Mark, just wondering, what other musicals have been picked by your friends?

Susan




"Mark \"Mark\" Wilson" <mark.wilson25@...> on 07/01/99 03:13:17 PM

Please respond to astaire@onelist.com

To:   astaire@onelist.com
cc:    (bcc: Susan Petrella/AMS/AMSINC)
Subject:  Re: [astaire] TV Guide omission




From: "Mark \"Mark\" Wilson" <mark.wilson25@...>

I think I'll do that.  I've been doing a weekly musical night with some
friends and it has lit a fire under me to spread the word (so to speak).  I
chose the movie the other night and I picked Top Hat.  It was nice to see
appreciation for Fred's work and everyone enjoyed it thoroughly.  I'll get
to choose again in a few weeks and I'm looking forward to it.
         Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: Samiskee@... <Samiskee@...>
To: astaire@onelist.com <astaire@onelist.com>
Date: Thursday, July 01, 1999 2:17 PM
Subject: [astaire] TV Guide omission


>From: Samiskee@...
>
>Dear Mark,
>
>I don't know the address of TV Guide as I haven't subscribed to it in
>decades.  When someone gave me a copy to read a few weeks ago, I was
appalled
>to see how loathsome and crass it had become.  It was embarrassing to see
how
>low it sunk from its early days.
>
>You can probably find the address for it on the Internet or get it from a
>copy on the grocery store shelf.
>
>I would never read it again, that's for sure.
>
>Maureen
>
>--------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>
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>http://www.onelist.com
>Discuss your thoughts; get informed at ONElist.  See our homepage.
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Singin' in the Rain, West Side Story and Dr. Doolittle.  The last one was a
bit unusual but I liked it a lot.  At the moment, I'm trying to decide
between The Music Man and The Muppet Movie for the next time I pick.  The
Muppets are very cool and there is a lot of classic movie references that
people don't notice in their movies and other things.  The first time I ever
heard the song Cheek To Cheek, Miss Piggy was singing it.  That frame of
reference has always given me a slightly different view of the song but the
memory always makes me smile.  Anyway, I'm digressing but it's a good idea
if you have a few people that you know that enjoy musicals.  When true fans
of musicals get together, the movie is a lot better than alone or with
marginal fans.
         Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: Susan_Petrella@... <Susan_Petrella@...>
To: astaire@onelist.com <astaire@onelist.com>
Date: Thursday, July 01, 1999 5:25 PM
Subject: Re: [astaire] TV Guide omission


>From: Susan_Petrella@...
>
>
>
>Mark, just wondering, what other musicals have been picked by your friends?
>
>Susan
>
>
>
>
>"Mark \"Mark\" Wilson" <mark.wilson25@...> on 07/01/99 03:13:17 PM
>
>Please respond to astaire@onelist.com
>
>To:   astaire@onelist.com
>cc:    (bcc: Susan Petrella/AMS/AMSINC)
>Subject:  Re: [astaire] TV Guide omission
>
>
>
>
>From: "Mark \"Mark\" Wilson" <mark.wilson25@...>
>
>I think I'll do that.  I've been doing a weekly musical night with some
>friends and it has lit a fire under me to spread the word (so to speak).  I
>chose the movie the other night and I picked Top Hat.  It was nice to see
>appreciation for Fred's work and everyone enjoyed it thoroughly.  I'll get
>to choose again in a few weeks and I'm looking forward to it.
>        Mark
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Samiskee@... <Samiskee@...>
>To: astaire@onelist.com <astaire@onelist.com>
>Date: Thursday, July 01, 1999 2:17 PM
>Subject: [astaire] TV Guide omission
>
>
>>From: Samiskee@...
>>
>>Dear Mark,
>>
>>I don't know the address of TV Guide as I haven't subscribed to it in
>>decades.  When someone gave me a copy to read a few weeks ago, I was
>appalled
>>to see how loathsome and crass it had become.  It was embarrassing to see
>how
>>low it sunk from its early days.
>>
>>You can probably find the address for it on the Internet or get it from a
>>copy on the grocery store shelf.
>>
>>I would never read it again, that's for sure.
>>
>>Maureen
>>
>>--------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>>
>>Campaign 2000 is here!
>>http://www.onelist.com
>>Discuss your thoughts; get informed at ONElist.  See our homepage.
>>
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>>
>
>
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>
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>
>
>
>
>
>
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>At ONElist - the most scalable and reliable service on the Internet.
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----Original Message Follows----
From: Raboe407@...
Nancy-
How exactly do you manage to get the tapes to come out sounding decent? I
think I've tried to do that before, but it didn't work. Since I have a hard
time finding soundtracks, I'd appreciate any hints you could give me.
	 ~Rachel

