musicals | Hollywood Yesterday

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

January 20, 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!

Rita Hayworth: Music in My Heart (1940)

December 18, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Rita Hayworth, Music in My Heart Publicity Photo

Rita Hayworth and recording artist Tony Martin star Music in My Heart (Amazon DVD link), a musical comedy featuring the wonderful, wonderful, wonderful music of Andre Kostelanetz and his orchestra.

This is one of those films that is a definite feast for the eyes AND ears.

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.

Lena Horne: The Lady is a Tramp (One of my Favorite Lena Horne Performances)

October 11, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

There are many actresses, actors, and performers who I always find myself wondering, “How is everyone in the world not a HUGE fan?!” Lena Horne is one of these under-celebrated stars (at least in my opinion).

What do I (personally) consider to be under-celebrated?

If the average person (not someone in our Old Hollywood community) can’t name at least one of their movies or songs, they’re under-celebrated.
If those of us within the community can’t name at least three of their movies or songs, they’re under-celebrated.

While Lena Horned, obviously, doesn’t fall through the completely unknown crack, she should be more heartily celebrated.

The lady had more talent in her left eyebrow than a lot of stars did.

That’s right, I said it.

This is actually one of the best things about having an Old Hollywood blog (and Twitter account) – I can go on and on and on and on and on about my favorites and feel like I’m (hopefully) helping keep their name familiar, their body of work work alive and their face forever smiling.

I know, a little deep for a Friday, but… blame it on Lena. She puts me in my feels.

When you watch Lena perform in the video above (which I surely hope you will at least once), pay close attention to her facial expressions and her hand gestures. I think she was simply brilliant – and the stage command! The lady was doing what she was born to do and, if you ask me, that is always breathtaking.

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.

Ann Miller: Shakin’ the Blues Away (Easter Parade, 1948)

April 12, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

Many things mystify me in life… things that leave me shaking my head as a swarm of question marks fly around said head. One major mystification is this: How was Ann Miller always a supporting cast member – a friend or acquaintance of the leading lady or man. She was head to toe beautiful, head to toe full of personalty, and head to tapping toe packed with talent.

Truth be told, she was nothing short of mesmerizing.

And yet… well… hence the many ??????????s.

Below the one and only Ann Miller works her magic in her Shakin’ the Blues Away number from the wonderful Easter Parade.

Gloria Grahame as Ado Annie: “I Cain’t Say No!” from Oklahoma

November 12, 2018 By Joi 1 Comment

Musicals! How could anyone not absolutely love, love, love, LOVE musicals? They’re so fun, happy, upbeat, lyrical, wonderful… if they were a human emotion, I believe they’d be laughter.

Loud and proud laughter.

Oklahoma is the reason I fell in love with musicals in the first place. Gloria Grahame’s Ado Annie was, and is, one of my all-time favorite characters from any movie or television show. I’m just not sure I’ve ever seen a more perfect embodiment of a character – as good as, sure. But, better? Not on your life.

When my three daughters were growing up, we’d watch Oklahoma over and over. We had every song memorized and would frequently break out in song while cooking supper, riding bikes, or riding in the car. Ado Annie was a favorite, so (naturally) her songs were on repeat.

Good times. No – make that GREAT times.

So, as you see, I now have even more reasons to love and cherish all three: Oklahoma, Gloria Grahame, and Ado Annie!

Fall in love with Ado Annie (and Gloria) all over again as she sings I Cain’t Say No….

Mitzi Gaynor: Anything Goes!

October 12, 2018 By Joi Leave a Comment

When it comes to having a favorite genre of movie, it’s impossible for me to choose one. I love all old movies and trying to pick a favorite genre is almost like trying to pick a favorite child!

Watching a Mitzi Gaynor or Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musical is as Heavenly for me as a John Wayne or Glenn Ford Western and a Western is as Heavenly as a Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis or Abbott and Costello comedy…. which, of course, is as Heavenly as a Barbara Stanwyck or Rita Hayworth drama.

See what I mean? Impossible. Instead of taking time to pick a favorite, I’d rather spend my time watching, enjoying, and loving each and every one. Which is, of course, exactly what I do.

I recently re-watched Anything Goes (for probably the tenth time) and, as always, I was blown away by the uncommonly gorgeous and talented Mitzi Gaynor. It should have been illegal to be that beautiful and so multi-talented. The lady could sing, dance, and act… all while looking like a gazillion bucks.

She has long been one of my favorite stars and these are, obviously, a few of the reasons. But, if we’re being honest, it goes beyond the beauty and even the talent. There was a sincerity and a pureness about each of her performances. You never watched a Mitzi Gaynor scene or musical number and thought, “Well, her heart wasn’t in that one…” She had a love of entertaining people that was palpable. Like other extra-special performers (Bob Hope, Carol Burnett, Lucille Ball, Sammy Davis, Jr come to mind), she obviously loves to bring happiness to people and, if you ask me, that’s the kind of magic that sets some stars apart from the rest.

Now I’m doing what I often do with my favorites…. babbling on! I’ll just leave you with one of my favorite Mitzi Gaynor performances and let you see what I’m trying to say for yourself.

Mitzi Gaynor Singing Anything Goes from the 1956 Movie Anything Goes:

Also See: Mitzi Gaynor: I’m In Love With a Wonderful Guy from South Pacific

Mitzi Gaynor: I’m In Love With a Wonderful Guy from South Pacific

November 12, 2017 By Joi 1 Comment

Okay, I’m here to say it – Mitzi Gaynor doesn’t get enough recognition. Her name should be as much a household name as any other. Beauty, talent, style, grace… all with some to spare!

Granted, in the world around us, being peeved over the attention a favorite star receives or doesn’t receive is a bit trivial, I admit it. It’s just one of those things that has always mystified me – why do some stars achieve a “household name” level of stardom when others (equally worthy of it) do not? NOTHING at ALL against the ones who are household names – if they weren’t, let’s be honest, I’d be here championing them. It’s just kind of a mystery.

How is Martha Vickers not as well-known as Veronica Lake?

Why do Millennials not recognize the name Ray Milland as easily as they recognize the name Marlon Brando?

Why isn’t Angie Dickinson as synonymous with beauty as Marilyn Monroe?

Why don’t Generation Xers know, not only who Mitzi Gaynor is, but the names of her best movies?!

Okay, you get the idea. It is simply mind-boggling how some names and faces are immediately known even by those who don’t even watch classic movies while other names cause them to say, “Who was he… seems like I know the name…”

Oh well, that’s why I created Hollywood Yesterday and it’s why, many years later, I’m still right here – to keep these wonderful, magical stars shining as bright as ever.

Below is a musical number from of my favorite Mitzi Gaynor movies, South Pacific (1958). LOVE this movie so much!