Who played Phil Davis in White Christmas?
The show first appeared as a film in 1954, which starred Bing Crosby as Bob Wallace, Danny Kaye as Phil Davis, Rosemary Clooney as Betty Haynes and Vera-Ellen as Judy Haynes. The musical premiered in St. Louis in 2000.
Who are the actresses in White Christmas?
White Christmas is a 1954 American musical romantic comedy film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen. Filmed in VistaVision and Technicolor, it features the songs of Irving Berlin, including a new version of the title song, "White Christmas", introduced by Crosby in the film Holiday Inn.
Who is the most famous singer of White Christmas?
Written by composer extraordinaire Irving Berlin, “White Christmas” has been recorded more times than any other Christmas song. Singers such as Elvis Presley, The Supremes, Lady Gaga, Frank Sinatra, Martina McBride and Michael Bolton (among hundreds of others) each have their own version of “White Christmas.”
Who danced with Vera Ellen White Christmas?
Vera ellen as ivy smith. vera ellen was a popular american dancer and actress known for her iconic solo performances. she was also known for her stage performances with dance partners including fred astaire, gene kelly, danny kaye, and donald o'connor. in the movies, she was remembered for her roles in on the town with kelly and white christmas.
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Who's the general in White Christmas?
Dean JaggerWhite Christmas (1954) - Dean Jagger as Major General Thomas F. Waverly - IMDb.
Is anyone from White Christmas still alive?
Anne Whitfield is still alive as of this writing. Young Susan Waverly, who wasn't more than 16 when the movie was released, is now 78 years old.
Who played the retired general in White Christmas?
Dean Jagger(It's also funny to note that Dean Jagger, who played the retired, elderly general was actually born a few months after Crosby.) 4 It was praised for being in VistaVision.
How old was Bing Crosby when he did White Christmas?
51 years oldWhile acting as one of the movie's romantic couples, Crosby was 51 years old. Clooney was 26.
Was the actress in White Christmas anorexic?
Personal life. Vera-Ellen was an extremely thin woman for much of her adult life. A Hollywood rumor that her neck was always covered during the filming of White Christmas because of wrinkling caused by supposed anorexia persists to this day.
Was Anne Whitfield ever married?
Anne Whitfield (born August 27, 1938) is a former American actress on old-time radio, television, stage, and film....Anne WhitfieldYears active1945-1985Known forWhite ChristmasSpouse(s)Frederick Roy Schiller (1958-1969) (divorced) John F. Phillips (1976-2008) (divorced) (1 child)3 more rows
Is Bob Fosse in White Christmas?
Bob Fosse, famed choreographer of stage and film, did uncredited choreography work on White Christmas, which may help explain why so many of the dance sequences are so memorable.
Did Danny Kaye and Bing Crosby get along in White Christmas?
As the song-and-dance team, Crosby and Kaye had fun together, improvising on set, as did the singing sisters played by Vera-Ellen and Rosemary Clooney (yes, the cousin of George). The classic number “Sisters,” in which Crosby and Kaye vamp around waving blue-feathered fans, wasn't even in the original story.
Where is Pine Tree Vermont?
The answer: the town of Pine Tree, Vermont, was fictional, and so was the ski lodge from the movie. Most of the interior and exterior sets were built on a soundstage at Paramount Studios in L.A.
Why did Fred Astaire turn down White Christmas?
Originally, the plan was to reunite Crosby with his Holiday Inn (1942) co-star, Fred Astaire, but Astaire turned it down, as he had temporarily "retired" at the time.
Are Rosemary Clooney and George Clooney related?
She was the aunt of Academy Award winning actor George Clooney; mother-in-law of singer Debby Boone; and sister to former television personality Nick Clooney.
Where was the movie White Christmas filmed?
"White Christmas" was filmed from September to December 1953, entirely in southern California, according to film library archivists at the Fairbanks Center for Motion Picture Study in Beverly Hills, California. Most of the filming was done on sound stages at Paramount Studios.
