The Continental (song) The Continental (song) "The Continental" is a song written by Con Conrad with lyrics by Herb Magidson, and was introduced by Ginger Rogers in the 1934 film, "The Gay Divorcee". "The Continental" was the first song to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Major record hits at the time of introduction included Jolly Coburn and Leo Reisman. In 1952 Harry James released a recording on the album "Hollywood's Best" (Columbia B-319 and CL-6224) with Rosemary Clooney on vocals. A later version by Maureen McGovern reached number 16 on the UK Singles Chart in 1976. Steve Howe recorded it
Lillian Miles frenzied piano solo while Dave O'Brien shouts "play it faster, faster!" After a role in an Edgar Kennedy short in 1939 ("Baby Daze"), she retired from the screen. She died in 1972 in California. Lillian Miles Lillian Miles (August 1, 1907 – February 27, 1972) was an American actress in several films in the 1930s. Miles was born in 1907 in Oskaloosa, Iowa. Aside from singing and performing in the celebrated 'Continental' musical number in "The Gay Divorcee" (1934), starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Miles's film career was brief, unremarkable, and confined to low-budget 'B' pictures. However, she has