Happy Birthday: Harry James!

Harry James (March 15, 1916 – July 5, 1983), was an musician and bandleader. James was an instrumentalist of the swing era, employing a bravura playing style that made his trumpet work identifiable. He was one of the most popular bandleaders of the first half of the 1940s, and he continued to lead his band until just before his death, 40 years later.

Small Town Girl(1953)

Small Town Girl(1953). Directed by László Kardos. Cast: Jane Powell, Farley Granger, and Ann Miller. Busby Berkeley choreographed several dance numbers.

In the small town of Duck Creek, Connecticut, all the people enjoy listening to Cindy Kimbell, sing in the church choir, during Sunday services. While, the Kimball family sit down to their Sunday dinner, a policeman brings over Rick Belrow Livingston III, who was caught speeding through town.

Because of his bad attitude, Cindy's father Gordon, the town's judge, sentences Rick to thirty days in jail. Rick, is taken to jail and the news quickly spreads among all the young women, of the town.

That evening, Rick watches from his cell window as the town's people meet for a town social and sees Cindy dancing with, Ludwig Schlemmer. The bidding begins for the box suppers prepared by the young ladies and Rick outbids Ludwig, for Cindy's box supper.

The next morning, photographers watch Rick cleaning the sidewalk and take a picture of him just as he gives Cindy a hug, on her way to work. The picture of Rick and Cindy, is on the front page of the paper. His fiancee Lisa, comes to town the next day to give Cindy a piece of her mind, Lisa visits Rick, in jail and reminds him that her birthday, is just a couple of days away.

Desperate to get out of jail, Rick plays on Cindy's sympathies, by telling her it is his mother's birthday. Cindy talks Happy, the jailer, to set the prisoner free for the night, but insists on going with Rick on his visit to see his "mother." When they arrive, a formal gathering is already in progress. After Cindy sings, for the guests, his butler, Hemmingway, locks her in a fur vault while Rick sneaks out to watch Lisa, perform in a Broadway musical.

Rick, gets a call from Hemmingway, who tells him that Cindy is in the fur vault, he races home to get her out. He then takes Cindy, out for a night on the town and they begin to fall in love. Back in his cell, Rick asks to serve out his sentence, but Gordon, wants him to leave town. Will Rick, go back to his fiancee or will he say back in the small town of Duck Creek, that he has grown so fond of?

The film, Small Town Girl, may not be the best MGM musical, or the best of Jane Powell's films. But.. it is very entertaining.

Fun Facts:

Hank Williams was to have made his acting debut in this film as a small-town sheriff, but died shortly before filming got underway.

Jane Powell was pregnant during the filming of this movie.

Soundtracks:

•"I've Gotta Hear that Beat"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Leo Robin
Danced by Ann Miller

•"My Gaucho"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Leo Robin
Danced by Ann Miller




•"Take Me To Broadway"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Leo Robin
Performed by Bobby Van

•"My Flaming Heart"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Leo Robin
Performed by Nat 'King' Cole

•"The Lullaby of the Lord"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Leo Robin

•"Fine, Fine, Fine"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Leo Robin

•"Small Towns Are Smile Towns"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Leo Robin


•"The Fellow I'd Follow"
Music by Nicholas Brodszky
Lyrics by Leo Robin


•"Hallelujah Chorus"
(uncredited)
from "The Messiah"
Music by George Frideric Handel
Lyrics by Charles Jennens

Happy Birthday: Bix Beiderbecke.

Bix Beiderbecke( March 10, 1903 — Aug. 6, 1931). Became the leading player of the Chicago style of jazz in the 1920s. He is best known for his gentle, clear tone. His interest in the harmonies of composers such as Claude Debussy was reflected in both his playing and his compositions. With saxophonist Frankie Trumbauer, Beiderbecke worked in the bands of Jean Goldkette and Paul Whiteman. His alcoholism and early death contributed to his status as one of the early romantic legends of jazz.

Happy Birthday: Cyd Charisse!

Cyd Charisse (March 8, 1922 – June 17, 2008). Around the time of the outbreak of World War II, David Lichine offered her a dancing role in, Something to Shout About. This brought her to the attention of choreographer Robert Alton, who had also discovered Gene Kelly and soon she became the resident MGM ballet dancer.

Charisse, is best known for her on-screen pairings with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. She first performed with Astaire in a wonderful routine in the film, Ziegfeld Follies. Her next performance with him was in the film, The Band Wagon (1953), where she danced with Astaire in the acclaimed "Dancing in the Dark".




Another early role cast her opposite Judy Garland in the film, The Harvey Girls(1946). Film based on a 1942 novel by Samuel Hopkins Adams, about Fred Harveys famous restaurants. Directed by George Sidney. It won an Academy Award for Best Song for "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe. "written by Johnny Mercer and Harry Warren.



Gene Kelly chose Charisse, to dance with him in "Broadway Melody" ballet finale from, Singin' in the Rain (1952). She also she co-starred with Kelly in the musical film, Brigadoon(1954). She again performed with Kelly in his musical, It's Always Fair Weather (1956).



She rejoined Astaire in the film, Silk Stockings(1957), a musical remake of 1939's Ninotchka, with Charisse taking over Greta Garbo's role. In his autobiography, Astaire paid tribute to Charisse, calling her "beautiful dynamite" and writing: "That Cyd! When you've danced with her you stay danced with."

I also loved it when she danced with Ricardo Montalban, in the films: On An Island With You and Fiesta. A couple of my favorite Esther Williams films.


After the decline of the Hollywood musicals, Charisse continued to perform in film and TV productions through the 1960s-1990s. She had a supporting role in the film, "Something's Got To Give", the unfinished film of Marilyn Monroe.

