PETER MINTUN: You Oughta Be In Pictures (Dana Suesse - Edward Heyman)

This is the most popular of Dana Suesse's compositions, copyrighted in February of 1934. By 1933 she and Edward Heyman (lyricist) had a string of song successes and boasted to their publisher that they could write a hit in 15 minutes. For the tune, Suesse appropriated a melody from a 1901 ballet piece by Riccardo Drigo (1846-1930) ('Serenade' from Les Millions d' arlequin). Heyman, who was very prolific with catch phrases (Out Of Nowhere, Ho Hum, Shake Well Before Using, Body and Soul), created a lyric using names of famous movie stars, some of whom were more famous in silent films (Tom Mix, Richard Dix, Lilyan Tashman, Janet Gaynor). According to their story, they locked themselves in a rehearsal room at the publisher's office and emerged 15 minutes later with "You Oughta Be In Pictures." Years later Heyman told me he approached the publisher with the idea of a lyric that included names of contemporary stars such as Warren Beatty. "Don't tamper with a classic," he was told. Although the sheet music says the song emanated from the Columbia film 'New York Town,' there is no such title in the Columbia catalog. All three refrains are heard in this video, played on the Steinway concert grand that was purchased by Suesse in August of 1934.