Hollywood on Parade (1932–1934) is a series of short subjects released by Paramount Pictures.

Production background

One short (# B-9) is frequently misidentified as future Stooge Curly Howard's first appearance on film, as cited by historians (he replaces Shemp). This is because it was mistaken for a 1932 short when Criterion Pictures acquired the shorts for television distribution in the early 1950s, and slapped a generic title card on all films in this series with a 1932 copyright notice.

In fact, # B-9 was a 1934 Paramount release, and most likely filmed during a loan-out period for Howard from MGM, around the same time Ted Healy and the Three Stooges costarred in Myrt and Marge (1933) for Universal Studios.

# A-8 is one of only two movies to portray a live-action Betty Boop. The other is a Paramount short film Musical Justice (1931), in which Mae Questel portrays Betty Boop.

Cast

List of shorts

NOTE: This list is probably incomplete.
In this section Webb's encyclopedia refers to Webb, Graham (2020). Encyclopedia of American Short Films, 1926-1959. McFarland. pp. 250–251. ISBN 978-1476681184.

• Hollywood on Parade # A-1 (released August 26, 1932)
• Hollywood on Parade # A-2 (released September 23, 1932 (or September 22, 1932^[1]))
• Hollywood on Parade # A-3 (released October 21, 1932 (or October 25, 1932^[1]))

  There are two kinds of print labelled A-3.

  • Paramount Publix Corporation title with circled A and circled 3. (Hollywood on Parade at IMDb ). Benny Rubin acts the part of a judge. Also with Fifi D'Orsay, Baby Peggy etc.
  • Criterion Pictures Corporation title with A-3. (Hollywood on Parade at IMDb ). Eddie Kane roams around the studio back-lot, opening various doors to see which stars pop out, including Anna May Wong, Bert Wheeler, Robert Woolsey etc. This one match the description on Webb's encyclopedia.
• Hollywood on Parade # A-4 (released November 18, 1932 (or November 25, 1932^[1]))
• Hollywood on Parade # A-5 (released December 16, 1932 (or December 15, 1932^[1]))
• Hollywood on Parade # A-6 (released January 13, 1933 (or January 12, 1933^[1]))

  There are 2 kinds of available print labelled A-6, one is with Paramount logo and 2 marks circled A (Ⓐ) and circled 6 (➅), other is Criterion Pictures reissue one, the bottom of the title of which, A-6 is shown.

  • Paramount Publix Corporation print A 6 (Hollywood on Parade at IMDb ) begins with the scene of Richard Arlen who plays magician The Great Arlen and introduce many actors including Talullah Bankhead where she sings It Had To Be That Way^[1].
  • Criterion Pictures Corporation print A-6 (Hollywood on Parade at IMDb ) begins with Mack Gordon introduces flagpole sitter Alvin "Shipwreck" Kelly, who hoists some girls aloft with him and shows them sights around Hollywood. Various stars appear in staged scenes of El Brendel, Joe E. Brown, Harry Langdon etc.

  In Webb's encyclopedia, this title is described as "Movie celebrities at play" and more than 40 celebrities name are listed included Gary Cooper, Cecil B. Demille, Mary Pickford, Gloria Swanson, Loretta Young etc. (Betty Alexander is also listed among them, however she was too young, so it could be a mistake of Ben Alexander.)
  This does not match the contents neighter of 2 prints mentioned above, so this might be the 3rd version.

• Hollywood on Parade # A-7 (released February 13, 1933^[1])

  There is a Criterion Pictures Corporation print labelled A-5. This matches the description of A-7 in Webb's encyclopedia - Host Mickey Daniels presents archive footage of Maurice Chevalier.

• Hollywood on Parade # A-8 (released March 10, 1933 (or March 9, 1933^[1]))
• Hollywood on Parade # A-9 (released April 7, 1933 (or April 6, 1933^[1]))
• Hollywood on Parade # A-10 (released May 5, 1933^[1])
• Hollywood on Parade # A-11 (released June 2, 1933^[1])
• Hollywood on Parade # A-12 (released June 30, 1933)
• Hollywood on Parade # A-13 (copyrighted, 28 July, 1933^[1])
• Hollywood on Parade # B-1 (released August 18, 1933)
• Hollywood on Parade # B-2 (released September 8, 1933^[1])
• Hollywood on Parade # B-3 (released October 13, 1933^[1])
• Hollywood on Parade # B-4 (released November 10, 1933^[1])
• Hollywood on Parade # B-5 (released December 8, 1933^[1])
• Hollywood on Parade # B-6 (released January 5, 1934)
• Hollywood on Parade # B-7 (released February 2, 1934)
• Hollywood on Parade # B-8 (released March 2, 1934^[1])
• Hollywood on Parade # B-9 (released March 30, 1934)
• Hollywood on Parade # B-10 (released 1934)
• Hollywood on Parade # B-11 (released 1934)
• Hollywood on Parade # B-12 (released 1934)
• Hollywood on Parade # B-13 (released July 20, 1934)

Also, there are other titles listed without number.^[1]

• Hollywood on Parade (released June 5, 1932)
• Hollywood on Parade (released 1934)

  Hollywood screenwriter, Jimmy Starr interviews Charlotte V. Henry about her career.
  (This might be a duplicate of some of the title released in 1934 which have little info. Note that B-10 to B-12 are not listed in this catalog.)