Storyline
Having left the Army following W.W.II, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis team up to become a top song-and-dance act. Davis plays matchmaker and introduces Wallace to a pair of beautiful sisters (Betty and Judy) who also have a song-and-dance act.
Did you know
According to Rosemary Clooney, the "midnight snack" scene in which Bob Wallace expounds on his theory of what foods cause what dreams was almost entirely improvised.
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What is the Japanese language plot outline for White Christmas (1954)?
Who was the original singer in White Christmas?
White Christmas was intended to reunite Crosby and Fred Astaire for their third Irving Berlin showcase musical. Crosby and Astaire had previously co-starred in Holiday Inn (1942) – where the song "White Christmas" first appeared – and Blue Skies (1946). Astaire declined the project after reading the script and asked to be released from his contract with Paramount. Crosby also left the project shortly thereafter, to spend more time with his sons after the death of his wife, Dixie Lee. Near the end of January 1953, Crosby returned to the project, and Donald O'Connor was signed to replace Astaire. Just before shooting was to begin, O'Connor had to drop out due to illness and was replaced by Danny Kaye, who asked for and received a salary of $200,000 and 10% of the gross. Financially, the film was a partnership between Crosby and Irving Berlin, who shared half the profits, and Paramount, which got the other half.
Who was the actor who performed on Christmas Eve 1944?
On Christmas Eve in Europe in 1944, at the height of World War II, former Broadway star Captain Bob Wallace and aspiring performer Private Phil Davis entertain the 151st division with a soldier's show. The men have just received word their beloved Major General Thomas G. Waverly has been relieved of his command.
What song did the movie Santa Claus sing?
Crosby and Kaye also recorded another Berlin song ("Santa Claus") for the opening WWII Christmas Eve show scene, but it was not used in the final film.
What year was White Christmas filmed?
White Christmas is a 1954 American musical film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen. Filmed in Technicolor, it features the songs of Irving Berlin, including a new version of the title song, " White Christmas ", introduced by Crosby in the 1942 film Holiday Inn.
How much did White Christmas make in 1954?
White Christmas was enormously popular with audiences, earning $12 million in theatrical rentals – equal to $115,643,123 today – making it the top moneymaker of 1954 by a wide margin and the highest-grossing musical at the time. Overall, the film grossed $30 million at the domestic box office.
When was the last episode of Colgate Comedy Hour?
A scene from the film featuring Crosby and Kaye was broadcast the year after the film's release, on Christmas Day 1955 , in the final episode of the NBC TV show Colgate Comedy Hour (1950–1955).
Where was Irving Berlin's White Christmas played?
A stage adaptation of the musical, titled Irving Berlin's White Christmas premiered in San Francisco in 2004 and has played in various venues in the US, such as Boston, Buffalo, Los Angeles, Detroit and Louisville. The musical played a limited engagement on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre, from November 14, 2008, until January 4, 2009. The musical also toured the United Kingdom from 2006 to 2008. It then headed to the Sunderland Empire in Sunderland from November 2010 to January 2011 after a successful earlier run in Manchester, and continued in various cities with a London West End run at the end of 2014.
Personal Details
Guest starred on the radio drama "Nightbeat," which starred Frank Lovejoy. See more »
Did You Know?
Played the fictionalized version of Phyllis Harris on the "Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show" on radio. See more »
Who played the commander in Twelve O'Clock High?
Col. Harvey Stovall, who acts as an advisor to the commander, General Savage ( Gregory Peck ).
Who played Brigham Young in the 1940s?
Jagger made his breakthrough with his portrayal of Brigham Young in Brigham Young (1940) at 20th Century Fox, alongside Tyrone Power for director Henry Hathaway. He was cast on the basis of his performance in Missouri Legend.
What was Dean Jagger's last role?
