MilesArcher

Yes, I am. The Shirley Temple clues probably gave it away. Boles was in "Frankenstein" and he played Kathryn Grayson's father in "Thousands Cheer". He was in some early musicals like "Rio Rita" and "The Desert Song". He Sang "It Happened In Monterey" in "King Of Jazz" in 1930. That was a musical and comedy revue featuring Paul Whiteman's orchestra as well as Bing Crosby and the Rhythm Boys. I'll bet you didn't know that he was a spy in World War I. Your turn, Lana.

Thanks. Do you know me? I was born before the turn of the century and during World War I, I served as a spy in Germany and other countries. After the war, I wanted to work in the theater, so I went to New York and was lucky enough to find my way into several Broadway productions. I was also a fine singer, and that served me well in operettas. I was noticed in New York and I was given a chance to come to Hollywood. I was in a few movies at MGM before getting a break. I was cast opposite Gloria Swanson in a movie. She was one of the top stars at the time. The movies were silent then, but later, when sound came in, I was able to display my vocal talents in several films, some of which were in color. I signed with Universal for a few years. I was in operettas, comedies, and straight dramatic roles. I was even in one of their classic horror films. In one musical revue film, I got to sing the popular song "It Happened In Monterey", even though there was a young fellow in the cast named Bing Crosby who wanted to sing it. I was better known at the time. I freelanced for a while. I was in a couple of movies with Shirley Temple and one well known film with Barbara Stanwyck. Later, in another revue film, I played Kathryn Grayson's father. I retired in the 1950's. I could no longer be a leading man, and my operetta style of singing was no longer popular. Do you know me?

Thanks, when you mentioned Scotland I seemed to remember Pat Boone singing in a kilt in that movie. Now: The Avalon Boys were a singing group that made a few movie appearances. Their bass singer went on to be a well known character actor. In the thirties, they sang a song with Laurel and Hardy in a movie. Can you name the movie, the song, and the bass singer?

Are you referring to "This Is The Army" which featured a song called "What The Well Dressed Man From Harlem Will Wear". The production number featured black soldiers dancing and boxer Joe Louis hitting a punching bag. Why Berlin had to write it, I don't know. The army was segregated at the time and Berlin probably wanted to incorporate black entertainers into the show. He knew that a lot of black entertainers were popular and black soldiers were as much a part of the army as whites. Remember, this was not just a movie. "This Is The Army" was on Broadway and the show toured the country as a morale booster and to raise money for the war effort.

Is it "Journey To The Center Of The Earth" with Pat Boone singing?

Jo Stafford?

Are you Nancy Kelly, sister of Jack Kelly?

I'm not sure I understand the question entirely, but I think my answer here will cover most of the bases. The original lyrics to "Puttin' On The Ritz" were used in the 1939 film "Idiot's Delight" with Clark Gable doing a song and dance with a bunch of chorus girls. By the time Fred Astaire did the number in "Blue Skies" in 1946, the lyrics were considered to be offensive to blacks. Today, we would say they were politically incorrect. Berlin changed the lyrics to give the feeling of making fun of the wealthy by including the name Rockefellers, who "walk with sticks or umbrellas", and using the line "Dressed up like a million dollar trooper, trying hard to look like Gary Cooper, super duper". Here is the original lyric: Have you seen the well-to-do up on Lenox Avenue? On that famous thoroughfare, with their noses in the air? High hats and colored collars, white spats and fifteen dollars; spending every dime for a wonderful time. If you're blue and you don't know where to go to, Why don't you go where Harlem sits Puttin' on the Ritz. Spangled gowns upon the bevy of high browns from down the levee, all misfits - Puttin' on the Ritz! That's where each and every Lulu Belle goes, ev'ry Thursday evening with her swell beaux ? Rubbin' elbows. Come with me and we'll attend their jubilee and see them spend their last two bits Puttin' on the Ritz! And here is the revised lyric: Have you seen the well-to-do Up and down Park Avenue On that famous thoroughfare With their noses in the air High hats and arrowed collars Wide spats and fifteen dollars Spending every dime For a wonderful time If you're blue and you don't know Where to go to, why don't you go Where fashion sits Puttin' on the Ritz Different types, who wear a day coat Pants with stripes, and cut away coat Perfect fits Puttin' on the Ritz Dressed up like a million dollar trooper Trying hard to look like Gary Cooper Super-duper! Come, let's mix where Rockefellers Walk with sticks, or umber-ellas In their mitts Puttin' on the Ritz Spangled gowns upon a beauty Of hand-me-downs, on clown and cutie All misfits Puttin' on the Ritz Strolling up the avenue so happy All dressed up just like an English chappie Very snappy! You'll declare it's simply topping To be there, and hear them swapping Smart tidbits Puttin' on the Ritz Puttin' on the Ritz Puttin' on the Ritz Berlin also had a song making fun of wealthy New york society. It was called "Slumming On Park Avenue" and it was performed by Alice Faye and chorus in a 1937 film called "On The Avenue". And don't forget "A Couple of Swells" from "Easter Parade" in 1948 with Fred Astaire and Judy Garland. Remember "The Vanderbilts have asked us up for tea, we don't know how we'll get there, no siree". Berlin's first wife had died and his second wife came from a well to do high society family. Her father was against the marriage because Berlin was an uneducated Jewish immigrant song writer, and not from the same social rank. Perhaps that is why Berlin wrote so many of these types of songs. If you find the 1930 video of Harry Richman and dancers doing "Puttin' On The Ritz", you will probably see why it would be considered offensive later on. By the way, Fred Astaire recorded a version in the early thirties with the original lyrics and many years later, Judy Garland recorded a version that mixed the original and revised lyrics. Kind of a long-winded answer, but somewhere in there I hope I answered your questions.