Please click here to read more about Cyd Charisse and view her dance videos.

Love Me Tonight (1932).

Love Me Tonight(1932). Produced and directed by Rouben Mamoulian, with music by Rodgers and Hart. Cast: Maurice Chevalier, Jeanette MacDonald, Charles Ruggles and Myrna Loy.



The story is about a Parisian tailor named Maurice Courtelin and a family of aristocrats, Viscount Gilbert de Varèze, who owes Maurice a large amount of money for his work. Gilbert's uncle Count de Savignac, his niece Valentine and his widowed 22-year-old daughter, Princess Jeanette. De Savignac has been unable to find Jeanette a suitable new husband.



The Viscount's unpaid tailoring bills are beginning to mount up, so Maurice decides to travel to de Savignac's castle to collect his money. On the way, he has a confrontation with Princess Jeanette, where he professes his love for her, but she is not interested in him.

When Maurice arrives at the castle, Gilbert introduces him as "Baron Courtelin" in to hide his identity from the Count. Maurice is suspicious at first, but changes his mind after he sees Jeanette. While staying at the castle, he catches the eye of Valentine, but his heart belong to Jeanette.

Soon, the Duke d'Artelines finds out that Maurice, has been lying about who he is, but the Viscount says that Maurice is a royal who is traveling under another name for security reasons. Jeanette, begins to fall for Maurice's charms.

When Maurice and Jeanette, are caught alone with Jeanette partially undressed. Maurice explains that he is redesigning Jeanette's riding outfit, and he proves this by successfully altering it. Now, he is forced to reveal his true identity.

Shocked, Jeanette runs to her room now that she knows that he is a commoner and Maurice decides to leave. Will Jeanette, finally realize her mistake and find Maurice?

One of the most wonderful musicals ever made. Awesome, cinematography, a beautiful score by Rodgers and Hart. I loved the opening, with the sounds of a city coming to life,
Fun Fact:

Among the deletions in the film's 1949 reissue was Myrna Loy's portion of the "Mimi" reprise. In the Production Code era, Miss Loy's negligee was deemed too revealing.

Soundtracks:

"That's the Song of Paree"
Lyrics by Lorenz Hart
Music by Richard Rodgers
Sung by Maurice Chevalier, Marion "Peanuts" Byron, George 'Gabby' Hayes and chorus.



"Isn't It Romantic"
Lyrics by Lorenz Hart
Music by Richard Rodgers
Sung by Maurice Chevalier, Bert Roach, Rolfe Sedan, chorus and Jeanette MacDonald

"Lover"
Lyrics by Lorenz Hart
Music by Richard Rodgers
Sung by Jeanette MacDonald

"Mimi"
Lyrics by Lorenz Hart
Music by Richard Rodgers
Sung by Maurice Chevalier
Sung also by C. Aubrey Smith, Charlie Butterworh, Charles Ruggles, Elizabeth Patterson,
Ethel Griffies and Blanche Friderici

"A Woman Needs Something Like That"
Lyrics by Lorenz Hart
Music by Richard Rodgers
Sung by Joseph Cawthorn and Jeanette MacDonald
"Deer Hunt"
Music by Richard Rodgers

"The Poor Apache"
Lyrics by Lorenz Hart
Music by Richard Rodgers
Sung by Maurice Chevalier

"Love Me Tonight"
Lyrics by Lorenz Hart
Music by Richard Rodgers
Sung by Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald

"The Son Of A Gun Is Nothing But a Tailor"
Lyrics by Lorenz Hart
Music by Richard Rodgers
Sung by C. Aubrey Smith, Elizabeth Patterson, Ethel Griffies, Blanche Friderici,
Myrna Loy, Robert Greig, Edgar Norton, Cecil Cunningham, Rita Owin and Mel Calish

Myrna Loy (August 2, 1905 – December 14, 1993). She was trained as a dancer. Loy start in films came when Portrait photographer Henry Waxman, had taken several pictures of her, and they were noticed by Rudolph Valentino. He was looking for a leading lady for Cobra, the first independent project he and his wife Natacha Rambova were producing. She tested for the role, which went to Gertrude Olmstead instead, but soon after she was hired as an extra for the film, Pretty Ladies, in which she and fellow newcomer Joan Crawford, were among the chorus girls dangling from a chandelier.

Rambova recommended Loy for a small role opposite Nita Naldi, in the film, What Price Beauty?. Loy's pictures in a fan magazine led to a contract with Warner Bros., where her surname was changed to Loy.

Loy's, silent film roles were mainly those of vamps and femme fatales and she performed many times as a Asian or Eurasian background. She also performed in musicals: The Jazz Singer, The Show of Shows, The Bride of the Regiment, and Under A Texas Moon. Soon, she became associated with musical roles.

Happy Birthday: Desi Arnaz!

Desi Arnaz (March 2, 1917 – December 2, 1986) was a Cuban-born American musician, actor and television producer. While he was famous for leading a Latin music band, the Desi Arnaz Orchestra, he is best known for his role as Ricky Ricardo on the classic TV show: I Love Lucy, with Lucille Ball, his wife at the time.

Happy Birthday: Glenn Miller!

Glenn Miller (March 1, 1904 – missing December 15, 1944) was a jazz trombone, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was one of the best-selling recording artists from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known "Big Bands". Miller's best known recordings are: In the Mood, American Patrol, Chattanooga Choo Choo, A String of Pearls, Tuxedo Junction, Moonlight Serenade, Little Brown Jug and Pennsylvania 6-5000.

Miller and his band perform in two Twentieth Century Fox films: Sun Valley Serenade(1941)and Orchestra Wives(1942). Miller co-wrote with Billy May the instrumental "Boom Shot" for the Orchestra Wives soundtrack.