Did James Cagney get paid for Yankee Doodle Dandy?
James Cagney reprised the role of George M. Cohan in the movie The Seven Little Foys (1955), but agreed only on the condition that he receive no money – he did the film as a tribute to Eddie Foy. In Yankee Doodle Dandy, Eddie Foy, Jr. played the role of his own father.
What songs did James Cagney sing in the movie Yankee Doodle?
" The Yankee Doodle Boy " – Sung and Danced by James Cagney, Joan Leslie (dubbed by Sally Sweetland) and Chorus. " Give My Regards To Broadway " – Sung and Danced by James Cagney and Chorus. "Oh You Wonderful Girl / Blue Skies, Gray Skies / The Belle of the Barbers' Ball" – Sung by James Cagney, Jeanne Cagney, Walter Huston and Rosemary DeCamp.
Why is Dandy slanted in Yankee Doodle Dandy?
When he struts across the stage in the “Yankee Doodle Dandy” number, his legs are rubber but his spine is steel, and his torso is slanted forward so steeply we're reminded of Groucho Marx. There are two currents to the story: patriotism and success.
Did James Cagney dance in any movies?
James Francis Cagney Jr. (July 17, 1899 – March 30, 1986) was an American actor and dancer, both on stage and in film. He was able to negotiate dancing opportunities in his films and ended up winning the Academy Award for his role in a musical (“Yankee Doodle Dandy”). Additionally, how did James Cagney learn to dance?
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Can James Cagney really dance?
Cagney wasn't a dancer by Astaire's standards, or a singer by anybody's, but he was such a good actor he could fake it: “Cagney can't really dance or sing,” observes the critic Edwin Jahiel, “but he acts so vigorously that it creates an illusion, and for dance-steps he substitutes a patented brand of robust, jerky ...
How much of the movie Yankee Doodle Dandy is true?
Most of the basic facts portrayed in Yankee Doodle Dandy are accurate. He and his family really did travel and perform as The Four Cohans [bonus fact: little sister Josie Cohan is played by Jeanne Cagney, Jimmy's Cagney's real-life little sister].
What did George M. Cohan think of Yankee Doodle Dandy?
Well, George M. Cohan didn't give YANKEE DOODLE DANDY his approval. He told Warner that the only way the movie would pass muster is if his wife Agnes liked it.
Is there blackface in Yankee Doodle Dandy?
Part of the reason that's clear is because of the sudden, jarring, and offensive use of blackface in a clip of the Cohans performing that can't take up more than about thirty seconds. It's completely unimportant to the movie except for the fact that it gives the movie a way to tell on itself.
What does macaroni mean in Yankee Doodle?
To be “macaroni” was to be sophisticated, upper class, and worldly. In “Yankee Doodle,” then, the British were mocking what they perceived as the Americans' lack of class. The first verse is satirical because a doodle—a simpleton—thinks that he can be macaroni—fashionable—simply by sticking a feather in his cap.
Who was the dancer in Yankee Doodle Dandy?
James Cagney broke a rib while filming a dance scene, but continued dancing until it was completed. According to his biography the rather stiff-legged dancing style used by James Cagney in this movie is not his own. He copied George M. Cohan's style to make the film more accurate.
Was Shirley Temple in Yankee Doodle Dandy?
But it's Cagney's film from the gong. Even his adolescent counterpart, Douglas Croft, as the slightly impossible Peck's Bad Boy, is in the groove for histrionic impress; and that too goes for Patsy Lee Parsons, playing Josie Cohan at 12, a fetching indeed Shirley Temple-type adolescent from whom much should be heard.
What song did George Cohan write that became the marching song for World War One and was used in the final scene of Yankee Doodle Dandy?
"Over There" is a 1917 song written by George M. Cohan that was popular with the United States military and public during both world wars. It is a patriotic song designed to galvanize American young men to enlist and fight the "Hun"....Over There."Over There"Songwriter(s)George M. Cohan4 more rows
Who played Faith Templeton in Yankee Doodle Dandy?
