Is Everybody Happy?

Ted Lewis is the Master of Ceremonies in this enjoyable two-reel variety short from Universal.

Theodore Leopold Friedman was born in Ohio in 1890. By 1919 he was fronting his own jazz band, with side men like Benny Goodman and Jimmy Dorsey, and recording with Columbia. As time went on, his act became more stylized. Dressed in tails and top hat, with a walking stick to wave about, he would talk his way through a song in a drunken-sounding manner. With his exaggerated mannerisms and catchphrase of 'Is everybody happy?' he was easy to lampoon...which only kept him in the public eye.

Lewis was married in 1915, closed down his band in the 1950s, remaining a popular guest performer until his death in his sleep in 1971.

Here's a unique entry in Universal's series of musical two-reelers produced in the early 1940's. Ted Lewis filmed several songs for the Abbott and Costello feature OH, CHARLIE! Before the film was released, the title was changed to HOLD THAT GHOST, a new ending was filmed and several songs were deleted (though they were still mentioned in the film's pressbook).

Universal took the cut songs, filmed some new footage including a couple of new numbers, and released IS EVERYBODY HAPPY? as a musical two-reeler. The short was released one month after the release of HOLD THAT GHOST.

There is no story and only a bit of dialogue wherein Lewis introduces a couple of acts besides himself. The highlight of this short is a tap number by Charles "Snowball" Whittier (though it is tainted by some condescending running commentary by Lewis). Whittier was Lewis's "shadow" for several decades, earning his keep by stepping and strutting behind Lewis in his signature "Me and My Shadow" number. That number, by the way, not only appears in HOLD THAT GHOST but in IS EVERYBODY HAPPY? as well.

While the original two-reel version of IS EVERYBODY HAPPY? is very difficult to see, there are actually more prints around of the Castle Films one-reel abridgment, titled TED LEWIS AND HIS BAND.