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Jacques d'Amboise, the George Balanchine protégé who starred in the 1950s film musicals "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" and "Carousel," has died at the age of 86. The New York Times reported that he died of complications of a stroke at his Manhattan home on Sunday. As a teen dancer, he earned the attention of Balanchine, the New York City Ballet's legendary director (pictured below with Suzanne Farrell and d’Amboise). He performed with the company for about 35 years before retiring just before he turned 50. In 1954, d'Amboise was teamed with Virginia Gibson in Stanley Donen's 1954 film musical about romance in the Oregon territory of the 1850s. He played Ephraim Pontipee; she was Liza. The production received five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture. It won for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture (Adolph Deutsch, Saul Chaplin). The film was headlined by Howard Keel and Jane Powell. In the 1956 movie version of "Carousel" -- based on Rodgers and Hammerstein's stage production -- d'Amboise danced with Susan Luckey, who played the daughter of the doomed roustabout Billy Bigelow (Gordon MacRae). Also in1956, d'Amboise danced with Sheree North in Michael Curtiz's "The Best Things in Life Are Free." The biopic starred MacRae, Dan Dailey and Ernest Borgnine as the respective members of the early 20th century songwriting team of Buddy DeSylva, Ray Henderson and Lew Brown. His skills as a choreographer and teacher were on display in the 1983 documentary "He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin," which was directed by Emile Ardolino ("Dirty Dancing," "Sister Act"). The production, which focused on d'Amboise's work with New York children at school and at the free National Dance Institute (which he co-founded in 1976), won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 56th Oscars ceremony held on April 9, 1984. It also won two Primetime Emmys and a Daytime Emmy after it was shown on television. He was a member of the 1995 Kennedy Center Honors class that also featured opera singer Marilyn Horne, playwright Neil Simon, actor-director Sidney Poiter and blues great B.B. King. On November 5, 1998, d'Amboise was joined by Hillary and Bill Clinton when the 42nd chief executive presented him with the National Medal of Arts Award at a White House ceremony. Mike Barnes @MikeBarnes4 #RIP Jacques d'Amboise; showed his skills in 'Seven Brides' and 'Carousel' but preferred the ballet stage. There, he said, "you're in conversation with the audience, not the camera; it's immediate, and there's no going back to redo, repair or camouflage." Jacques d'Amboise, Ballet Legend Who Danced in 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers' and 'Carousel,'... hollywoodreporter.com 6:01 PM · May 3, 2021·Twitter Web App Russ Tamblyn @RussTamblyn Devastated by the loss of my dear friend and co-star of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Jacques D’Amboise. Jacques was a legendary dancer and founded @NationalDance , but he was also a kind soul and gifted storyteller. I’ll miss him so much. Rest easy now, my Pontipee brother. 1:17 PM · May 4, 2021·Twitter for iPhone nycballet @nycballet NYCB mourns the loss of Jacques D'Amboise, a legendary dancer, choreographer, and educator who performed with the Company for nearly 35 years, and whose inimitable artistry and generosity of spirit will be greatly missed. https://nytimes.com/2021/05/03/arts/dance/jacques-damboise-dead.html… Photo: Martha Swope, 1964. 6:20 PM · May 3, 2021·TweetDeck

Wednesday, May 5/6 2:15 a.m. Madeleine (1950). David Lean court room drama with Ann Todd.

A Great Dancer. I met him once at a Kansas City Ballet master class. I was starstruck. By all accounts, he was a regular guy who worked closely with the New York cultural community to encourage children, and especially boys, to dance. Along with Edward Villella, he was one of Balanchine's male dancers who the choreographer used to introduce a strong masculine presence into American Ballet.

1932

One of the best episodes of The Rifleman was the third to last episode in the series called "Old Man Running." Character actor John Anderson plays the grizzled title character who comes to the McCain ranch, asking Lucas if he will protect him from three gunmen after him. Lucas refuses, telling him to move on. The old man says he knows he has no right to ask a favour of him and rides away. Mark, who witnesses their interaction, doesn't understand what he just saw but is surprised by the hatred in his father's face. As the episode continues it turns out that the old man is the father of McCain's deceased wife, who was given money the night she was dying to go to a near town and get a doctor for help. A drinker, he stopped to have a drink for courage but by the time he returned to the town she was dead and buried. He waited by her grave site hoping that Lucas would show up and kill him but he never did. Since then he has been on the run, perhaps from himself and the guilt he felt more than anything else. In coming to North Fork on the run from desperadoes he also hoped to meet his grandson for the first time. When Mark first hears the explanation he is filled with the same revulsion towards the old man that his father has long felt. But when he finally takes it upon himself to go to the old man's hotel room and meet him the anger will start to dissipate and he will have conflicting feelings about a man with deep regrets who makes no excuses for what he did but asks him to forgive him. Mark doesn't do it. There will be the usual gunfire when the bad guys show up in town but, more important than that, there will be a final moment in which Mark reaches out to the old man. Both Johnny Crawford and John Anderson shine in the honesty and sensitivity of their performances in this scene which, truth be told, wrung a tear from this viewer's eye. Old Man Running is an episode of The Rifleman which is about regrets, human frailty and forgiveness. I recommend it to anyone who may care to see it. In fact, I just re-watched it this evening as the episode is available on You Tube.

