Sunday, November 05, 2006
Let's Start a Revival
of movie musicals! In the style of MGM's fabulous Freed Unit in the 40s and 50s, movie musicals ran the gamut of moviemaking - drama, romantic comedy, comedy. Last night I re-watched (for the ump-teenth time) Easter Parade, the amazing Judy Garland - Fred Astaire film that dragged Mr. Astaire out of early retirement and led to his eventual partnership with Ginger Rogers (ever heard of her?). The history behind all of it is fascinating, as the documentaries will tell you.
So of course I watched those as well. Some fun facts you may not necessarily know (but I do since I've watched hours and hours of movie musical documentaries):
-Mickey Rooney was a teen idol in his films with Judy Garland - they were a team.
-MGM's Little Red Schoolhouse once had a roster that included Judy Garland, Elizabeth Taylor, Mickey Rooney, and Deanna Durbin among others...all taught in one room on the premises.
-The parts played by Fred Astaire and Ann Miller in Easter Parade were originally meant for Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse. Injuries to both Kelly and Charisse prompted the last minute changes.
-Ann Miller's amazing tap scene "Shaking the Blues Away" was filmed (well, the whole movie was filmed) while she was in a back brace recovering from a broken back. Her husband at the time had pushed her down the stairs while he was drunk, breaking her back and causing a miscarraige.
-Judy Garland's first marriage was at 19. Her first pregnancy ended in abortion - she wanted to keep the child but the studio and her mother said she couldn't.
-At the time Easter Parade was made, Fred Astaire was already a 49 year old grandfather. Judy Garland was only 26.
-Fred Astaire guest starred on one episode of the original 1978-79 Battlestar Galactica television show.
-For the part of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, MGM originally tried to get Shirley Temple. Luckily for Garland, Louis B. Mayer was convinced she could play the part, even though at 16 she was too old to play a little girl. The song "Over the Rainbow" was written for Garland - some guess that if Temple had been cast, the song would never have existed.
So of course I watched those as well. Some fun facts you may not necessarily know (but I do since I've watched hours and hours of movie musical documentaries):
-Mickey Rooney was a teen idol in his films with Judy Garland - they were a team.
-MGM's Little Red Schoolhouse once had a roster that included Judy Garland, Elizabeth Taylor, Mickey Rooney, and Deanna Durbin among others...all taught in one room on the premises.
-The parts played by Fred Astaire and Ann Miller in Easter Parade were originally meant for Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse. Injuries to both Kelly and Charisse prompted the last minute changes.
-Ann Miller's amazing tap scene "Shaking the Blues Away" was filmed (well, the whole movie was filmed) while she was in a back brace recovering from a broken back. Her husband at the time had pushed her down the stairs while he was drunk, breaking her back and causing a miscarraige.
-Judy Garland's first marriage was at 19. Her first pregnancy ended in abortion - she wanted to keep the child but the studio and her mother said she couldn't.
-At the time Easter Parade was made, Fred Astaire was already a 49 year old grandfather. Judy Garland was only 26.
-Fred Astaire guest starred on one episode of the original 1978-79 Battlestar Galactica television show.
-For the part of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, MGM originally tried to get Shirley Temple. Luckily for Garland, Louis B. Mayer was convinced she could play the part, even though at 16 she was too old to play a little girl. The song "Over the Rainbow" was written for Garland - some guess that if Temple had been cast, the song would never have existed.
# posted by ange : 9:45 AM
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