
It brings back sweet memories from a long, long time ago. . .

I can see you and I
As we were in days gone by,
When the mighty organ played "Oh Promise Me."
I was yours; you were mine,
It was orange blossom time,
When the mighty organ played "Oh Promise Me."
The day I put that ring around your finger
Will always linger in my memories. . .
Though the years float away,
You're as sweet as yesterday,
When the mighty organ played "Oh Promise Me."
(Organ interlude)
The day I put that ring around your finger
Will always linger in my memories. . .
Though the years float away,
You're as sweet as yesterday,
When the mighty organ played "Oh Promise Me."

The one time Grandpa played this film for us kids, we kept asking "What's this, Grandpa? What are we looking at, Grandpa?" and he could only respond "How the heck should I know!?!"

What I'd really like to know is, what was the intended purpose of this musical curio? To sell more Bing Crosby records? Serve as a home-movie valentine? Or merely to plug up leftover space in a commercial movie reel? (It was attached to the end of "Archery Antics"). Also, were there other films like this created at the time?

Anybody out there got some answers? Email me :)


Play an Excerpt from this Movie! (Quicktime required)