"Puttin' On the Ritz" Trivia Quiz

Answer: Going out on the town in style or dressing fashionably.

According to the OED, the word "ritzy" also came from this phrase. There is some dispute in its etymology, as the Ritz Brothers claim they were using the phrase as early as 1921. But most agree it came from the song of the same name, written in late 1929. In later times, it has taken on the connotation of "assuming an air of superiority", according to the Online Etymology Dictionary.

Answer: Harry Richman and Joan Bennett

The film revolves around singer Harry Raymond (played by Harry Richman), a man who works for a musical promoter. He and his friend meet Dolores Fenton (played by Joan Bennett), a songwriter who is trying to sell one of her songs. The rest of the film follows the typical boy-meets-girl, boy-is-separated-from girl (Raymond takes to drinking heavily in New York City and associating with the hoi-polloi of the city, ignoring his old friends). But, of course, boy-gets-girl-back and all ends "happily ever after", proving that "putting on the Ritz" was not all it was cracked up to be.

Answer: Lenox Avenue

Here is an example of the original lyrics: "Now if you're blue and you don't know where to go to; Why don't you go where Harlem flits, puttin' on the Ritz. Spangled gowns upon the bevy of high browns from down the levy always spits, puttin' on the Ritz." I read somewhere that this is probably a reference to the many jazz clubs, primarily owned and operated by African Americans, located on Lenox Avenue in the 1920s and 1930s.

Answer: Judy Garland

Benny Goodman had the biggest "swing" version of this song. Other 'big band' groups recorded it, but no other band scored a major hit. Likewise, Judy Garland often sang the song in her concerts, but it is not considered a major hit for her. Taco Ockerse, under the stage name 'Taco', recorded his hit techno-pop version in 1982 and Leningrad Cowboys had a version in 2006.

Answer: Clark Gable

Although Joan Crawford trying to tap dance is almost as ridiculous (and also a clip found in "That's Entertainment"), it was Clark Gable who was attempting to be a song-and-dance man, complete with top hat, tails, a cane and a bevy of beauties to carry him off the stage!

Answer: Peter Boyle

The movie, of course, was "Young Frankenstein" and Peter Boyle does a great job portraying Dr. Frankenstein's monster. The doctor decides his monster should go on stage with him and sing, and the result is one of the most hilarious scenes in the movie.

Answer: like Gary Cooper

This lyric is from the first break strain (or B strain), which is followed by the second verse: "Come let's mix where Rockefellers walk with sticks or umbrellas in their mitts, puttin' on the Ritz" Gary Cooper and the Rockefellers were considered "high fashion" in the 1930's.

Answer: A only

When singing this song, you will notice right away that it is not easy to fit the words into the "odd" syncopated rhythms of the first two and last verses. The B section, a break strain, is in a much steadier 'march' tempo (and is a whole lot easier to sing!)

Answer: Fred Astaire

If you are a fan of any of the old '30s and '40s musical films at all, I think it is almost impossible to hear this song and not picture Fred Astaire with his cane tapping out the beat in the instrumental part of this song. "Blue Skies" was a 'big' 1946 Hollywood musical comedy which also starred Bing Crosby, Joan Caulfield and Billy DeWolfe.

Answer: Irving Berlin

Like all of the gentlemen mentioned in the answers (with the possible exception of George "Yankee Doodle Dandy" Cohan), Irving Berlin was not above taking the proverbial poke at the mores and upper-crusters of the day (especially the Rockefellers). The original lyrics show this much more clearly than the toned-down and more familiar ones.

But if you'd like to see the original lyrics, let me know and I can tell you where to find them.