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That's Dancing
''That's Dancing!'' is a 1985 American compilation film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer that looked back at the history of dancing in film. Unlike the ''That's Entertainment!'' series, this film not only focuses specifically on MGM films, but also included films from other studios. A highlight of the film was the first theatrical release of a complete dance routine by Ray Bolger for his " If I Only Had a Brain" number that had been shortened in ''The Wizard of Oz''. Summary The hosts for this film are Gene Kelly (who also executive produced), Ray Bolger (his last film appearance before his death in 1987), Liza Minnelli, Sammy Davis Jr., and Mikhail Baryshnikov. Pop singer Kim Carnes was commissioned to sing an original song, "Invitation to Dance", that plays over the closing credits. This film is sometimes considered part of the ''That's Entertainment!'' series, especially since its starting credits contain a card with the ''That's Entertainment! III'' title (not to be confus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jack Haley Jr
John Joseph Haley III (October 25, 1933 – April 21, 2001), known as Jack Haley Jr., was an American director, producer, and writer, and a two-time Emmy Award recipient. His credits include directing the 1974 compilation film '' That's Entertainment!''. On September 15, 1974 Haley married Liza Minnelli, the daughter of Judy Garland. Garland starred with his father, Jack Haley, in '' The Wizard of Oz''. Early life Haley was born on October 25, 1933, in Los Angeles, the son of Florence and Jack Haley, an actor and comedian. He attended Loyola Marymount University, and later studied filmmaking at USC and UCLA. Career With David Wolper, Haley produced the original run of ''Biography'' from 1961 to 1962. He co-wrote, directed and produced Hollywood and the Stars, which was broadcast on NBC during the 1963-1964 television season. As a producer, Haley was responsible for compilations and documentaries about film history, including '' That's Entertainment!'' (1974), ''That's D ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Invitation To Dance
"Invitation to Dance" is a song by American singer-songwriter Kim Carnes. Carnes co-wrote the song with her husband, Dave Ellingson, and Martin Page and Brian Fairweather. The single was produced by Nile Rodgers for the soundtrack to the 1985 motion picture ''That's Dancing!''. Background "Invitation to Dance" is a disco track that Carnes recorded for the soundtrack to ''That's Dancing!'' (1985). ''Billboard'' magazine noted that Carnes became the first artist to have a solo recording, a duet, and a trio simultaneously on the Billboard Hot 100. At the time, she charted with "Invitation to Dance" (solo), " Make No Mistake, He's Mine" (a duet with Barbra Streisand), and " What About Me?" (a trio with Kenny Rogers Kenneth Ray Rogers (born Kenneth Donald Rogers) (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer and songwriter. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particul ... and James Ingram). ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lucille Bremer
Lucille Bremer (February 21, 1917 – April 16, 1996) was an American film actress and dancer. Biography Bremer was born in Amsterdam (city), New York, Amsterdam, New York, but soon moved to Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she studied ballet. At age 12, she danced with the Philadelphia Opera Company. Pre-Hollywood career Once in New York, she danced in various specialty acts, most notably in the 1939 New York World's Fair "American Jubilee". She auditioned and began her career as a The Rockettes, Rockette at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, at age 16. She was voted as "most likely to succeed" by her Rockette peers. She was also known as "5th from the right" in the Rockettes line up. Bremer also auditioned as a dancer for various Broadway shows, along with fellow stars Vera-Ellen and June Allyson, appearing as a 'Pony Girl' in the Broadway musical ''Panama Hattie'' and also in ''Lady in the Dark''. Bremer's first attempt at a career in films was uns ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Brascia
John F. Brascia (May 11, 1932 – February 19, 2013) was an American actor and dancer, best known for his dancing partnerships on film with Vera-Ellen in '' White Christmas'' (1954) and with Cyd Charisse and Liliane Montevecchi in '' Meet Me in Las Vegas'' (1956). Early life John Frank Brascia was born on May 11, 1932, in Fresno, California, to Italian immigrants Gaetano Brascia and Caterina Napolitano. The Brascia clan including his Uncle Mike and Aunt Concetta Brascia, moved from Brooklyn, New York, before John Frank was born. He had two siblings, Cecilia and Vincent. Brascia was a high-school basketball player beginning in his sophomore year at Colton High School as co-captain. At 5’11" he took the position of guard in his junior year; he was a starter for the Colton Yellowjackets. He played for Colton on the football squad as the starting quarterback in his junior and senior years. Career Film Brascia was a featured dancer with Vera-Ellen in '' White Christmas'' (1954 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Monte Blue
Gerard Montgomery Blue (January 11, 1887 – February 18, 1963) was an American film actor who began his career as a romantic lead in the silent era; and for decades after the advent of sound, he continued to perform as a supporting player in a wide range of motion pictures. Early life Gerard Montgomery Bluefeather was born in Indianapolis, Indiana to an Irish mother, Orphalena Lousetta Springer, while his father William Jackson Blue was believed to be half French and part Cherokee and Osage. He had three brothers; Charles Bertram, Leroy, and William Morris. His father was a Civil War veteran, and served as a scout for Buffalo Bill. When his father died in a railroad collision, his mother could not rear four children alone, so Blue and one of his brothers were admitted to the Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Children's Home. He eventually worked his way through Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Blue grew to a height of . He played football and worked as a fi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eric Blore