You've got them, Dan. Your thread.

Well, as far as I know, there were no movie stars from my school, but we did have a guy who graduated from my high school some years before me who became a musician and singer. He was on a network TV show for a few years in which he played a member of a band. One member of the band had been a child actor in a mid-fifties TV series and the lead singer had been a child performer in England. Remember, I went to high school in Connecticut. Any guesses?

You've got it, cujas. If you look at Vera-Ellen in "On The Town" from 1949 and "White Christmas" in 1954, I think you can see the weight loss from the anorexia. I failed to mention that her fIrst two movies were with Danny Kaye and, of course, they would be reunited in "White Christmas". She danced with Gene Kelly in "Words And Music" and "On The Town", and with Fred Astaire in both "Three Little Words" and "The Belle Of New York". "Call Me Madam" was the movie she made with Ethel Merman and also where she danced with Donald O'Connor. Cujas, you've probably been vamping since you gave your answer, so now you get to go next.

Do you know me? I was born in Ohio. As a child I was in the same dance class with Doris Day. I went to New York in my teens and became a Rockette. That led to Broadway. I was in two shows with June Allyson before she went to Hollywood. I was in "Panama Hattie" with Ethel Merman. Later I would be in a movie with her. I was given a chance to be in some Hollywood musicals and I jumped at it. I made a few movies for Samuel Goldwyn before going to MGM, where I danced with Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. Later, I dance with Donald O'Connor. As fewer musicals were being made, my career came to an end in the late fifties. I made my last movie at age thirty-six and never went back. Very few people know that my singing voice in movies was always dubbed. Throughout the fifties I suffered from an eating disorder that doctors had not yet even named anorexia. I was known to have the smallest waist in Hollywood. That is very apparent in a movie I made with Bing Crosby that you are all familiar with. In my early forties, I gave birth to a daughter. She died at three months of age from SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). I withdrew from the public eye and became a sort of recluse. I also developed arthritis and started taking dance lessons again just to try to stay limber. I died at age sixty, virtually unknown to a whole generation of movie fans. Do you know me?

The only name that comes to mind is Charles "Buddy" Rogers, actor and band leader, who was married to Mary Pickford. If he's the one, that would make your school the University of Kansas. Cujas, were you a Jayhawk?

I'm glad you explained it. I thought a fist name was one like the role Mary McDonnell had in "Dances With Wolves". Now, everyone knows Noel Neill from "The Adventures Of Superman" on TV in the fifties. Of course, George Reeves played Superman. Noel Neill also appeared in "Superman" productions on the big screen. Can you name three other actors who played Superman in theatrical releases that Noel Neill was in?

And how about Teresa Wright as Charlie Newton in "Shadow Of A Doubt"?

Are you Ruth Gordon, whose husband, Garson Kanin, wrote a book called "Tracy And Hepburn"?