Well, I guess I'll share what I do.  I have a pretty good hand-held recorder
that I use (and test a lot beforehand to get the right distance).  Also, the
last semester, one of my roommates brought her stereo into the living room,
which we hooked up to the television (we had better entertainment equipment
than the fellas!  Whee-hoo!).  So, one of the tapes I made I recorded that
way.  I hope this helps!!

Nancy

Fred page: http://members.tripod.com/~npaulette/fredgene.htm
Personal page: http://members.tripod.com/~Nanceoir/cover.htm

"John, every day you act worse, but today you're acting like tomorrow."
~~Fred Astaire as Huck Haines, "Roberta"~~

Dear Mark,

How old were the friends who saw TOP HAT, and what were their reactions?   I
am curious.  If one reads the Mueller book, or studies Fred's work, you
realize there is so much going on in these dance numbers.  Fred
revolutionized film editing, the portrayal of music in films, the photography
of the dance, etc.  Fred made a major contribution to film.  My friends who
saw the tribute this past May were in awe of his talent and thanked me
profusely for inviting them.

Best,
Maureen

Mark,

I love "42nd Street" and all the films with Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler, Ginger
Rogers, Joan Blondell, all those Warner Brothers stock company players.  How
about "Footlight Parade,"  "Yankee Doodle Dandy?"
How about biographies of songwriters?  "I'll See You In My Dreams,"
"Rhapsody in Blue,"  "Three Little Words,"  "Words and Music."  What about
"Annie Get Your Gun,"  "South Pacific."

It really is great to see these films on a large screen, with an audience.

Best,
Maureen

Hey all!

Mark's right about the Muppets. The Odyssey channel runs the show every
night at 5:00 central time and I've been watching them. I've heard no
less than 5 'Fred' songs, including "How Could You Believe Me When I
Said I Love you When You Know I've Been a Liar All My Life' with Kermit
singing it to Miss Mousy. (Miss Piggy was 'really' jealous :) In fact,
in one of their specials, Miss Piggy calls Kermit's dance in "The Great
Muppet Caper" his tribute to Fred Astaire. (He was wearing top hat,
white tie and tails, so...natch)

More Fred news! I just bought a new CD called 'That's Entertainment'
released by TCM music in 1996. It's a collection of songs from MGM
musicals. It's a great CD. Of the 16 songs, Fred sings 3 and a total of
4 songs are from Fred movies, which means 25% of the songs are from
Fred. The biggest percentage belongs to Judy Garland however, with Fred
being 2nd. I think I can handle that, especially since Judy was at MGM
much longer than Fred and Judy was one of the best ever, period. Also,
there are 3 pictures of Fred on the cover of the CD, and a group photo
from The Bandwagon is on the actual CD.  (Of course, they included that
horrid songs "That's Entertainment" Oh well, the rest of the CD is
splendid.)

Later,
Brandi^^

I could marry anyone I please. So far I haven't pleased anybody.-Ruth
Buzzi

There was four of us.  I'm 26, a guy who's 23, another guy who is close to
my age (although I'm not sure).  He studied music in college and was telling
me all sorts of interesting things about Fred's style that he noticed.
There was a girl who is in her late 20's or early 30's.  A gentleman doesn't
ask so I'm not sure.  I like the small numbers because it adds a level
intimacy that large groups lack.  We are all gen-x types and some of us are
new recruits to the musical scene.  We all just love the art form so
watching the different kinds of musicals is interesting.  We went from West
Side Story to Top Hat.  The two extremes were both beautiful but in
different ways.  The dynamics is interesting too because one of us is a
student of music, another has just watched them since childhood and another
is just discovering these movies.  I fit in there somewhere but I'm not sure
where exactly.  Anyway, we are all loving our little group and Fred was a
huge hit with all of us.
         Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: Samiskee@... <Samiskee@...>
To: astaire@onelist.com <astaire@onelist.com>
Date: Thursday, July 01, 1999 7:22 PM
Subject: Re: [astaire] TV Guide omission


