Birth of the Blues

When oil is discovered just outside a small New England town, the residents go wild at the prospect of newfound wealth, and they invest their money with the head of the venture, a young man named Bruce Merlin.

André Frey, a bohemian artist, woos and wins a rustic Swiss maid, promising to return to her after a visit to the city. The girl, Vroni, finds herself pregnant and is forced by her father to marry Poldi Moser, the mayor of the small Swiss town. Moser and Vroni are happy together, and two sons are born to them. André returns to the village periodically and finally asks Vroni to go away with him. She refuses, and he writes her an angry note. That evening, Vroni and André are involved in a toboggan accident; Vroni is killed outright, and André is fatally injured. Moser finds André's note and goes to him, demanding of the dying man to know which of the boys is in fact André's child. Thinking to protect his own son, André informs Moser that Moser's own son is his (André's) son. Moser swears vengeance on the child but relents when he realizes that he loves both boys equally.

Hoping to gain favor with the people of Moravia and destroy evidence of the rightful prince's claim to the throne, Prince Ferdinand makes plans to marry Countess Nadia. She thwarts Ferdinand's efforts, running off with Gustav Kenski, only to marry Gene, a soldier who she meets on the road. Ferdinand has her found and abducted, but Gene rescues her, and it is revealed that he is the rightful prince of Moravia.

Story about four generations in a family of musicians.

A young woman trying to make it in Hollywood decides that the only way she can attain stardom is to go the "vamp" route, although in her private life she's nothing like her on-screen character. She gets the recognition she wants, but for the wrong reason--she finds herself in the middle of a notorious society scandal.

Professional safecracker Fancy Charlie breaks into the apartment of G.B. Lawson, a criminologist, and mistakenly believes that he has robbed a fellow safecracker. Out of "professional courtesy" he informs Lawson of what he has done. Instead of calling the police, Lawson--who believes in the philosophy of "honor among thieves"--makes a deal with Charlie: to show Charlie that it's actually more profitable to be a legitimate businessman then a crook, he'll give Charlie some money if Charlie will use it to establish a legitimate business in the small town of Plumfield, and at the end of a year they will divide up whatever profits Charlie is able to make honestly. Charlie agrees, but soon discovers that things aren't going to be quite as easy as he thought.

Jim Bowen, a cashier in a prosperous insurance firm, lives happily with his wife Mary and son Frankie until Alan Perry, the profligate son of Jim's employer, frames Jim for forgery.

An orphan boy wins a prize for his drawing.

A gambler discovers an old flame while in Argentina, but she's married to his new boss.

Shy sailor Casey Kirby suddenly becomes known as a sea wolf when his picture is taken with a famous actress. Things get complicated when bets are placed on his prowess with the ladies.

Traveling saleswoman Mary Marbury thrashes a masher on a train when he tries to kiss a young girl in a tunnel.

Extravagant-living Helen Douglas and her wealthy husband, broker Alan Douglas, live beyond their means. Alan's friend, Billy Braden, tries to convince them to join him in leaving New York for the more peaceful West, but they refuse.

After his father dies amidst rumors that he was an oil swindler, Matthew Denton goes to Texas to discover the truth. But he has been spoiled by his mother and he has a hard time adjusting to his rough surroundings.

Popular songwriter Oliver Courtney has been getting by for years using one ghost writer for his music and another for his lyrics. When both writers meet at an inn, they fall in love and then try to sell their songs under their own name. The problem is every song publisher thinks they're copying Courtney's style.

The queen of mythical Sylvania marries a courtier, who finds his new life unsatisfying.

Stranded in Africa, Chuck and his pal Fearless have comic versions of jungle adventures, featuring two attractive con-women.