Eric Blore Sr. (23 December 1887 – 2 March 1959) was an English actor and writer. His early stage career, mostly in the West End of London, centred on revue and musical comedy, but also included straight plays. He wrote sketches for and appeared in variety. In the 1930s Blore acted mostly in Broadway productions. He made his last London appearance in 1933 in the Fred Astaire hit '' Gay Divorce''. Between 1930 and 1955 he made more than 60 Hollywood films, becoming particularly well known for playing butlers and other superior domestic servants. He retired in 1956 for health reasons, and died in Hollywood in 1959 at the age of 71. Life and career Early years Blore was born in Finchley, a north London suburb, on 23 December 1887, son of Henry Blore and his wife Mary, ''née'' Newton.Parker, p. 77 He was educated at Mills School, Finchley, and after leaving school he worked for an insurance company."Mr Eric Blore", ''The Times'', London, 3 March 1959, p. 12 He was drawn to a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Busby Berkeley
Berkeley William Enos, (November 29, 1895 – March 14, 1976) known professionally as Busby Berkeley, was an American film director and musical choreographer. Berkeley devised elaborate musical production numbers that often involved complex geometric patterns. Berkeley's works used large numbers of showgirls and props as fantasy elements in kaleidoscopic on-screen performances. Early life Berkeley was born in Los Angeles, California, to Francis Enos (who died when Busby was eight) and stage actress Gertrude Berkeley (1864–1946). Among Gertrude's friends, and a performer in Tim Frawly's Stock company run by Busby Berkeley's father, were actress Amy Busby from whom Berkeley gained the appellation "Buzz" or "Busby" and actor William Gillette, then only four years away from playing Sherlock Holmes. Whether he was christened Busby Berkeley William Enos,Spivak, Jeffrey, ''Buzz, The Life and Art of Busby Berkeley'' (University Press of Kentucky, 2010), pp. 6–7. or Berkeley ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jennifer Beals
Jennifer Beals (born December 19, 1963) is an American actress. She made her film debut in ''My Bodyguard'' (1980), before receiving critical acclaim for her performance as Alexandra Owens in ''Flashdance'' (1983), for which she won NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture and was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical. Beals has appeared in several films including '' Vampire's Kiss'' (1988), '' Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle'' (1994), '' Devil in a Blue Dress'' (1995), '' The Last Days of Disco'' (1998), '' Roger Dodger'' (2002), '' The Book of Eli'' (2010), '' Before I Fall'' (2017), and '' Luckiest Girl Alive'' (2022). On television, she starred in shows such as ''The Chicago Code'' (2011), ''Proof'' (2015), '' Taken'' (2017), and '' The Book of Boba Fett'' (2021). Her portrayal of Bette Porter on the Showtime drama series ''The L Word'' (2004–2009) earned her a nomination for the Satellite Award ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lucille Ball
Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedian, producer, and studio executive. She was recognized by ''Time (magazine), Time'' in 2020 as one of the most influential women of the 20th century for her work in all four of these areas. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award and two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She earned many honors, including the Women in Film Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards#THE CRYSTAL AWARD, Crystal Award, an induction into the Television Hall of Fame, a Kennedy Center Honors, Kennedy Center Honor, and the Governors Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Ball's career began in 1929 when she landed work as a model. Shortly thereafter, she began her performing career on Broadway theatre, Broadway using the stage name Diane (or Dianne) Belmont. She later appeared in films i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz, May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, actor, singer, musician, choreographer, and presenter, whose career in stage, film, and television spanned 76 years. He is widely regarded as the "greatest popular-music dancer of all time". He received an Academy Honorary Award, Honorary Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three Primetime Emmy Awards, Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Grammy Award. As a dancer, he was known for his uncanny sense of rhythm, creativity, effortless presentation, and tireless perfectionism, which was sometimes a burden to co-workers. His dancing showed elegance, grace, originality, and precision. He drew influences from many sources, including tap, classical dance, and the elevated style of Vernon and Irene Castle. His trademark style greatly influenced the American Smooth style of ballroom dance. He called his eclectic approach "outlaw style", a following of an unpredictable and instinctive muse. Hi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ann-Margret
Ann-Margret Olsson (born 28 April 1941), credited as Ann-Margret, is a Swedish-American actress and singer with a career spanning seven decades. Her many screen roles include '' Pocketful of Miracles'' (1961), ''State Fair'' (1962), '' Bye Bye Birdie'' (1963), ''Viva Las Vegas'' (1964), '' Carnal Knowledge'' (1971), '' The Train Robbers'' (1973), '' Tommy'' (1975), '' The Return of the Soldier'' (1982), '' 52 Pick-Up'' (1986), '' Newsies'' (1992), '' Grumpy Old Men'' (1993), ''Any Given Sunday'' (1999), ''Taxi'' (2004), and '' Going in Style'' (2017). Her accolades include five Golden Globe Awards and an Emmy Award in addition to two Academy Award nominations and two Grammy nominations. Born in Sweden, Ann-Margret immigrated to the United States as a child. Gaining popularity in 1961 as a singer with a sultry, vibrant contralto voice, she quickly rose to Hollywood stardom. She released ''Born to be Wild'', her first classic-rock album, in 2023. Early life Ann-Margret Olsson w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
June Allyson
June Allyson (born Eleanor Geisman; October 7, 1917 – July 8, 2006) was an American stage, film, and television actress. Allyson began her career in 1937 as a dancer in short subject films and on Broadway in 1938. She signed with MGM in 1943, and rose to fame the following year in '' Two Girls and a Sailor''. Allyson's "girl next door" image was solidified during the mid-1940s when she was paired with actor Van Johnson in six films. In 1951, she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her performance in ''Too Young to Kiss''. From 1959 to 1961, she hosted and occasionally starred in her own anthology series, '' The DuPont Show with June Allyson'', which aired on CBS from 1959 to 1961. In the 1970s, she returned to the stage, starring in '' Forty Carats'' and '' No, No, Nanette''. In 1982, Allyson released her autobiography ''June Allyson by June Allyson'', and continued her career with guest starring roles on television and occasional film appearances. She later es ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
