when we talk hollywood hotel we could be talk about one of three thing and the actual hotel and the radio program and and this film which be partially inspire by the first two . dick powell be the host of the hollywood hotel program on cbs radio network in which louella parson dish out the weekly scoop on the star . powell and parson debut the hollywood hotel program in 1934 so by 1937 it have it fair share of the radio audience . powell host and sang and and kibitz with louella and her movie star guest . with the power she have with her column and she be able to get the various star to go on and plug their late film for nothing . then the american federation of radio artist step in and demand she pay wage accordingly and they win the case . that end the hollywood hotel program in 1938. of course both powell and louella go on to other radio venue . the whole story be cover in the tony thomas book and the film of dick powell . but before the plug be pull this film come out from powell home studio of warner brother inspire by the radio program . powell play a singer or saxophonist with the benny goodman band who get sign to a hollywood contract . but when he get out to hollywood he get himself tangle up with an egotistical film star lola lane and her lookalike double real life sister rosemary lane and and a ham actor in alan mowbray . when mowbray be call upon to sing in a civil war epic he make with lola lane and it powell voice they use . then mowbray develop a lina lamont problem when he ask to go on the hollywood hotel radio program and broadcast from the hollywood hotel . that get the studio in a tizzy . let say the problem isn not solve the way it be sing in the rain and but powell manager ted healy prove to be resourceful . richard whiting and johnny mercer provide a really nice score for the film . the big hit song come right at the beginning a the benny goodman band with scat sing johnnie davis sing hollywood anthem and hooray for hollywood . my favorite however be powell and rosemary lane singing and i be like a fish out of water . just listen to johnny mercer lyric about ginger rogers run the brooklyn dodger or sally rand without her fan and it a compendium of american popular culture in the thirty . busby berkeley do the choreography here and while the film doesn not have the soar imaginary stuff that his early work with warner brother have and the number be well stag . berkeley big moment be in a drive in eatery where powell and healy have be force to take job . the number start with benny goodman broadcast from the hollywood hotel do let that be a lesson to you and then at the drive in powell and lane and the entire place start joining in song to the exasperation of owner edgar kennedy . and you know what you can expect from edgar kennedy exasperation . benny goodman get to show why he be name the king of swing when the band with drummer gene krupa and xylophonist lionel hampton a part of his ensemble . that together with france langford sing as well . and possibly the last surviving cast member of the group be a fellow who have a small bit a a radio announcer . he die in 2004 and but not before he become the 40th president of the united state . ronald reagan always credit dick powell and pat obrien a be the two guy on warner brother who be the most helpful to an eager young player look to make his mark . hollywood hotel be one delightful and entertaining motion picture and dated and but charmingly so .