White Christmas
"White Christmas" is a 1942 Irving Berlin song reminiscing about an old-fashioned Christmas setting. The version sung by Bing Crosby is the world's best-selling single with estimated sales in excess of 50 million copies worldwide. When the figures for other versions of the song are added t…
Full Answer
Who is the woman with Bing Crosby in White Christmas?
Who was supposed to be in white Christmas? On Christmas Eve, 1944, somewhere in Europe, presumably during the Battle of the Bulge, two World War II U.S. Army soldiers, one a Broadway entertainer, Captain Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby), the other an aspiring entertainer, Private First Class Phil Davis (Danny Kaye), perform for the 151st Division ("White Christmas").
Who are the main characters in White Christmas?
Apr 26, 2020 · In this regard, who was supposed to be in white Christmas? On Christmas Eve, 1944, somewhere in Europe, presumably during the Battle of the Bulge, two World War II U.S. Army soldiers, one a Broadway entertainer, Captain Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby), the other an aspiring entertainer, Private First Class Phil Davis (Danny Kaye), perform for the 151st Division ("White …
What are the sisters names in White Christmas?
Dec 03, 2019 · Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire co-starred in Holiday Inn, and White Christmas was originally intended to be a kind of remake, bringing them together to sing and dance onscreen again. When Astaire declined, the part was reworked …
Who played the Sisters in White Christmas?
Dec 20, 2021 · It is supposed to be the Christmas we all get back together with our families, and if you are one of the estimated 109 million Americans taking to the sky or highway to return home for Christmas ...
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Dec 13, 2019 · Still, most will agree that the White Christmas movie version is the best one. 2 Irving Berlin opened his own Oscar for "White Christmas." ...
Who was originally supposed to be in White Christmas?
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.
Who turned down White Christmas?
Fred Astaire1. Danny Kaye's role as Phil Davis was originally offered to Fred Astaire, who declined the part after reading the script. Surprisingly though, Danny Kaye was only the third choice after Donald O'Connor had to pull out due to an illness. 2.Dec 1, 2014
Did Rosemary Clooney sing both parts in White Christmas?
Some say Trudy Stevens' voice doubled for all of Vera-Ellen's parts, while others say Rosemary Clooney sang as both Betty and Judy Haynes in “Sisters.”Dec 18, 2017
Why was Vera-Ellen not in White Christmas?
Vera Ellen, who plays Judy Haynes, actually didn't join in the singing since she was actually a dancer, Good Housekeeping notes. It's rumored that her parts during each song were dubbed by Rosemary Clooney or Trudy Stevens.Dec 2, 2020
How old was Vera-Ellen when she became a Rockette?
In 1939, Vera-Ellen made her Broadway theatre debut in the Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein musical Very Warm for May at the age of 18. She became one of the youngest Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, although she was not tall.
How is George Clooney related to Rosemary Clooney?
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. She was the ex-wife of Jose Ferrer; mother of actor Miguel Ferrer Clooney was diagnosed with lung cancer at the end of 2001.
Who was Danny Kaye's wife?
Sylvia FineDanny Kaye / Wife (m. 1940–1987)Sylvia Fine Kaye was an American lyricist, composer, and producer, and the wife of the comedian Danny Kaye. Wikipedia
Was White Christmas originally black and white?
Since Holiday Inn was a black & white film, the sets were probably originally painted in grayscale, as color palette schemes would have been a waste of resources in 1942.
Who did Rosemary Clooney marry?
Dante DiPaolom. 1997–2002José Ferrerm. 1964–1967José Ferrerm. 1953–1961Rosemary Clooney/Spouse
What did Donald O'Connor died from?
Heart attackDonald O'Connor / Cause of deathEntertainer Donald O'Connor, 78, who combined comedy and acrobatics in the show-stopping "Make 'Em Laugh" number in the movie classic "Singin' in the Rain," died Sept. 27 of heart disease at a retirement home in Calabasas, Calif., his daughter said.Sep 28, 2003
Was Vera-Ellen really singing in White Christmas?
Vera-Ellen isn't actually singing in this movie. There's only one scene where it's her real voice, and it's when the group is getting off the train in Vermont re-singing the chorus to “Snow.” Otherwise, her voice is being dubbed by Clooney or a singer named Trudy Stevens.Dec 23, 2021
Who played Doris in White Christmas?
Barrie ChaseWhite Christmas (1954) - Barrie Chase as Doris Lenz - IMDb.
Who are the cast of White Christmas?
But there are many things about White Christmas, its production and its cast– Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen –that you might not know. Jeremy, Barrett and Chris at CinemaSins put together an insider’s list of 19 facts and details you might not have known about your favorite Christmas movie, White Christmas, ...