Among the lyric sopranos raising the cultural tone of Hollywood musicals in the 1930s and 40s, the statuesque and creamy-voiced Irene Manning, who has died aged 91, is best remembered for two numbers she sang in Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), playing the Broadway singer-comedian Fay Templeton.
Who was James Cagney's father?
His father, James Francis Cagney Sr. (1875–1918), was of Irish descent. At the time of his son's birth, he was a bartender and amateur boxer, although on Cagney's birth certificate, he is listed as a telegraphist.
Who is James Cagney?
James Francis Cagney Jr. ( / ˈkæɡni /; July 17, 1899 – March 30, 1986) was an American actor and dancer. On stage and in film, Cagney was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He won acclaim and major awards for a wide variety of performances.
What were the names of the two movies that Cagney made in 1938?
Cagney's two films of 1938, Boy Meets Girl and Angels with Dirty Faces, both costarred Pat O'Brien. The former had Cagney in a comedy role, and received mixed reviews. Warner Bros. had allowed Cagney his change of pace, but was keen to get him back to playing tough guys, which was more lucrative. Ironically, the script for Angels was one that Cagney had hoped to do while with Grand National, but the studio had been unable to secure funding.
What movie did Cagney mash grapefruits in?
Cagney mashes a grapefruit into Mae Clarke 's face in a famous scene from Cagney's breakthrough movie, The Public Enemy (1931) Warner Brothers' succession of gangster movie hits, in particular Little Caesar with Edward G. Robinson, culminated in the 1931 film The Public Enemy.
What was the first time an actor prevailed over a studio on a contract issue?
This was one of the first times an actor prevailed over a studio on a contract issue. He worked for an independent film company for a year while the suit was being settled, establishing his own production company, Cagney Productions, in 1942 before returning to Warner seven years later.
How much weight did Cagney lose?
Such was her success that, by the time Cagney made a rare public appearance at his American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement award ceremony in 1974, he had lost 20 pounds (9.1 kg) and his vision had improved. Charlton Heston opened the ceremony, and Frank Sinatra introduced Cagney.
What was the movie that Cagney pushed a grapefruit against Mae Clarke's face?
Cagney's fifth film, The Public Enemy , became one of the most influential gangster movies of the period. Notable for a famous scene in which Cagney pushes a grapefruit against Mae Clarke 's face, the film thrust him into the spotlight. He became one of Hollywood's leading stars and one of Warner Bros.' biggest contracts.
What time does Yankee Doodle Dandy air?
If you still haven’t seen Yankee Doodle Dandy, it will air on TCM at 8:00 p.m. ET. Since 2017 marks the United States of America’s 241st birthday, here’s a look at the history behind “The Yankee Doodle Boy.”. 1. ‘Yankee Doodle Boy’ Debuted in Cohan’s 1904 Broadway Musical ‘Little Johnny Jones’.
Where did the song Yankee Doodle Boy come from?
For a song as familiar as “Yankee Doodle Boy,” it’s surprising to learn that the song originated in an obscure Broadway play. It was featured in Little Johnny Jones, which was Cohan’s first full-length musical. He did it all – writing the book, lyrics and music.
What was the second highest grossing movie of 1942?
Yankee Doodle Dandy was the second highest-grossing film of 1942, as the country was in the midst of World War II. Cagney won his only Best Actor Oscar, and the film also won Best Music Scoring of a Motion Picture and Best Sound Recording. The film was nominated for Best Picture, but lost to William Wyler’s Mrs. Miniver.
What is the meaning of the lyrics to Yankee Doodle Boy?
The lyrics for “The Yankee Doodle Boy” are filled with references to Americana. Uncle Sam, the personification of America, makes an appearance, as the singer claims he’s a “real live nephew.”
How many songs did the Yankee Doodle Boy write?
His career stretched from the beginnings of vaudeville’s rise to the dawn of sound films. In his life, he wrote over 300 published songs, including many that are still standards. “The Yankee Doodle Boy” was also just one of the many patriotic tunes he wrote. He also penned “You’re A Grand Old Flag.”.
Who played Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy?