>From: Samiskee@...
>
>Dear Mark,
>
>How old were the friends who saw TOP HAT, and what were their reactions?
I
>am curious.  If one reads the Mueller book, or studies Fred's work, you
>realize there is so much going on in these dance numbers.  Fred
>revolutionized film editing, the portrayal of music in films, the
photography
>of the dance, etc.  Fred made a major contribution to film.  My friends who
>saw the tribute this past May were in awe of his talent and thanked me
>profusely for inviting them.
>
>Best,
>Maureen
>
>--------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>
>Where do some of the Internet's largest email lists reside?
>http://www.onelist.com
>At ONElist - the most scalable and reliable service on the Internet.
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>

This is a general question that I was wondering.  Some of you have good
sources and could probably find out for me.  I was just watching Some Like
It Hot tonight and I can't tell if Marilyn Monroe was really singing or not.
It looks real to me and she sang in many of her movies.  It sounds like her
because whoever is singing has that same breathless quality to it like
Monroe's voice did.  I was just wondering.
         Mark

In a message dated 6/30/99 12:06:30 EST, jhopkins@... writes:

<< From: "Jay Hopkins" <jhopkins@...>

  The Ace wrote, in part:
  "I also used to have my mother make audio tapes of Fred when he was on Merv
  Griffin and Dinah Shore when I was at school.  Or on any early morning news
  program.  I made an audio tape of "That's Entertainment Part II" pre-VCR
days
  when I was in elementary school.  Wore all of them out playing them over and
  over, you know I had to make transcripts of every word."

  When I was a teenager, I made audio tapes of the appearances of Fred and
Gene
  Kelly on "The Mike Douglas Show" (1977). The final show was particularly
  interesting because it was a reunion of many of the great M-G-M stars on a
sound
  stage at Metro. (I remember Johnny Weismuller and his embarrassing "Tarzan"
  yell, in particular...Richard MacKenzie makes a similar observation about
  Weismuller in his "Cow" book.) The legendary lyricist Sammy Cahn was on this
  show, and he egged Fred into warbling "Call Me Irresponsible," which Cahn
wrote
  for Astaire when Fred was (originally) cast in "Papa's Delicate Condition,"
a
  role inherited by The Great One, Jackie Gleason. (Fred, you will recall, had
a
  degree of familiarity with besotted portrayals.) If you stop to consider the
  melody of "Call Me Irresponsible" (another tune which Sinatra recorded, and
  famously), you can tell that Sammy Cahn wrote it with Fred in mind: it
clearly
  accentuates the Astaire cadence. ("I'm Ir-re-spon-sibly mad...for...you.").
  Jay

   >>
Jay,

Even though I have been around a while, I can say that I don't remember your
anecdote about Sammy Cahn related above.  I even saw these Mike Douglas
Shows, but alas being ten or eleven at the time I can't remember them too
well.  However, I always have had feelings that this was the case about that
song and they were also confirmed by the MacKenzie book.

The Ace

In a message dated 6/30/99 12:57:37 EST, I.Heimann@... writes:

<< From: "I Heimann, Oral & Dental Science" <I.Heimann@...>

  On Wed, 30 Jun 99 12:45:43 -0500 kscherling@... wrote:


  >        Irene -
  >        I am not an authority on Bacall, but I had always heard that
  >        she was dubbed.  And I remember hearing that it was a young
  >        Andy Williams who did the dubbing.  Anyone else ever hear that?
  >        - Kimberly

  There are rumors around, I know. Some sources say, she was dubbed,
  others say she wasn't. But when I remember right, her son Stephen
  Bogart wrote in the Bogart-Biography "In Search Of My Father" that she
  sung herself. And I guess he must know if it is her singing voice. But
  that's the thing about rumors - you'll never know.
 						 Keep Swinging
 							 Irene

   >>
Irene and fellow Listers,

That's what makes it so special!!!