Who wrote the song "White Christmas"?
Irving Berlin , who wrote White Christmas, reused some songs from his earlier black-and-white film, Holiday Inn. The title song “White Christmas” and the “Abraham” number are the most notable examples. Crosby even sings “White Christmas” in Holiday Inn, though his later performance in the titular film would become the more famous version.
How old was Vera Ellen when she started dancing?
Vera-Ellen was a trained dancer long before this film, and she’d even been a Radio City Rockette—one of the youngest ever. She began dancing at age 10 and one of her old schoolmates for dance class was none other than Doris Day. 7. The White Christmas cast’s ages were all over the place. YouTube.
Who played Alfalfa in Little Rascals?
There’s a moment even when the girls show a recent photo of Benny to the two famous singers, and if you thought that photo rang a bell for you, it probably did…because is Carl Switzer, famous for playing Alfalfa in the original Little Rascals.
Is Vera Ellen singing in Snow?
Vera-Ellen isn’t actually singing in this movie. There’s only one scene where it’s her real voice, and it’s when the group is getting off the train in Vermont re-singing the chorus to “Snow.” Otherwise, her voice is being dubbed by Clooney or a singer named Trudy Stevens.
Who provided commentary on the White Christmas DVD?
Rosemary Clooney provided commentary on the White Christmas DVD and echoed what most of us probably wonder every time we watch the movie and see her leaving in such a huff: “Why didn’t she just ask him what was going on? Dummy!”
Who played Alfalfa in Our Gang?
When they showed a photo of their brother Benny, “The Dog-Faced Boy,”. it was Carl Switzer, who famously played Alfalfa in Our Gang (aka “The Little Rascals”): Switzer was killed in 1959, not long after “White Christmas” came out, at the age of 31. The original “Our Gang” comedy shorts are rarely broadcast today:
Who played the love interest in the movie "Choreography"?
Danny Kaye played her love interest, but he couldn’t keep up with her on the dance floor. In the “Choreography” number above he was doing what could be called “comedic movement.”
Why is Vera Ellen's neck covered?
Vera-Ellen’s neck is always covered in the movie, and rumors spread that it was because she suffered from anorexia. However, a longtime friend of hers named Bill Dennington insisted it was more about style than vanity: “All of her life she wore something around her neck, a necklace, a choker, a scarf, a collar, etc.
Who sang the song "White Christmas"?
In reality though, Bing Crosby first performed the tune 13 years before White Christmas came out, on the radio show The Kraft Music Hall. Then, he sang it in Irving Berlin's 1942 classic, Holiday Inn (above), as well as Blue Skies in 1946. Still, most will agree that the White Christmas movie version is the best one.
Who played Phil Davis in White Christmas?
10 Fred Astaire was supposed to play Phil Davis. ParamountGetty Images. After Fred and Bing's success in Holiday Inn, this film was intended to reunite them. But Fred had "retired" by the time White Christmas was shot 12 years later and he declined.
Who plays Vera Ellen's sister in the movie?
As Betty Haynes, Rosemary Clooney plays Vera-Ellen's older sister in the movie, but she was actually seven years younger. When the film came out, Rosemary was 26, and Vera-Ellen, 33. Even more striking? Bing, who plays her love interest, was 51 when the movie debuted. That's a 25-year-age gap! (It's also funny to note that Dean Jagger, who played the retired, elderly general was actually born a few months after Crosby.)
Who is Bing Crosby's granddaughter?
George Rose. Speaking of famous relatives, Bing Crosby's granddaughter happens to be Denise Crosby, who appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation back in the late '80s.
What is the song Snow about?
In the club car of the train, the four leads sing "Snow" about their frosty dreams. Originally, the Irving Berlin tune was called "Free," for the musical Call Me Madam — and it had nothing to do with winter.
How much did the Grinch Stole Christmas movie make?
25 It was a box-office success. ParamountGetty Images. The movie brought in $12 million, and was a top-earner in 1954, second only to The Caine Mutiny. (To put that in perspective, Jim Carrey's How the Grinch Stole Christmas raked in $260 million .)
Where is the Columbia Inn?
General Waverly's Columbia Inn in fictional Pine Tree, Vermont, made its debut a decade before in Holiday Inn. The set on the Paramount lot was refurbished for the next Christmas classic.
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Editorial Reviews
Irving Berlin's songs and dances are performed by two happy couples who discover that love, romance and a Christmas Eve snowfall make everyone's dreams come true.
About Mark
Mark Bushnell is a Vermont journalist and historian. He is the author of Hidden History of Vermont and It Happened in Vermont.
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