Cagney, like Cohan, was Irish-American and was an experienced singer and dancer. He was the perfect choice to play Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy, even though he was best known for his gangster pictures by 1942. The film also had an unlikely director in Michael Curtiz, who is best known for Casablanca.
Who wrote the song "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy"?
Written by George M. Cohan for a long-forgotten Broadway musical that opened in 1904, the song remains a part of a popular culture thanks to ...
When was Yankee Doodle Dandy filmed?
It is no surprise that Yankee Doodle Dandy was hugely popular upon it’s release in late May/early June 1942. Filming had begun before the attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States was still trying to stay out of the world war, but it’s not like filmmakers didn’t know war might be coming and that a patriotic picture might be a good bet. Still, the timing could not have been better for the newfound patriotic fervor of audiences, for star James Cagney’s career, and, ultimately, for the time left before subject George M. Cohen’s death.
Who played Josie Cohan in Peck's Bad Boy?
He and his family really did travel and perform as The Four Cohans [bonus fact: little sister Josie Cohan is played by Jeanne Cagney, Jimmy’s Cagney’s real-life little sister]. He really did play in “Peck’s Bad Boy” and he really did have a hot temper and a large ego as a boy and young man.
Who turned down the Cohan part?
After Astaire turned the Cohan part down, Jack Warner showed interest in the part, and he mentioned to Cohan that Cagney could be suitable. There must have been some skepticism because Cagney was largely known for doing gritty gangster flicks, but the fact is Cagney, like Cohan, was a vaudevillian at heart.
Was Cohan married twice in Yankee Doodle Dandy?
Of course, like most biopics, not everything in Yankee Doodle Dandy is exactly accurate. The departure from fact that is probably most talked about is the fact that Cohan was actually married twice, rather than just the once as portrayed in the film. Mary, his wife in the film played by Joan Leslie, is basically a fictional character who is a combination of both of Cohan’s wives. His second wife was named Agnes Mary, but she never went by Mary.
Overview
Cast
• James Cagney as George M. Cohan
• Joan Leslie as Mary Cohan
• Walter Huston as Jerry Cohan
• Richard Whorf as Sam Harris
Plot
In the early days of World War II, Cohan comes out of retirement to star as President Roosevelt in the Rodgers and Hart musical I'd Rather Be Right. On the first night, he is summoned to meet the president at the White House, who presents him with a Congressional Gold Medal (though the Cohan character on screen incorrectly identifies the award as the Congressional Medal of Honor). Cohan is overcome and chats with Roosevelt, recalling his early days on the stage. The film flas…
Background and production
Cagney, like Cohan, was an Irish-American who had been a song-and-dance man early in his career. His unique and seemingly odd presentation style, of half-singing and half-reciting the songs, reflected the style that Cohan himself used. His natural dance style and physique were also a good match for Cohan. Newspapers at the time reported that Cagney intended to consciously imitate Cohan's song-and-dance style, but to play the normal part of the acting in his own style. …
Musical numbers
1. "Overture" – Played by Orchestra behind titles.
2. "Keep Your Eyes Upon Me (The Dancing Master)" – Sung and Danced by Walter Huston, then Sung and Danced by Henry Blair.
3. "While Strolling Through the Park One Day" – Sung and Danced by Jo Ann Marlowe.
Production
Cagney had initially been opposed to a biopic of George M. Cohan's life, having disliked Cohan since the Actors' Equity Strike in 1919, in which he sided with the producers. In 1940, Cagney was named, along with 15 other Hollywood figures, in the grand jury testimony of John R. Leech, the self-described 'chief functionary' of the Los Angeles Communist Party who had been subpoenaed by the House Un-American Activities Committee. The New York Times printed the allegation that …
Reception
The film nearly doubled the earnings of Captains of the Clouds (1942), Cagney's previous effort, bringing in more than $6 million in rentals to Warner Bros.
According to Warner Bros records the film earned $4,631,000 domestically and $1,892,000 foreign.
This made it the biggest box-office success in the company's history up to that time. The star ea…
See also
• Yankee Doodle Daffy, a 1943 animated short film starting Daffy Duck and Porky Pig.