The Ace

In a message dated 7/1/99 13:31:57 EST, brandimsmith@... writes:

<< From: Brandi Smith <brandimsmith@...>

  *****************************

  Brandi Smith has sent you a Care-Mail e-card!

  To view your card, simply click on this address:

  http://www.care-mail.com/r.html/377bb40212984/astaire/onelist.com

   >>
Brandi,

Thank you for the beautiful card.  I'm glad that someone is still patriotic.

The Ace

In a message dated 7/1/99 14:22:05 EST, Samiskee@... writes:

<< From: Samiskee@...

  Dear Mark,

  According to Shirley MacLaine, Dean Martin had the funniest sense of humor
  than anyone she knew, including Jerry Lewis.  She said Dean was naturally
  funny and with humor, he could diffuse any tense situations that Sinatra and
  the Rat Pack were in.  It is very sad that people think he was an old drunk.

  Shirley says he really had an addiction to sugar.  I know he drank sparingly
  the last few years of his life.  He had quite a lot of talent, but this was
  obscured by the persona of the drunk, which he himself promoted after his
  split with Lewis.  Of course, he went on to perform in many films and was
  memorable in many films.  Let those airheads know the truth, that they are
  ignorant!

  Maureen

  --- >>
Listers,

Have always loved the Rat Pack.  Too bad many don't really know the true Dean
Martin.

The Ace

Dear Mark,
So glad to hear you are all finding the films to be entertaining, inspiring
and unique.  Reading Mueller's book again where he dissects every dance
number down to specific frames, you come to realize how every little gesture
Fred makes with his hands, tilt of the head, his steps and movements with
Ginger, all reveal extremely complex moods and stages of romantic/erotic
desire. Some of this without touching.  It's really amazing but one has to
realize that Fred knew just how to convey all these emotions in the dance,
and also how to convey this in the best way to the audience so they would not
only appreciate the dance, but leave the theater in bliss.  Fred was dancing
since he was 5 and on stage at 6, then a juvenile star in his teens, and then
a huge international star in his mid-to late twenties.  There was a lot of
hard work before he came to Hollywood and made it all look so easy.  It's too
bad people today are pandered to and now it is hard for the public to
appreciate beauty and sensitivity in film.  Although when it is offered, the
public response is great.

What you are all doing is honing your sense of the intimate, the sensitive
and the nuance which escape most people today.  Keep on watching those
movies.   I watched part of "Gigi" today and I was crying because I remember
seeing it when it came out. The music and emotion were so moving and
romantic.  It was a very big deal then, a spectacular.  And afterwards we all
knew and sang every song, "West Side Story,"  "Silk Stockings," "The Sound of
Music," "South Pacific," etc.  Singing those songs made us very happy.  And
we had hundreds of new and tuneful songs coming out weekly to dance to.  I
think because all of this is gone, the art and beauty, is why our world is so
depressing today.  Music is very important and those depression era films
helped cheer a lot of people during years which were devastating.  We needed
it then, we need it now.

Maureen

Mark,

Marilyn did her own singing. She does a great job with "Runnin' Wild," and
"I'm Through With Love." I also like Alfalfa's version.   She also sang
"Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend," and all the other songs from her movies.
  I think she had a wonderful voice, sweet, inspired, sexy and uplifting.
After all, she went to Korea and sang for the troops.  I met a man last week
who saw the picture of Monroe on my wall.   He told me he was in Korea and
Marilyn came to entertain.  Because he was a medic, he got to sit right up
front.  He still remembered with relish the sight of her in a tight black
dress.  After that, he said, she became his favorite movie star.

I remember when she died.  I was so upset.  My first feeling was I felt I
could have saved her, that she needed a friend.  Maybe this was because
someone got her to autograph a photo to me and it said, "To my friend
Maureen.  Love, M. Monroe."  We didn't know about the Kennedy stuff then,
such was our innocence.