He won a Daytime Emmy award for a guest appearance in the religious series This Is the Life. His last role was as Dr. David Domedion in the St. Elsewhere Season Three finale "Cheers" in 1985. Dean Jagger has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1523 Vine Street for his contribution to motion pictures.
When did Jagger appear in I Live in Grosvenor Square?
Jagger did Alaska (1944) at Monogram, which distributed to King films. Jagger went to England to appear in I Live in Grosvenor Square (1945) with Anna Neagle and Rex Harrison.
Who played Elvis' father in King Creole?
Jagger also portrayed the father of Elvis Presley 's character in 1958's King Creole, directed by Curtiz. Jagger was in The Nun's Story (1959), playing the father of Audrey Hepburn, and Cash McCall (1960) and was the traveling manager for an evangelist played by Jean Simmons in the acclaimed 1960 drama Elmer Gantry.
Who played Michael Drops in Missouri Legend?
Jagger played Michael Drops In in summer sock and returned to Broadway to star in Missouri Legend (1938), which ran 48 performances. There were also short runs for Everywhere I Roam (1938–39), Brown Danube (1939), Farm of Three Echoes (1939–40) with Ethel Barrymore and Unconquered (1940) by Ayn Rand.
Who played the lead role in Revolt of the Zombies?
Victor Halperin borrowed him to play the lead role in Revolt of the Zombies (1936). He went to 20th Century Fox for Pepper (1936) and Star for a Night (1936) then went to MGM for Under Cover of Night (1937). Jagger did Woman in Distress (1937) at Columbia, and Dangerous Number (1937) and Song of the City (1937) at MGM.
Overview
Songs
• "White Christmas" (Crosby)
• "The Old Man" (Crosby, Kaye, and Men's Chorus)
• Medley: "Heat Wave " / "Let Me Sing and I'm Happy" / "Blue Skies" (Crosby & Kaye)
Plot
On Christmas Eve in Europe in 1944, at the height of World War II, former Broadway star Captain Bob Wallace and aspiring performer Private Phil Davis entertain the 151st division with a soldier's show. The men have just received word their beloved Major General Thomas F. Waverly has been relieved of his command. Waverly arrives and delivers an emotional farewell. The men send h…
Cast
• Bing Crosby as Bob Wallace
• Danny Kaye as Phil Davis
• Rosemary Clooney as Betty Haynes
• Vera-Ellen as Judy Haynes
Production
Berlin suggested a movie based on his song in 1948. Paramount put up the $2 million budget and only took 30% of the proceeds.
Mel Frank and Norman Panama were hired to add material for Danny Kaye. They felt the whole script needed rewriting, and Curtiz agreed. "It was a torturous eight weeks of rewriting", said Panama. Frank said "writing that movie was the worst experience of my life. Norman Krasna wa…
Release and reception
White Christmas was enormously popular with audiences, earning $12 million in theatrical rentals – equal to $121 million in 2021 – making it the top moneymaker of 1954 by a wide margin and the highest-grossing musical at the time. Overall, the film grossed $30 million at the domestic box office. There was a US theatrical re-release by Paramount in 1961.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a "Certified Fresh" 77% critical approval rating based on 43 re…
Home media
White Christmas was released on US VHS in 1986 and again in 1997. The first US DVD release was in 2000. It was subsequently re-released in 2009, with a commensurate Blu-ray in 2010. The most recent US issue was a 4-disc "Diamond Anniversary Edition" in 2014. This collection contains a Blu-ray with extras, two DVDs with the film and extras, and a fourth disc of Christmas songs on CD. These songs are performed individually by Crosby, Clooney, and Kaye.
Stage adaptation
A stage adaptation of the musical, titled Irving Berlin's White Christmas premiered in San Francisco in 2004 and has played in various venues in the US, such as Boston, Buffalo, Los Angeles, Detroit and Louisville. The musical played a limited engagement on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre, from November 14, 2008, until January 4, 2009. The musical also toured the United Kingdom from 2006 to 2008. It then headed to the Sunderland Empire in Sunderland from Novemb…