As soon as movies could talk, they began to sing and dance—and musicals quickly became among the most popular film genres in America. Over the next nine decades, the movie musical evolved to embrace every type of performance, from operetta to rock and soul, tap to ballet. Musicals drew on Broadway hits and original creations from composers like Cole Porter, George Gershwin, and Irving Berlin.

Media historian Brian Rose traces the history of this uniquely American form and shows more than 30 excerpts spotlighting artists including Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, the Nicholas Brothers, Gene Kelly, and the Beatles.

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