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Alexander's Ragtime Band Overview:

Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938) was a Musical - Drama Film directed by Henry King and produced by Harry Joe Brown.

SYNOPSIS

A sumptuous showcase for 28 fantastic Berlin tunes. Aristocratic Power flouts family convention and takes up ragtime. He starts a band with composer Ameche and singer Faye. Over the next 30 years, two fall in love, a different two get married, one goes away to war, the band breaks up then gets back together. One of the original and still one of the best "let's put on a show" films of all time. Love, loyalty, fame, jealousy - even duty, honor, and country - all play alongside the spectacular cast in this breathtakingly appointed showbiz epic.

(Source: available at Amazon AMC Classic Movie Companion).

Academy Awards 1938 --- Ceremony Number 11 (source: AMPAS)

AwardRecipientResult
Best Art DirectionBernard Herzbrun, Boris LevenNominated
Best Film EditingBarbara McLeanNominated
Best Music - ScoringAlfred NewmanWon
Best Picture20th Century-FoxNominated
Best WritingIrving BerlinNominated
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Alexander's Ragtime Band Quotes:

Stella Kirby: You haven't left me with a word to say.
Charlie Dwyer: That's good. People talk too much anyway.
Stella's Sailor freind: So, did you ever learn long division?
Stella Kirby: I never even learned short division!
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Alexander's Ragtime Band Facts
Three deleted musical numbers survive in pristine condition: "Some Sunny Day" sung by Don Ameche, "In My Harem" sung by Jack Haley, with Wally Vernon and Chick Chandler and "Marching Along With Time" sung by Ethel Merman; all three numbers are included as special features in the DVD release.
In her autobiography, Ethel Merman said that the original lyrics to "Heat Wave": "She started a heat wave by letting her seat wave" was changed for the movie to "She started a heat wave by letting her feet wave"
This was the first time that composer Irving Berlin had worked with Ethel Merman. He told her that he was so impressed with her talent that he would work with her again. He kept that promise and wrote two Broadway shows especially for her: "Annie Get Your Gun" in 1946 and "Call Me Madam" in 1950, the latter of which also starred Merman in the film adaptation: Call Me Madam. Merman also later starred in a film that, like this one, was a cavalcade of Irving Berlin songs, There's No Business Like Show Business.
"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie onApril 7, 1947 with Tyrone Power reprising his film role.
Grady Sutton (Babe), James Gordon (Equity President) and Joan Castle (Equity Secretary) were in studio records/casting call lists for those roles, but they did not appear in the film.
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