Musicals | Hollywood Yesterday

Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte Light Up the Screen in Carmen Jones

January 20, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Do Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte make a beautiful couple or what?! They had so much chemistry in their films – as much chemistry as any film couple I’ve ever seen.

If you’ve never watched Carmen Jones, I hope you’ll make a point of doing that ASAP. These stars are outstanding in this fantastic film. Dorothy Dandridge was nominated for an Oscar for her performance but she didn’t win.

She should have. That’s a hill I will die on. She was robbed.

Harry Belafonte should also have gotten an Oscar. They were both mesmerizing in this film. Olga James and Pearl Bailey are also excellent. I wish Olga had been onscreen more. She was adorable and so very, very talented.

Please see the movie soon!

Judy Garland and Gene Kelly: For Me and My Gal Sal (1942)

January 19, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

One of my all-time favorite actresses and musical stars is Judy Garland. One of my all-time favorite actors and musical stars is Gene Kelly. So, can you imagine the perfect excitement that fills my den when I’m watching a musical with both of these magical stars?

My cats can barely stand me, I’m so giddy. They truly were magical, weren’t they?

Below is the wonderful duo performing “For Me and My Gal” from the musical of the same name (1942). One of my favorite musicals of all time, it’s pretty underrated, for whatever reasons.

Maybe we can do something about that right now!

Six years later, they would team up again for another one of my favorite musicals, The Pirate. While it’s deliciously over-the-top and not remotely like this particular musical, I love it with all my heart and soul.

How could I not? It stars these two?!

June Allyson and Ray McDonald: Till the Clouds Roll By (1946)

January 9, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

June Allyson and Ray McDonald, Till the Clouds Roll By

As I’ve often said, June Allyson is my Doris Day, as in the actress I most associate with sunshine. Whereas most people feel that Doris Day was the human equivalent of sunshine, June is that for me.

Nothing in the world against Doris Day, mind you! It’s simply that I’ve seen all but a few June Allyson films (I watch, re-watch, and collect them like my life depends on it) and I have seen…. are you ready for this?…. only one Doris Day film.

One!

I’m not sure how she has missed my radar, but she has almost completely. I need to watch more of her films this year, don’t I?

Today’s picture of the day is the wonderful June Allyson and the wonderful Ray McDonald in the musical Till The Clouds Roll By (1946). I will always wonder what might have been with Ray McDonald. He was only 38 years old when he died. Could the man ever dance?!?!

If you’ve never seen this musical (or if you have and it’s time for a re-watch), I hope you’ll check it out soon. Judy Garland, June Allyson, Lena Horne, Angela Lansbury, Robert Walker, Van Johnson, Kathryn Grayson, Van Heflin, Frank Sinatra, Dinah Shore…. what a cast!

Love, Love, Love, Love Her!

White Christmas: One of My Favorite Christmas Movies!

December 4, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

It isn’t difficult to tell what my favorite Christmas films are around Christmas is it? You’ll see them plastered all over the blog as well as Twitter! White Christmas is certainly one of my favorites. You’ll see a lot of people name my other favorites as well – Miracle on 34th Street and It’s a Wonderful Life but few consistently name a few of my more off-the-beaten-path favorites, White Christmas and Christmas in Connecticut.

I think part of the reason is the fact that Miracle and Wonderful Life are the types of films you watch with kids, whereas the other two are more for adults. Having said that, I think most kids would love the singing, dancing, colors, and laughs in White Christmas. I certainly did when I was a kid – and I’ve loved them since.

Nevermind how many Christmases that’s been!

Danny Kaye, Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen are perfectly cast in this colorful and fun musical – they obviously had a wonderful time making this film and the mutual respect comes through the screen.

If you have never seen White Christmas (Amazon Link), I hope you’ll check it out. The cast is outstanding and the entire movie will make you fall head over heels in love with everything about it.

Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen, White Christmas

Rosemary Clooney and Bing Crosby, White Christmas

November 26, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Rosemary Clooney and Bing Crosby White Christmas

Rosemary Clooney wanted the role in White Christmas mostly so that she could perform with Bing Crosby. Understandable reasoning if there ever was one! These two legends have a beautiful chemistry in this wonderful film – the respect they had for one another is obvious from start to finish.

I wish they’d made many more films together!

Rita Hayworth: Promo Photo from Music in My Heart

November 2, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Rita Hayworth, Music in My Heart (1940)

Rita Hayworth and musicals waltz beautifully together. While she is known (let’s face it, for obvious reasons) as an icon of great beauty, she was also an uncommonly talented actress as well as dancer.

In fact, Fred Astaire once said she was his favorite dancing partner and he danced with the best dancers in the business.

Including himself!

If you only know Rita Hayworth from the wonderful film-noir Gilda, I hope you’ll venture out and see her musicals (You Were Never Lovelier, Cover Girl, Music in My Heart…). She really was extraordinary.