HAIRSPRAY (1988) on TCM at 8pm est tonight! I'm listening to the soundtrack right now (almost all old dusty forgotten records ... in 1988... thank you, JOHN WATERS).

1930

MARGIE (1946)

MONK episode "Mr Monk and Little Monk" -- a man tries to get his wife remarried so he can stop paying alimony, but a murder ends up happening SOME LIKE IT HOT -- "We get a quick annulment, he makes a nice settlement on me, and I keep getting those alimony checks every month!" NORTH BY NORTHWEST -- "Now you listen to me, I'm an advertising man, not a red herring. I've got a job, a secretary, a mother, two ex-wives and several bartenders that depend upon me, and I don't intend to disappoint them all by getting myself slightly killed."

Letty Lynton 1932

Divorce American Style 1967

PLATINUM BLONDE --- "She wants to pay ME alimony?" THE ODD COUPLE -- "It's not possible I'm 4 weeks behind in alimony. I happen to know I'm only THREE weeks behind!" THE WOMEN -- "You picked yours for character and where did it get you? On the train for Reno!"

I met Johnny on a couple occasions at western film and nostalgia festivals - I also saw him at a taping of the You Tube program A Word on Westerns, hosted by his close friend - Rob Word - and which was routinely done at the Autry Museum in Los Angeles. He did several tapings of AWOW with Rob - some of which can be seen below as a tribute to Johnny. R.I.P. Johnny Crawford -

The Tender Trap Next: Audie Murphy, Hope Emerson, Jeff Donnell

In case it hasn't been mentioned already, I thought folks here might want to know that Eddie Muller's excellent book Dark City is being reissued in a revised and expanded edition. The publication date for the new edition is July 6, 2021. Here's the description found on a prominent online retailer's site: "This revised and expanded edition of Eddie Muller's Dark City is a film noir lover's bible, taking readers on a tour of the urban landscape of the grim and gritty genre in a definitive, highly illustrated volume. "Dark City expands with new chapters and a fresh collection of restored photos that illustrate the mythic landscape of the imagination. It's a place where the men and women who created film noir often find themselves dangling from the same sinister heights as the silver-screen avatars to whom they gave life. Eddie Muller, host of Turner Classic Movies' Noir Alley, takes readers on a spellbinding trip through treacherous terrain: Hollywood in the post-World War II years, where art, politics, scandal, style -- and brilliant craftsmanship -- produced a new approach to moviemaking, and a new type of cultural mythology." (Apologies if folks who keep up with this thread more thoroughly than I do have already mentioned the book's reissue.)

I just noticed we have exceeded 300,000 views on this thread. Thank you everyone!

Our nickname was john revolts ya ...

Thanks for the reminder! I almost forgot. This is the original, not the musical version. (though there is music in it)

with Dustin Hoffman Stranger Than Fiction 2006 Last Chance Harvey 2008 with Liam Neeson Love Actually 2003 Men In Black International 2019

Ah yes. Angel always did a lot of questionable stuff like that, didn't he.

Greg Wise (second husband) Hugh Laurie Anthony Hopkins Maggie Smith Colin Firth Alan Rickman

Fredric March originated the role of James Tyrone on Broadway (1956-58), His wife Florence Eldridge played Mary Tyrone. Jason Robards, Jr. played James, Jr., the older son. Bradford Dillman was the younger son. The play and March won Tony Awards.

I always enjoyed watching him dance, whether it was in a film or a documentary about dance. He was a great soloist who also was an unselfish partner. I love that he gave so much back to the dance community. RIP, Mr. d'Amboise.

My choice, with my favorite of the five oscar nominees second 1950 Sunset Blvd. 1951 Alice in Wonderland/An American in Paris 1952 Singin' in the Rain/The Quiet Man 1953 The Band Wagon/Julius Caesar 1954 The Seven Samurai/On the Waterfront 1955 Ordet/Mister Roberts 1956 A Man Escaped/Around the World in 80 Days 1957 12 Angry Men 1958 Vertigo/Gigi 1959 North by Northwest/Anatomy of a Murder

2020 NEWS OF THE WORLD Next James Garner is a cowboy who is basically on his way to Australia

This episode was broadcast recently and I was lucky enough to catch some of it. I do admire that program. Found this online, but I have my own copy of it.