I met Cagney in 1980 or thereabouts.  After shaking his hand, I didn't wash
it for days.  I also gave him my Fred Astaire cane after doing a few tap
steps for him.  He was impressed and he had a firm grip even though he was
quite old.  He was sitting with Carroll O'Connor at his restaurant in Beverly
Hills.  Everyone in the place was murmuring how Cagney was there, it was like
electricity throughout the room.

Best,

Maureen

> From: Raboe407@...

> Sadly, none of the original recordings for The
> Barkleys Of Broadway have
> survived, so playback discs from USC's Television and
> Film Archive have been
> used. Due to the incomplete nature of the surviving
> music elements from Royal
> Wedding, a combination of the soundtrack album master
> and original music
> sessions were used.

I'm still confused about the differences in the Rhino release
and the Sony release of Fred Astaire at M-G-M. The Rhino double
CD 1996 set doesn't have "My One and Only Highland Fling", which
is the only new song from the Somebodies to reach the hit
parade, and "Stereophonic Sound". Also, the Royal Wedding songs
are not the versions we hear in the movie.
Yet the Sony single CD 1983 set contains "Highland Fling",
"Stereophonic Sound" and also the movie versions of the Royal
Weddings songs. For example, How Could You Believe Me etc. The
Sony version has the funny, snappy dialogue:
Jane: Do you love me or Don't you??
Fred: NO!!!!
Jane: Quit stalling, I want a direct answer!
as well as Fred laughing up his sleeve, etc., but the Rhino CD
doesn't because of "incomplete nature of the surviving music
elements"... couldn't they have gotten it from the Sony CD?
After all, it's a digital source, no degradation there! A wild
guess might be that Sony somehow "owns" or "licensed" those
versions so Rhino and Turner couldn't use them. But doesn't
Turner own the movies now?
More amazingly, Jay admitted he has no idea why the discrepancy
between the two sets. If JAY doesn't know, then who on earth
will????

Still the Rhino sets has a number of good things about it, like
the rarities, the extended versions of some songs and stereo on
some numbers.

Maureen casually mentioned:
"I met Cagney in 1980 or thereabouts.  After shaking his hand, I didn't wash
it for days.  I also gave him my Fred Astaire cane after doing a few tap
steps for him.  He was impressed and he had a firm grip even though he was
quite old.  He was sitting with Carroll O'Connor at his restaurant in Beverly
Hills.  Everyone in the place was murmuring how Cagney was there, it was like
electricity throughout the room."

Wait a minute!

That's where I met Cagney...it was at Carroll O'Connor's "The Ginger Man." Is it
possible that Maureen and I were in that establishment at the same time? (I
didn't know Cagney. I was with two friends who had arranged to interview him
earlier that day, and I was invited to come along as Cagney's guest to "The
Ginger Man.") George Segal and his "Hollywood Jazz All-Stars" (or whatever his
dixieland group was called) were performing so loudly that we had to shout to
each other at our table. Cagney's personal secretary, Marge Zimmerman, was there
also, as was Cagney's wife, Bill. (Cagney had hands like a bear.) We actually
dined at table apart from Cagney and were invited over to exchange pleasantries
towards the end of the evening. No, I did not do any tap steps for Jim. I just
find it so freaky that Maureen and I were under the same roof that evening (the
year is right).

Well, I've mentioned my "Cagny escapade" in the past and you can probably find
it buried somewhere in the list archives, if you haven't got anything better to
do...which would be difficult to believe, of course.

BTW - anytime I mention having met a celebrity or even a pseudo-celebrity, I am
merely being anecdotal. Practically anyone could have been in my position...and
it's not a big deal in the first place, I assure you.

Jay

jhopkins@...

Why is it that many companies insist that Ginger Rogers was in A Damsel In
Distress? On TCM during Fred's birthday there was an advertisement for the
programming saying that she was in it. I also just ran across an
advertisement for a CD that said Fred and Ginger were paired in 10 films for
RKO, listing A Damsel In Distress as one of them. You would think that if
they cared enough to make/ show their product they would at least get the
information right!
	 ~Rachel

Dear Jay,

Shades of thunder, we were at the Gingerman the same day...Sunday circa
1979-80.  I could tell you the exact day if I look it up.

