MGM Parade
The original concept of the show was to allow the viewer to see the inner workings of a movie studio and featured interviews with MGM stars and explanations of how movies were made. Later, the format changed to show edited versions of MGM films.
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Ep 1Episode 1
A promotional film hosted by George Murphy promoting the studio's past and its current release of "It's Always Fair Weather."
Ep 2Episode 2
In recapping the presentation of the "If I Only Had the Nerve/We're Off To See The Wizard" musical number, host George Murphy hopes that it will bring back fond memories for adults who have seen The Wizard of Oz (1939), and will encourage children who haven't seen the movie to see it. He is appropriately in the MGM trophy room to introduce the short The Story of Alfred Nobel (1939). He is visited by young Leo, who wants George to showcase his friends Screwball Squirrel and Meathhead as they duke it out in animated short Screwball Squirrel (1944). And he visits with Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse on the set of It's Always Fair Weather (1955). Gene is featured in the "I Like Myself" roller skating musical number from the movie.
Ep 3Episode 3
After thanking the viewing audience for their positive reception to the show, host George Murphy introduces from the MGM vaults the classic movie A Free Soul (1931), showing a clip featuring the Academy Award winning performance by Lionel Barrymore. Next, he shows a short film, One Against the World (1939), which chronicles the career of Dr. Ephraim McDowall, who was the first person ever to perform internal surgery, which was before then considered sacrilegious and was therefore unheard of. Then he shows Guest Pests (1945), which demonstrates the different kinds of house guests that can be an annoyance. And in the coming attraction, he shows a few scenes from Trial (1955), based on the Harper Award winning novel of the same name by Don Mankiewicz, who adapted his novel for the big screen.
Ep 4Episode 4
Includes clips of "Trial" (1955) and the musical number "The French Lesson" from "Good News" (1947). Also shown is a tour of Lake Metro on the MGM back lot.
Ep 5Episode 5
Host George Murphy talks about masks as his introduction to the short film, The Face Behind the Mask (1938), which tells the true story of Louis XIV of France and the unknown man he imprisoned behind an iron mask. He then introduces one of the late Robert Benchley's classic comic "how to" shorts, How to Train a Dog (1936). Murphy next introduces the MGM hall of fame movie of the week, Till the Clouds Roll By (1946), which is about composer, Jerome Kern. In the film clip shown, Tony Martin sings "All the Things You Are" written by Kern. Murphy lastly receives a visit from actor John Hodiak, who talks about his latest movie, Trial (1955).
Ep 6Episode 6
Clips from "The Amazing Mr. Nordill", Greta Garbo in "Anna Christie", and an interview with Robert Taylor.