I love the song "Something Special" that Johnny Crawford sang on an episode of The Rifleman. I just happened to catch the episode on ME-TV and then looked for the song online. And later I discovered another of his songs that I now love: "Rumors." I've played this one over and over again!

. . . and then there was one. Jacques d'Amboise's passing leaves Russ Tamblyn as the last surviving Pontipee brother from MGM's Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954), although four of the "brides" are still with us --- Jane Powell, Julie Newmar (Newmeyer), Ruta Lee (Kilmonis), and Nancy Kilgas.

Crap might be an overstatement. Hairspray at 5PM on May 4th. Not Crybaby or Polyester, but not crap either. 12 Angry Men and Anatomy of a Murder. on the 5th starting at 5PM. Very un-crap double feature. Not prime time but Don't Knock the Rock at 6:15 AM on the 6th. One of the greatest dance scenes ever. West Side Story, 6th at 5PM. Not even close to crap. Unfortunately we lose points on the 7th with Grease 2.

Sad news. Good night JOHNNY! We all loved you!

I grew up watching The Rifleman. Lucas McCain had a tendency to be an over protect father and his sermons to Mark about "life lessons" could be a little tiresome, at times. However, Chuck Connors and Johnny Crawford worked well together as actors, which was vital in selling the show. Johnny Crawford always showed a heart felt sincerity in his portrayal of young Mark that I found affecting. RIP Johnny Crawford

I saw the Ruth Etting biopic Love Me or Leave Me (1955) for the first time a few weeks ago, but missed the opening credits. Throughout the film, I assumed the character of Johnny Alderman, Ruth (Doris Day)'s longtime accompanist and eventual second husband, was being played by Dane Clark (whom I had previously seen only in 1940s roles, and who would have been in his mid-40s in 1955). When I got to the end I was surprised to discover that it was actually Cameron Mitchell! I still think Mitchell looks like Clark after a bad night's sleep. (Although as FredCDobbs has pointed out elsewhere, there may be an even stronger Dane Clark/Richard Conte similarity.) Dane Clark: Cameron Mitchell:

William S. Hart and Aidan Gillen

Giant (1956) and Johnny Guitar (1954) Next: Rock Hudson

I would like to make a correction Jeremy Irons was in one film with Emma Thompson Beautiful Creatures.

Uh-huh, and on a carrier such as TWA, Pan Am, National, Braniff or maybe Eastern!

You must watch him in: The Song of Lunch (2010).

1970...AIRPORT Next: William Hurt and Marlee Matlin find a way to communicate.

What I do is highlight - with my cursor - the comment of the person I want to respond to, then hit the "Quote" button, then drop down to the bottom of the page and post the part you quoted with your response. Hope that helps clarify ! 😎

My favorite episodes of the ones where people lose their already tenuous tether to reality and fail to see how ridiculously petty they are being to the point where they forfeit their life or well-being over what is ultimately some minor grievance. I, for one, CANT WAIT for the YVONNE CRIDDLE episode of FEAR THY NEIGHBOR

1990 A Tale of Springtime (1990) Eric Rohmer Another tale of two strangers who suddenly become girlfriends. And boy do these girls like to talk! Not as good as Boyfriends and Girlfriends (1987) but better than Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle (1987).

THE CAPTAIN'S PARADISE (1953) Next: Bette Davis, George Brent and Mary Astor

Tuesday, May 4 8 p.m. Hairspray (1988). The John Waters original with Divine.

I was in the car today, so I heard some radio. This one struck me a little harder than it normally does, for the melodic shape of the guitar line, which reminded me of The Phil Specter production of The Crystals' "Then He Kissed Me." The Animals guitarist Hilton Valentine played it on a Rickenbacker 12 string, and that sound reminded me of "There's An End" by The Greenhornes. Here then is a triple-shot. George Maharis introduces The Animals ("Foist time any place singin theh bran new reckid!") on the October 11, 1965 NBC broadcast of "Hullabaloo!" I'm sure you will note, and wince at, the trophies. I question whether the set design played well even then but it wouldn't even be considered today. And what a waste of talent. No doubt these young ladies could dance and it's a shame we don't get to see that. This song was written by Brill Building songwriters Roger Atkins and Carl D'Errico and is their most successful piece, says Wiki anyway. Now up the tempo of that guitar motive and tell me it doesn't match this one, by Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry. Notice too in the photo montage that The Crystals went through more line-up changes than the Petticoat Junction girls. Finally, remember the timbre of the 12 string guitar melody from The Animals and listen to the guitar break here from The Greenhornes, which I assume is two players, one of which would be founding member Craig Fox, picking the same line and a little out of sync under Holly Golightly's vocal.

Yeah, this would've been nice. I agree. AND, maybe by that time Vivien might've even forgotten about what she said turned her off about him during the GWTW shoot. (...his halitosis) LOL

THE GOOD HUMOR MAN

NOT WITHOUT MY DAUGHTER (1991)