I’ve Got to Sing a Torch Song

A series of celebrity sketches set at a radio station. Some unorthodox calisthenics (including corset tightening, cradle rocking, and stock ticker reading) start the action. Bing Crosby (OK, Cros Bingsby according to the sign) sings from his bathtub to adoring women. A quick world tour shows us the Shanghai Police trying hard to sleep on the job, a cannibal tuning in a cooking show, an Eskimo hooking a whale, and a sultan changing the station from belly dancing music to Amos and Andy. A safe-cracker has an unexpected twist on the title song. He’s followed up by Greta Garbo, Zasu Pitts, and Mae West. Throughout, Ed Wynn keeps announcing that it’s 8 o’clock. —Jon Reeves