The American Musical Film Song Encyclopedia

Following the successful, The American Musical Theatre Song Encyclopedia (Greenwood, 1995), this new encyclopedia reviews in-depth individual songs written for the American musical film over the past seventy years. Over 1,800 songs from over 500 musical films are identified and described. In addition to detailing the songs’ authors, original singers, and initial film appearances, the encyclopedia also explains how the songs were used in the film, lists subsequent film and stage appearances of the songs, and notes memorable recordings. From Jolson to Elvis, operetta to rock musicals, and Irving Berlin to the Beatles, the comprehensive scope of this work gathers a wealth of information about film musical songs not readily available elsewhere.

The combination of accurate, thoroughly researched information, commentary, and anecdotal background will appeal to both film scholars and fans. Numerous indexes for easy reference include a list of alternate song titles, famous movie songs from other sources, best song Oscars, Oscar-winning film musicals, and a list of film musicals from 1927 through 1998. A bibliography completes this important reference tool and provides helpful sources for further research.

THOMAS S. HISCHAK is Professor of Theatre History and Criticism at the State University of New York College at Cortland and a playwright who is a member of the Dramatists Guild, Inc. His previous publications include The Theatregoer’s Almanac, (Greenwood, 1997), The American Musical Theatre Song Encyclopedia (Greenwood, 1995), which received the 1995 Choice Outstanding Academic Book award, Stage It With Music (Greenwood, 1993), and Word Crazy (Praeger, 1991). He is also the author of eighteen published plays.