Their first film, a short entitled Close Farm-ony shot in 1931, relied on an established white Southern stereotype, the rural farm worker, for the sisters’ characterization, dressing them in overalls and seating them on hay bales (even disguising the piano in hay)
Yassuh, We Got Video!
They’re back! There are beaucoup de Boz in action in spots across the web. Take a trip back in time with Bozzies.com and watch some choice videos of the Boswell Sisters in action right here.
Page 1
Heebie Jeebies
One of our favorites is “Heebie Jeebies ” recorded at Astoria, Queens in the summer of 1932. This film is the closest thing we have to how the Boswells actually performed in their stage shows: Connie on the bench with Martha, and Vet standing behind them with her hands on their shoulders.
Close Farmony
The very first appearance of the Boswell Sisters on film came in the short “Close Farmony ”. Martha plays a piano of straw and a goose joins in on the chorus, but the girls keep a straight face throughout. Give cow, give!
Rock and Roll
And who invented “Rock and Roll ”? While there may be debate there is no doubt that the Bozzies were the first to be filmed rockin’ and rollin’.
Page 2
Harlem Hop
You hear but do not see the Bozzies in the 1930 Western “Under Montana Skies”. When the Sisters were just starting out in Hollywood they got jobs “side-miking.” Although the movie has little to recommend it today, you can recognize the Boswell Sisters as they sing background in Harlem Hop, especially Connie’s hot scat lines.
Sleepy Time Down South
In this video, the Boswell Sisters actually appear in a cartoon in the Fleischer sing-a-long classic “Sleepy Time Down South”.
Lou’siana Waddle
In this Video, Martha, Connie, Vet and Harry Leedy are captured singing “Lou’siana Waddle” in the short “Ramblin’ Round Radio Row.”
Page 3
Falling Star
Connie Boswell is featured in “Falling Star” from the 1942 film Syncopation, backed up by actors Bonita Granville and Jackie Cooper
Connee Boswell Double Feature
Connie teams with the Brian Sisters to sing “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” and “There’s Always a Happy Ending” from the 1937 MGM short “Sunday Night at the Trocadeo.” Read more about it at the “Bozzin’ with the Brian Sisters” article on Bozzies.com.
Crazy People
In this video, we get to see the Sisters perform “Crazy People”, which they also performed in the 1932 movie “The Big Broadcast,” in company with Cab Calloway, Bing Crosby and the Mills Bros.
Page 4
Martha (M’appari)
Cboz reprises her 1937 hit “Martha” in a 1950s era Snayder Telescripter. Although she is nearly upstaged by her famous singing poodle, Rebel, Connee swings it sweet from her New York City apartment.
Alexander’s Ragtime Band
A note from the webmaster: Ok, this one really isn’t a traditional ‘video’, but the Boswell Sisters’ rendition of Alexander’s Ragtime Band is among my all time favorites. I have this MP3 in my car collection it comes up randomly amidst a typical eclectic stew of generation-x tracks. Whenever it does, invariably, I’m asked by the passenger to replay it, and I’ve recruited a half dozen Boswell fans this way 🙂