I was at the Gingerman every Sunday because my boyfriend was in the Beverly
Hills Unlisted Jazz Band.  He was the clarinetist.  I also dated the trumpet
player first.  I was part of the band, and on Monday afternoons we would go
over to George's house in Beverly Hills and some of the band members would
jam along with several studio guys.  I would sometimes sing.  It was great
hanging out with the band for over three years because we were like a big
family and got together at least 2-3 times a week for someone's birthday or
the regular Tuesday nights for jamming where all friends and family could
attend.

The Band even played Carnegie Hall when asked by Steve Lawrence and Eydie
Gorme.  In New York, I was the gatekeeper for who came backstage and one
night the guard wouldn't let in a man whom I recognized as Terry Southern,
and so I got him in.

Jay, I remember Cagney, O'Connor and their wives seated at a round table
cordoned off by maroon velvet ropes.  Even though no one was supposed to go
beyond the ropes, I went and then did my tap step for Cagney.   I mentioned a
tap step, O'Connor was confused and Cagney said, "I know what she means."
Then I gave him the beautiful Fred Astaire cane I bought in New York, "From
one hoofer to another."  I would like the cane back as it was expensive.
What do you think I can do about it.  I wrote Cagney and it turned out to be
the week he died.  I received his memorial card from the secretary.  But I
still would like the cane back from one hoofer to another.   I thought Cagney
might do a step for us.  And yes, his hands were like a bear, I still
remember how big they were, so warm, and a really good grip.

I was the one who looked like Fred Astaire that evening.  Jay, why didn't we
meet?

Maureen

Dear Rachel,

I would write TCM about this.  They were so good on Fred's birthday, they
should have their info straight.  The problem is that many of the people who
work at this know nothing about film history.  It's just a job to them,
nothing more.

Maureen

Just completed the Frank-Fred comparison tape and the moment I played it back
(for notation purposes), it was chewed up! (This hasn't happened to me in about
ten years...drat the luck.)
The contents actually did stretch successfully to 90-min., but it might actually
make a "better" 60-minute collection.
Well...I'll be sorting this thing out over the next few hours and listers who
requested a copy won't be disappointed.
Jay
P.S. Maureen...I believe that the cane you gave to Cagney is "a gonner."

-------------------------
Jay Hopkins
jhopkins@...

In a message dated 7/3/99 19:17:55 EST, jhopkins@... writes:

<< From: "Jay Hopkins" <jhopkins@...>

  Just completed the Frank-Fred comparison tape and the moment I played it
back
  (for notation purposes), it was chewed up! (This hasn't happened to me in
about
  ten years...drat the luck.)
  The contents actually did stretch successfully to 90-min., but it might
actually
  make a "better" 60-minute collection.
  Well...I'll be sorting this thing out over the next few hours and listers
who
  requested a copy won't be disappointed.
  Jay
  P.S. Maureen...I believe that the cane you gave to Cagney is "a gonner."

  -------------------------
  Jay Hopkins
  jhopkins@...

   >>
Jay,

I am sorry for your luck.  Sounds like the kind of luck I usually have.  I'm
sure that I am speaking for the others on the list when I say that we
appreciate your efforts and we could never be disappointed with your work.
We, who got a copy of Fred's 100th birthday tape, know that we won't be.  It
will be a special tape that we will treasure as much as the first one.

