Showing posts with label dan dailey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dan dailey. Show all posts

Friday, February 11, 2011

Betty Grable and Dan Dailey.





Dan Dailey was musical performer during the 1940's through the 1950's. He may not be as sophisticated as Astaire and did not have the strong personality like Kelly. Dan's dancing had a certain style all his own, a very charming "song and dance man".

Grable and Dailey's first film together was, Mother Wore Tights(1947)and was Betty Grable's most popular film, with her favorite costar, Dan Dailey. They play a married vaudeville performers. I have not seen this film yet. So, I can not tell you much about it other than it will be on TCM: Feb. 13, 2011.



Their second performance together was in the film, When My Baby Smiles at Me (1948). Directed by Walter Lang. The film is about, Bonny Kane and 'Skid' Johnson, who are vaudeville performers. They begin to have trouble in their marriage when when Skid gets an offer to perform on Broadway while Bonny gets left behind. Things get worse with Skids drinking and that he is spending more time with his beautiful co-star.

Third of four movies that paired Betty Grable and Dan Dailey. My Blue Heaven(1950). Jack and Kitty, are performing on their radio show, when Kitty, breaks the news to Jack that she is pregnant. On their way home from their baby shower, Kitty and Jack are in a terrible car accident and Kitty loses the baby and learns that she may never be able to have children.

Later, Jack and Kitty visit Walter and Janet on their farm, where they are welcomed by their 6 children. Janet tells them both that the two oldest children are adopted, as she and Walter thought they would never have children, but the other four are their own children. Kitty and Jack make the decision to adopt, so they talk to an adoption agency. The Foundation's Miss Gilbert, tells Kitty and Jack that they may take up to a year, while a their background is being investigated. Kitty and Jack make their first TV appearance, on PBS, for their sponsor Cosmo Cosmetics. Miss Gilbert and Miss Evers, drop in unexpectedly to tell them that they have a baby boy for them, but... first they will have to meet with Mrs. Johnston. After Kitty and Jack pick up the baby boy, Mrs. Johnston decides that she will return with them to check out their apartment. Unfortunately, Mrs. Johnston does not like what she sees and refuses to allow the baby to stay there. This begins their long journey to have a career and family. Will their dreams of having children ever come true?



The last performance of Betty Grable and Dan Dailey in a film was, Call me Mister(1951). Set in Japan during the period between World War II and the Korean War. Betty Grable, performed as American USO entertainer Kay Hudson, who runs into former husband Shep Dooley, who wants to win her back.

This movie was really put together to showcase Grable and Dailey dancing skills in routines choreographed by Busby Berkeley.





Sunday, September 5, 2010

Video: Dan Dailey and Betty Grable.






Mother Wore Tights(1947). Cast: Betty Grable and Dan Dailey, married vaudeville performers. This was Grable and Dailey's first film together, based on a book of the same name by Miriam Young. It was 20th Century Fox's most successful film of 1947.





Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Dan Dailey


Dan Dailey, performed in vaudeville before his Broadway debut in 1937 in Babes in Arms. He then went on to serve in the United States Army during World War II, was commissioned as an Army officer after graduation from Signal Corps Officer Candidate School at Fort Monmouth, NJ. He then returned Hollywood to perform in the movie, Mother Wore Tights (1947). Dailey was Betty Grable favorite co-star. His performance in their film, When My Baby Smiles at Me in 1948 won him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. In 1950, he starred in A Ticket to Tomahawk, often thought of as the first screen appearances of Marilyn Monroe, in a very small part as a dance-hall girl. In 1953, Dailey starred in Meet Me at the Fair. One of his best known roles was in There's No Business Like Show Business (1954), which featured Irving Berlin's music and also starred Ethel Merman, Marilyn Monroe, Johnnie Ray, and Donald O'Connor.

As the poularity of musicals began to fade in the mid-1950s, he moved on to comedic and dramatic roles, including his television series, The Governor & J.J. and the NBC Mystery Movie series "Faraday & Company". His sister was Another World actress Irene Dailey.




