This encyclopedic reference to the American movie musical identifies and describes the musicals and the artists who made them. Film entries range from the legendary The Jazz Singer in 1927 to Fantasia 2000. Artists ranging from Gene Kelly to Elvis Presley, Busby Berkeley, and John Travolta are included, as are musicians as varied as Irving Berlin, Paul Williams, and the Beatles. Entries also detail animated musicals, studios, perettas, rock documentaries, sequels and remakes, and dance movies.

As a reference work or as a book for browsing, this encyclopedia serves as a valuable companion to Stage It with Music: An Encyclopedic Guide to the American Musical Theatre (Greenwood, 1993) and will appeal to film scholars and fans alike. Information is cross referenced throughout. A chronological list of musicals and an appendix of Academy Award-winning musicals are included.