The Ace

I'm looking forward to hearing the tape!  I used to make a lot of mixed
tapes myself and if one got eaten up, it was really annoying.  Thanks for
all the work.
             Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: Jay Hopkins <jhopkins@...>
To: astaire@onelist.com <astaire@onelist.com>
Date: Saturday, July 03, 1999 7:17 PM
Subject: [astaire] FAS/FAstaire tape


>From: "Jay Hopkins" <jhopkins@...>
>
>Just completed the Frank-Fred comparison tape and the moment I played it
back
>(for notation purposes), it was chewed up! (This hasn't happened to me in
about
>ten years...drat the luck.)
>The contents actually did stretch successfully to 90-min., but it might
actually
>make a "better" 60-minute collection.
>Well...I'll be sorting this thing out over the next few hours and listers
who
>requested a copy won't be disappointed.
>Jay
>P.S. Maureen...I believe that the cane you gave to Cagney is "a gonner."
>
>-------------------------
>Jay Hopkins
>jhopkins@...
>
>
>--------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ----------------------------
>
>Having difficulty getting "in synch" with list members?
>http://www.onelist.com
>Try ONElist's Shared Calendar to organize events, meetings and more!
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I have a general question again.  What role did Hermes Pan play in Fred's
career?  I was reading about him and he was the choreographer and occasional
fill in dancer for Fred.  He had a physical resemblance to Fred and could be
used for long shots.  Did he and Fred "design" the dances and Fred performed
them?  Or was he on the set a lot as well and gave Fred imput about how it
looked from behind the camera?  Basically, were he and Fred partners in much
of Fred's work?  It seems like that but it all seems fuzzy to me.  Anyway, I
was just curious because he had a big impact on Fred's career but I never
hear about what he did exactly.
         Mark

Hi all,
Next we have the first of the Astaire/Berlin/Crosby (Top Billing
in alphabetical order!) collaborations, Holiday Inn.
Paramount, 1942. Starring Bing Crosby, Marjorie Reynolds,
Virginia Dale and Walter Abel. The soundtrack includes "I'll
Capture Your Heart Singing", "Lazy", "You're Easy To Dance
With", "Happy Holiday", "Let's Start the New Year Right",
"Abraham", "Be Careful, It's My Heart", "I Can't Tell A Lie",
"Easter Parade", "Let's Say It With Firecrackers", "Song of
Freedom" and "Plenty To Be Thankful For".

Questions:
1) What do you think of the movie?
2) What is your favourite moment or sequence in the movie, and
why?
3) Where would you place this movie and Fred's
acting/dancing/singing in it
within the context of his entire movie career?

On Sat, 3 Jul 1999 19:17:47 -0500 Jay Hopkins
<jhopkins@...> wrote:

> From: "Jay Hopkins" <jhopkins@...>
>
> Just completed the Frank-Fred comparison tape and the moment I played it back
> (for notation purposes), it was chewed up! (This hasn't happened to me in
about
> ten years...drat the luck.)
> The contents actually did stretch successfully to 90-min., but it might
actually
> make a "better" 60-minute collection.
> Well...I'll be sorting this thing out over the next few hours and listers who
> requested a copy won't be disappointed.
> Jay
> P.S. Maureen...I believe that the cane you gave to Cagney is "a gonner."

Poor Jay
That's really a shame! I hope repeating all this work wasn't too
depressing.
				 Keep Swinging (despite everything!)
							 Irene

> I am sorry for your luck.  Sounds like the kind of luck I usually have.  I'm
> sure that I am speaking for the others on the list when I say that we
> appreciate your efforts and we could never be disappointed with your work.
> We, who got a copy of Fred's 100th birthday tape, know that we won't be.  It
> will be a special tape that we will treasure as much as the first one.
>
> The Ace

Yeap! Well said!
		 Irene (again?!)

Hello everybody!
I heard on BBC radio on friday evening a broadcast of Dorothy Fields.
Not only that they used a lot of Astaire songs ("I Won't Dance", "Never
Gonna Dance", "A Fine Romance"), they also had a nice, at least in my
opinion, little story of Kern composing for "Swing Time". When Astaire,
Pan and Stevens decided to make a tribute to Bill "Bojangles" Robinson,
Kern was very worried, because he knew that he was better in composing
ballads than "hot" numbers. So one day Astaire drove over to Kern where
he met Kern and Dorothy Fields, who wanted to compose this number. And
too inspire him for this "hot" number, Astaire danced all through the
house, upstairs, downstairs, at the edge of the swimming pool, just to
get Kern in the right mood.
In the evening the song was practically finished and the three of them
had diner together and Astaire looked to Fields and said: "At last we
got the old boy to heat up a little."