Yes, who would have thought that young Mickey Braddock as Corky would go on to become a rock and roll star? His father was George Dolenz, who was a character actor in movies in the forties and fifties. He had a TV series called "The Count Of Monte Cristo". Mickey's daughter, Ami, is also an actress. Noah Beery Jr. had been in countless movies, most of them westerns, including the classic "Red River". His father, Noah Beery Sr. and his uncle, Wallce Beery, were quite active in movies from the twenties through the forties. Good job, cmvgor. It's all yours now.

Thanks. "Frontier Circus" was not the first TV series about an old west circus. A few years earlier, there was a series which featured a veteran character actor playing a clown in a circus traveling through the west. This actor had been, and would be, in many movies and TV shows. He was in a classic western in the late forties. He would later be a regular in a popular detective show in the seventies and eighties. He came from a well known acting family, His co-star also came from an acting family. He was a young boy who played an orphan who worked for the circus caring for the elephants. His real life father was also an actor, although at the time, the boy used a stage name, instead of his father's last name. The series ran for two seasons. Between seasons the producers sent the boy on a promotional tour, but they thought it might be a good idea if he could sing, so they gave him singing and guitar lessons. Years later, using his own name, he would become a member of a well known rock and roll band, although he had traded that guitar for drums. What was the TV series, who was the actor who played the clown and who played the young boy? Bonus points if you know the stage name he used at the time.

Well, I hate to give an incomplete answer, but this is as far as I can go. You are referring to "Northwest Passage", a 1940 movie that starred Spencer Tracy, Robert Young, and Walter Brennan. The TV series starred Keith Larsen, Don Burnett, and Buddy Ebsen. TCM ran one of the movies derived from the TV series a few months ago. Since they were edited from TV episodes, nobody in the world would remember the titles, so I checked IMDB and found only two listed. They are "Frontier Rangers" and "Fury River". The TV series lasted only one season, 1958-1959. It was on opposite "Maverick" and "The Jack Benny Show". I have two questions for you, Skipper. What was the name of the other movie, and what is a fist name?

Cmvgr has most of it. The other actress ia Ellen Corby, who starred with Irene Dunne in "I Remember Mama". They were both Oscar nominated for that film along with Oscar Homolka and Barbara Bel Geddes. Of course, Ellen Corby later play Grandma on "The Waltons". The famous sidekick was Jay Silverheels, who was Tonto on "The Lone Ranger" program.

Yes, and Ted Donaldson went on to star in a series of films with "Rusty" the German shepherd. There are lots of movies about dogs and horses, but not many about caterpillars, so I thought I would stick this one in, even though we had a post about it some time ago. Your turn, Mr. Sixes.

We'll go with a different kind of animal. Everyone knows that Cary Grant was in "Bringing Up Baby" with a leopard named "Baby",who would only respond to people when they sang "I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby". Cary was in another movie with a young boy and a dancing caterpillar. The caterpillar would only perform to one song. What was the name of the movie, who played the young boy, what was the caterpillar's name, and what was the only song that he would dance to?

Well, I waited a while, but no one answered so here goes. The Range Rider rode "Rawhide" and his sidekick, Dick West rode "Lucky". They were played by Jack (later Jock) Mahoney and Dick Jones, respectively. "Koko" was Rex Allen's horse. The reason that I ended the list of "colorful" animals the way I did was because I didn't want to turn the thread into a "name the cowboy's horse" thread. That could go on a very long time, but I don't mind sneaking one in every once in a while.

Yes, I am the lovely Heather Angel. I was in "Suspicion" and "Lifeboat" for Alfred Hitchcock. I was a regular in the "Bulldog Drummond" movie series. I voiced characters in "Alice In Wonderland" and "Peter Pan" for Disney, and I played Miss Faversham on "Family Affair". I was the English nanny who often met Mr. French in the park. Good job, finance. Now you're up.

Do you know me? I was born in England and I came to Hollywood in the 1930's. At first I played small roles in several films, but my striking beauty soon got me some attention and I was cast in bigger budget films. Over the years I appeared in one of the many versions of "The Three Musketeers", as well as a version of " The Last Of The Mohicans". I appeared in two films for Mr. Hitchcock. I was a regular in a movie detective series and I also did some voice work in some classic animated films. In the fifties and sixties, I worked on a lot of TV shows. I kept my looks throughout my career. In the seventies, I had a recurring role in a much loved family oriented sit-com. Do you know me?