Partial filmography:

The Mortal Storm (1940)
Hullabaloo (1940)
Keeping Company (1940)
Lady Be Good (1941)
Mother Wore Tights (1947)
You Were Meant for Me (1948)
When My Baby Smiles at Me (1948)
Chicken Every Sunday (1949)
When Willie Comes Marching Home (1950)
A Ticket to Tomahawk (1950)
My Blue Heaven (1950)
Call Me Mister (1951)
I Can Get It for You Wholesale (1951)
The Pride of St. Louis (1952)
What Price Glory? (1952)
The Girl Next Door (1953)
The Kid from Left Field (1953)
There's No Business Like Show Business (1954)
It's Always Fair Weather (1955)
Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956)
The Wings of Eagles (1957)
The Wayward Bus (1957)
Pepe (1960)
Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man (1962)
Las cuatro noches de la luna llena (Four Nights of the Full Moon) (1963), co-starring Gene Tierney

Friday, January 29, 2010

MY BLUE HEAVEN (1950)





MY BLUE HEAVEN (1950). Musical. Cast: Betty Grable, Dan Dailey, David Wayne, Jane Wyatt, Mitzi Gaynor. Director: Henry Koster.

Jack and Kitty, are performing on their radio show, when Kitty, breaks the news to Jack that she is pregnant. On their way home from their baby shower, Kitty and Jack are in a terrible car accident and Kitty loses the baby and learns that she may never be able to have children.

Later, Jack and Kitty visit Walter and Janet on their farm, where they are welcomed by their 6 children.



Janet tells them both that the two oldest children are adopted, as she and Walter thought they would never have children, but the other four are their own children. Kitty and Jack make the decision to adopt, so they talk to an adoption agency.

The Foundation's Miss Gilbert, tells Kitty and Jack that they may take up to a year, while a their background is being investigated. Kitty and Jack make their first TV appearance, on PBS, for their sponsor Cosmo Cosmetics. Miss Gilbert and Miss Evers, drop in unexpectedly to tell them that they have a baby boy for them, but... first they will have to meet with Mrs. Johnston.

 After Kitty and Jack pick up the baby boy, Mrs. Johnston decides that she will return with them to check out their apartment. Unfortunately, Mrs. Johnston does not like what she sees and refuses to allow the baby to stay there. This begins their long journey to have a career and family. Will their dreams of having children ever come true?



FUN FACTS:

James Cagney and Fred Astaire were considered for the male lead before Dan Dailey was cast.

Third of four movies that paired Betty Grable and Dan Dailey.

Even with the auto accident resulting in Kitty not being able to have children of her own. The plot still manages to come off as fluffy, entertaining, musical. The song and dance numbers are wonderful. Look for a young Mitzi Gaynor in her film debut as Gloria, who wants to get into show business.

Soundtracks:

"My Blue Heaven"
(uncredited)
Music by Walter Donaldson
Lyrics by George Whiting
Sung during the opening credits by Betty Grable, Dan Dailey and chorus
Danced by Betty Grable and Dan Dailey

"It's Deductible"
(uncredited)
Music by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by Ralph Blane
Sung by Betty Grable, Dan Dailey and chorus

"What a Man"
(uncredited)
Music by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by Ralph Blane
Sung by David Wayne and chorus with Dan Dailey

"Halloween"
(uncredited)
Music by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by Ralph Blane
Sung and danced by Betty Grable, Dan Dailey and David Wayne

"Cosmo Cosmetics"
(uncredited)
Music by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by Ralph Blane
TV-commercial parody sung and danced by Mitzi Gaynor

"I Love a New Yorker"
(uncredited)
Music by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by Ralph Blane
Sung and danced by Betty Grable and Dan Dailey

"Live Hard, Work Hard, Love Hard"
(uncredited)
Music by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by Ralph Blane
Sung and danced by Dan Dailey, Mitzi Gaynor and Betty Grable

"The Friendly Islands"
(uncredited)
Music by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by Ralph Blane
Sung and danced by Betty Grable, Dan Dailey and chorus

"Don't Rock the Boat, Dear"
(uncredited)
Music by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by Ralph Blane
Sung and danced by Betty Grable and Dan Dailey