In the 1930s, MGM was forced to create a lot of material to fill the programs of its vast empire of movie houses. At that time, an evening at the movies included two features, interspersed with various "short subjects" which included newsreels, travelogues, cartoons, documentaries, and other items. One of the most successful producers of shorts was a man named Pete Smith who had a quirky, nasal voice. His shorts were almost surrealistic, featuring a wide variety of experts (archers, bowlers, horsehoe pitchers, etc) doing seemingly impossible tricks. Instead of being a diversion, the Pete Smith Specialties came to be major attractions. People would come to see a picture that was a real stinker if the marquee said "New Pete Smith Short"

In 1942, Smith took on Jitterbug in a film short called Groovie Movie, a comical look at the world of Swing dancing, starring Jean Veloz, Arthur Walsh, Chuck Saggau, and Irene Thomas. The 9 minute film spoofs both dance instruction and efforts to find high culture in jitterbug. Taking on the Arthur Murray visual techniques, Jean and Arthur appear in uniforms that are half black and half white with foot- and hand-prints to show proper position. An animated sequence of footprints begins logically and soon becomes a hopelessly complictaed mess. Through the parody and comedy, Groovie Movie shows some of the finest examples of the Hollywood Style of Lindy Hop that have ever been filmed. Today, Swing dancers continue to mine this cult film for dance moves and techniques.

Over the past few years, Tom and Debra have produced three Groovie Movie Reunions that have brought today's dancers together with the original stars of the film. Everyones favorite is Jean Veloz who radiates charm like a supernova. This years' instructors were Eric and Sylvia from Hollywood and Natalie and Yuval from New York City

Debra, Jean Veloz, Ray Phelps, Beverley Weinstein
Photo Credit: Dr. Ronnie Weinstein


Sylvia, Eric, Natalie, Yuval
Photo Credit: Dr. Ronnie Weinstein


Lynne McCuhn, Canary for Lush Life
Photo Credit: Dr. Ronnie Weinstein

The weekend got off to a fine start with a big blowout at Sequoia in the Georgetown Harbor development. Yes, it bears a strong resemblance to the old America venue because both places were designed by the same guy for the same chain. Over 300 people came out even thoughthe city was reeling from the two-foot snowstorm the previous week.

The Artie Shaw Orchestra...
Photo Credit: Stan Weinstein of Dreams and Memories


...Under the Leadership of Dick Johnson
Photo Credit: Stan Weinstein of Dreams and Memories


Jean Veloz
Photo Credit: Stan Weinstein of Dreams and Memories


Over 300 attended
Photo Credit: Stan Weinstein of Dreams and Memories


Sylvia Skylar and Tom Koerner
Photo Credit: Stan Weinstein of Dreams and Memories


Debra Sternberg and Yuval Hod
Photo Credit: Stan Weinstein of Dreams and Memories


Sylvia Skylar and Yuval Hod
Photo Credit: Stan Weinstein of Dreams and Memories


Playing Horsey inthe Jam
Photo Credit: Stan Weinstein of Dreams and Memories


Lynne McCuhn
Photo Credit: Stan Weinstein of Dreams and Memories


Connie and Andy
Photo Credit: Stan Weinstein of Dreams and Memories


Jean and Mike
Photo Credit: Stan Weinstein of Dreams and Memories


The Rev Taylor cuts a rug
Photo Credit: Stan Weinstein of Dreams and Memories


Jimmy of Blue Sky Five and Swing Central
Photo Credit: Stan Weinstein of Dreams and Memories

Here are some photos from the Saturday night dance, held at Andrews Air Force Base. The band was Lush Life

Eric and Sylvia
Photo Credit: Dr. Ronnie Weinstein


A Group of Revelers
Photo Credit: Dr. Ronnie Weinstein


Catherine and David
Photo Credit: Dr. Ronnie Weinstein


Lindsey and Dave
Photo Credit: Dr. Ronnie Weinstein


April and Jerrold
Photo Credit: Dr. Ronnie Weinstein


Natalie and Yuval
Photo Credit: Dr. Ronnie Weinstein


Ron and Beverly
Photo Credit: Dr. Ronnie Weinstein


Teresa and Tom
Photo Credit: Dr. Ronnie Weinstein

The third day of the festival took place at Clarendon Ballroom, featuring the Tom Cunningham Orchestra

Tom introduces Jean and Ray…
Photo Credit: Tony Nesky


...to a crowd that already knew them by reputation.
Photo Credit: Tony Nesky


Jean’s style rubs off on everyone!
Photo Credit: Tony Nesky


Natalie and Yuval. How come Tom and Debra never teach this hand hold?
Photo Credit: Tony Nesky


Erik. Sylvia. Counterbalance.
Photo Credit: Tony Nesky


A Groovie Move from Erik and Sylvia.
Photo Credit: Tony Nesky


Jean Veloz with her favorite dance partner—her brother Ray Phelps,
heartthrob of the Palladium Ballroom.
Photo Credit: Tony Nesky


Our favorite dancer and pin-up girl, Sylvia Skylar.
Photo Credit: Tony Nesky


Muses of swing: Robin Cunningham and Jean Veloz.
Photo Credit: Tony Nesky

Pete Smith (1892 - 1979) was he son of a brewery cooper, he dropped out of school at 13 to begin a low-paying career as a stenographer-typist. He made his first contact with show business in 1912 as a secretary of a vaudeville players' union and later as a reviewer for Billboard magazine. He then began a successful stint as a press agent and eventually wound up with MGM as publicity director and head of the advertising department. In 1931 he began producing and narrating shorts for the studio, which soon became popular with audiences for their folksy and inventive style. They comprised a wide variety of subjects, from sports wrap-ups to entertaining educational shorts. Some were in color and others, presented as Audioscopics, utilized a 3-D technique. In 1936, Smith began producing his most celebrated series of shorts, the "Pete Smith Specialties," which enjoyed a great popular success. "A Smith named Pete," as he introduced himself, produced and narrated some 300 shorts in all. Two of these, PENNY WISDOM (about cooking, 1937) and QUICKER'N A WINK (in ultra-slow motion, 1940) won Academy Awards. In 1954, the year of his retirement, Smith was presented with a special Academy Award at the ceremonies for 1953. At age 86, despondent over his deteriorating health, Smith jumped to his death from the roof of a Los Angeles convalescent hospital.

Pete Smith

Counter for the Entire Site (not just this page..)