The Melody Man
Directed by	Roy William Neill
Written by	Howard J. Green
Based on	play The Melody Man by Herbert Fields
Produced by	Harry Cohn
Starring	John St. Polis Alice Day William Collier, Jr.
Cinematography	Ted Tetzlaff
Edited by	Leonard Wheeler
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	January 15, 1930 (1930-01-15)
Running time	68 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

The Melody Man is a 1930 American Pre-Code drama musical film produced and distributed by Columbia Pictures. It was directed by Roy William Neill and starred John St. Polis, Alice Day and William Collier, Jr. The story is based on a Broadway play by Herbert Fields.^[1]

The film is preserved in the Library of Congress.^[2]

Plot

Earl von Kemper is a famous Austrian composer who fled to the United States: in Vienna, during his concert in the presence of the emperor, Kemper surprised his beloved woman locked in a boudoir with Frederick, the crown prince. Mad with jealousy, the musician killed the prince, then fleeing with his daughter.

Fifteen years have passed. Kemper earns his living playing the violin in a New York club with two other musicians. His daughter Elsa meets Al Tyler, a jazz musician. The latter overhears Kemper's rhapsody, the one that had been played at the concert for the emperor; he likes music, arranges it, making it a very successful jazz piece. But the music is recognized by Baden, the Austrian police minister, who then prepares to arrest Kemper. The musician then pretends with his daughter that he has obtained an engagement in Europe, leaving the two young lovers in America.^[3]

Cast

• Alice Day - Elsa
• William Collier, Jr. - Al Tyler (*billed as Buster Collier)
• Johnnie Walker - Joe Yates
• John St. Polis - Von Kemper
• Mildred Harris - Martha
• Albert Conti - Prince Friedrich
• Anton Vaverka - Franz Josef
• Tenen Holtz - Gustav (uncredited)
• Lee Kohlmar - Adolph (uncredited)