Product Details

• Actors: Stuart Erwin, Patsy Kelly, Jack Haley, Johnny Downs, Betty Grable
• Format: Black & White, Closed-captioned, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• VHS Release Date: June 3, 1997
• Run Time: 93 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 630445791X
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #210,417 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fun, unassuming, old-fashioned comedy, January 6, 2003

By 

DJ Joe Sixpack (...in Middle America) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Pigskin Parade [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This college comedy is notable as the onscreen debut of the teenage diva-to-be, Judy Garland, but it also stands on its own as a fine, fluffy '30s comedy. A small-town college in Texas is accidentally invited to meet Yale in a nationally-watched football match. It's the biggest thing that's ever happened at good old TSU, and the student body is understandably all worked up about it -- moved to stage musical shows and pep rallies galore, as a matter of fact. Garland, who was constantly miscast in her early career, enters the picture as the snub-nosed hayseed little sister of TSU's new star quarterback, an Arkansas [kid] who can pitch a long pass with devastating accuracy. The real stars of the show, though, are the team's coach, played by comedian Jack Haley (later to work with Garland as the Tin Woodman) and the brassy, wisecracking Patsy Haley, as the coach's sports-savvy, shrewish wife. The plot isn't too flimsy and pleasantly zips along, bouyed by some choice performances by all concerned. Yeah, Betty Grable's in there, too, but only in a bit part; half the musical numbers are provided by vocal quartet from the Catskills circuit known as the Yacht Club Boys... Their middleaged appearances are deftly explained by a goofy number called "Sophmores 'Til The Day We Die"; even more hilarious is a political numer called "Down With Everything!" which is sung in honor of a young Bolshie agitator who appears in order to rile up the locals, but winds up instead ont he wrong side of Texas justice. Sports fans will be gratified by the finale, which edits in some tantalizing archival footage of a 1930s Yale game, played in a howling blizzard. Fun film all around... and you can certainly see why the studio heads went ga-ga over Garland!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Garland's feature film debut, September 11, 1999

By 

David E. Goodlett (Louisville, KY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Pigskin Parade [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Garland fans I'm sure were happy when this movie was finally made available on home video. An otherwise forgettable outing about college football is made great by a young Garland who steals the show from the likes of Betty Grable and Jack Haley (aka "The Tin Man"). When Garland sings, the film soars. Buyer beware: Garland is really more supporting player than star in this one. For fans only.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very enjoyable football musical comedy, June 11, 2007

By 

Stephen H. Wood "Film scholar and vintage mov... (South San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Pigskin Parade (Fox Marquee Musicals) (DVD)

PIGSKIN PARADE is a 1936 Fox football musical comedy with location filming at USC and the nearby Coliseum. It stars Oscar nominee Stuart Erwin, Patsy Kelly, Jack Haley, Betty Grable, Dixie Dunbar, Tony Martin, and a scene-stealing young Judy Garland in her film debut. She was on loan-out from MGM and three years later would be reunited there with Haley for THE WIZARD OF OZ. Kelly is a delight. Garland's one musical number, "It's Love I'm After", brought down the house when it was filmed; applause ruined the first take. And Grable would become a huge star in the 1940's at Fox with Technicolor musical delights, some with Haley also. What a cast this has!

The plot is nonsensical. Yale is playing a big football game with the Texas State University hayseeds, and the latter's musical numbers are what really matters. The Yacht Club Boys are also featured in a couple of numbers. Of course, there is a last minute winning touchdown, and the movie patrons exit the theater happily.

There are tons of bonuses on a $14.95 DVD--Meet the Cast featurette, meet producer Darryl F. Zanuck, Lorna Luft talks about mother Judy Garland, there is a theatrical trailer, and there is an envelope of lobby cards. And incidentally the DVD box is wrong; the movie is in original B&W, not color. Have a great time with PIGSKIN PARADE, on home video for the first time.