Till the Clouds Roll By (1946) Starring an All-Star Cast!

June 21, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Some old movies had all-star casts, while others (like Till the Clouds Roll By) redefined all-star casts! June Allyson, Judy Garland, Lena Horne, Van Heflin, Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson, Lucille Bremer, Van Johnson, Dinah Shore, Cyd Charisse…. seriously? This cast is an embarrassment of riches!

Till the Clouds Roll By is a biography of songwriter, Broadway pioneer, Jerome Kern and features renditions of songs from his musical plays (Performed by contemporary stage artists), including a condensed production of his most famous: Showboat.

Collectors: You can find the dvd Till the Clouds Roll by on Amazon for less than $10.

Vera-Ellen & John Brascia Tap Dancing Number from White Christmas

May 16, 2019 By Joi 1 Comment

Vera-Ellen and John Brascia in White Christmas

When you look around these days, there seems to be a lot of argumentativeness, anger, and anxiety (three terrible “A”s, if you ask me). You can see it in a lot of faces, hear it in a lot of voices, and detect it in a lot of lives. I certainly don’t have the answer – heck, I don’t even have a band-aid.

If I did, I’d make it my mission to bring happiness, peace, and joy back to as many people as possible.

Earlier, I was researching something for an upcoming post about Vera-Ellen and it occurred to me… someone needs to bring back musicals! If we were to think of movies as people – musicals would be the happiest people in the county.

My kind of people!

Truth be told, they may just be the band-aid we were talking about a moment ago.

When you feel stressed (My remedy for that? Step away from the news and don’t take EVERYTHING on social media so seriously.), kick back with a great musical.

A few I highly recommend…

You Were Never Lovelier
Top Hat
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
The Pirate
Singing in the Rain
Funny Face
Oklahoma!
Three Little Words
Easter Parade
For Me and My Gal
The Barkleys of Broadway
White Christmas… YES, White Christmas NO MATTER WHAT TIME OF YEAR IT IS! It’s fun, entertaining, beautiful, has Danny Kaye and is just the thing to bring sunshine into even the cloudiest day.

Review: The Pirate With Judy Garland and Gene Kelly

April 24, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Do you happen to have an “obscure” movie that you just love body, mind, and soul? One that the average person feels either so-so about or, worse yet, thinks it’s about as bad as it gets?!?

If you do… I think we could be great friends because many of my favorite movies fall in this category. Judy Garland and Gene Kelly star in one such movie – The Pirate. I just love this upbeat, joyful, and unapologetically fun musical.

Okay – since I’m always totally honest with you, I’m going to trust you with another little bit of truth. I like it even better than Singin’ in the Rain or Easter Parade.

Boom! That is some heavy truth there, but it is what it is. There is something magical about the chemistry between Judy Garland and Gene Kelly – a chemistry that is palpable as far as I’m concerned. I, personally, think he sparked more with Judy than any other actress, dancer, or singer.

One of the reasons I love The Pirate so much is the simple fact that Judy Garland is in it. I’m a huge fan, so if she’s there, I’m already on board. But it goes beyond Judy. It’s just a fun, enjoyable movie – very colorful and festive. Exactly how a musical should be!

I’m also drawn to the fact that Gene Kelly seems to enjoy this role (or co-starring with Judy Garland… maybe both?) immensely. He’s having fun with the role and “having fun with…” isn’t something we tend to associate with the intense perfectionist that was Gene Kelly.

Is it over the top? You bet.

Is it far-reaching? Oh, absolutely.

Are there a few moments so corny you can almost smell the butter? You know it.

But…. would I watch it 7 days out of 8 and grin like the Cheshire cat from start to end each and every time. A thousand times yes.

Not only is The Pirate one of my favorite musicals, Judy Garland’s Mack the Black is one of my favorite musical numbers. If I had the task of “introducing” the great Judy Garland to someone and wanted, desperately, to prove to them why I love her so much – this would probably be the number I’d lead with. She shows, with song, dance, and those glorious expressions… that she was and is one of the greatest performers of all time.

Showmanship? The lady oozed it and it was a beautiful thing.

I hope you’ll catch The Pirate as soon as possible. In the video below, Judy sings Mack the Black. I understand that the circumstances won’t make a BIT of sense to you if you haven’t seen the movie – but it doesn’t need to. All you need to do is watch this beautiful lady in her element.

She was one if a billion, wasn’t she?

Picture of the Day: Judy Garland (Behind the Scenes of Easter Parade)

March 1, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Judy Garland – Behind the Scenes of Easter Parade

Adorable, lovely, uncommonly talented, vivacious, mesmerizing… there aren’t enough adjectives for the wonderful Judy Garland, are there??

This adorable photo was taken behind the scenes of one of her most memorable musicals, Easter Parade. My favorite Judy Garland pictures are the ones where she is smiling.

And what a beautiful smile it was.