I thought, just tell this little story.
						 Keep Swinging
							 Irene

Maureen ---

I'm with you all the way when it comes those great glory days when the
studios turned out all those marvelous movie musicals e.g. "Gigi",
"Singin' in the Rain" and of course anything involving Fred. And for
awhile each studio had its own series like the "Big Broadcast of ---",
"Gold Diggers of ---", and  "Broadway Melody of ---". The other day I
screened "Love me Tonight" with Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald
and remembered seeing it as a kid in one of the magnificent movie
palaces with stars in the ceiling and glistening chandeliers. Going to
the movies in those days was an EXPERIENCE.

It seems to me that the stars today, talented though many of them are,
lack the mystique and charm of the stars of yesteryear. Perhaps that's
because we see them on TV almost every day talking about their private
lives, plugging their lastest films. They're over-exposed and seem like
ordinary people.

The magic seems to be gone. And I especially miss those wonderful movie
musicals.
                   John, in Ottawa on a sweltering hot day.

> It seems to me that the stars today, talented though many of them are,
> lack the mystique and charm of the stars of yesteryear. Perhaps that's
> because we see them on TV almost every day talking about their private
> lives, plugging their lastest films. They're over-exposed and seem like
> ordinary people.
>                   John, in Ottawa on a sweltering hot day.

There's no doubt about it. But I guess that is connected with the
studio system. The studio "produced" a star and thought about
everything. They created an image, a biography - a new personality out
of the actor. Today you have actors, not "really" stars. I also have
the feeling with today stars, that they are more like people I "could"
know, but personalities like Astaire, Bogart, William Powell, Bette
Davis, Marlene Dietrich or Garbo are for sure something "greater than
life".
That reminds me that Cary Grant answered of the question of an
interviewer, what his most demanding role was: "Cary Grant". I think
that expresses it quite well what I mean.
And maybe Black and White also helped to "mystify" them.
						 Keep Swinging
								 Irene

This is a really fun movie.  I enjoy Fred's drunk dance alot.  (If he realy
did it after drinking quite a bit, it's amazing that he could land on the
last note right on the beat!  Wasn't he something?!)  I had to watch this
movie yesterday before I went to my 4th of July party just to see Fred's
fireworks dance.  This is fantastic in its complexity and the turns that he
does at the end really "send me".  It's really fun to watch Fred and Bing
spare. They are great together.  I love their opening number.  Did anyone
else notice that Fred only pretends to eat the chocolate before he throws it
away?  This movie is good stuff.  It probably also was a  help to Fred's
career although his movie with Rita, "You'll Never Get Rich" did well at the
box office.  I've seen this movie many times, and always watch it end to
end.

(Although don't you think the girls are picking the wrong man?)

Gina


>From: "P.J. Thum" <thum@...>
>Reply-To: astaire@onelist.com
>To: "Astaire@Onelist. Com" <astaire@onelist.com>
>Subject: [astaire] The Musicals - 15  (Holiday Inn)
>Date: Sun, 4 Jul 1999 23:33:59 +0800
>
>From: "P.J. Thum" <thum@...>
>
>Hi all,
>Next we have the first of the Astaire/Berlin/Crosby (Top Billing
>in alphabetical order!) collaborations, Holiday Inn.
>Paramount, 1942. Starring Bing Crosby, Marjorie Reynolds,
>Virginia Dale and Walter Abel. The soundtrack includes "I'll
>Capture Your Heart Singing", "Lazy", "You're Easy To Dance
>With", "Happy Holiday", "Let's Start the New Year Right",
>"Abraham", "Be Careful, It's My Heart", "I Can't Tell A Lie",
>"Easter Parade", "Let's Say It With Firecrackers", "Song of
>Freedom" and "Plenty To Be Thankful For".
>
>Questions:
>1) What do you think of the movie?
>2) What is your favourite moment or sequence in the movie, and
>why?
>3) Where would you place this movie and Fred's
>acting/dancing/singing in it
>within the context of his entire movie career?
>
>
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