The Corner Dance Studio LLC

04/23/2025

04/23/2025

Few moments in Hollywood history sparkle quite like the set of "On the Town" in 1949, where six legendary talents—Ann Miller, Jules Munshin, Betty Garrett, Frank Sinatra, Vera-Ellen, and Gene Kelly—came together to redefine the movie musical. Directed by Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly himself, this groundbreaking MGM production was one of the first musicals shot on location in New York City, a revolutionary move that added vibrancy and realism to the silver screen. Based on the 1944 Broadway hit with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, the story followed three sailors on 24-hour leave in New York, capturing the post-war optimism and urban energy of America’s golden era. Sinatra’s boyish charm, Kelly’s athletic choreography, and Vera-Ellen’s balletic grace transformed the film into a timeless celebration of joy, movement, and music.

Behind the scenes, the chemistry was just as electric. Ann Miller dazzled with her signature tap routines, reportedly filmed in a single take, while Betty Garrett’s comedic timing added a fresh, modern flair to female roles in musical cinema. Jules Munshin, often the unsung hero, brought nuanced humor that balanced the cast’s star power. Notably, Gene Kelly pushed for more realism and less artificiality in musical storytelling, pioneering the idea of filming on real city streets—setting a new standard in Hollywood. Released in December 1949, "On the Town" became a cultural touchstone, influencing generations of filmmakers and dancers. It remains a landmark in American cinema history, an emblem of post-war creative ambition, and a rare moment when so many icons of film and music stood shoulder-to-shoulder in front of the camera.

Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Vera-Ellen, Ann Miller, Betty Garrett, Jules Munshin, On the Town 1949, MGM musicals, post-war Hollywood, New York City on film, movie musicals history, Stanley Donen director, Leonard Bernstein music, classic film choreography, Golden Age of Hollywood, 1940s cinema, tap dancing legends, behind-the-scenes Hollywood, iconic film sets, American film heritage, musical theater to film, Broadway adaptations, dance in cinema, Hollywood legends, comedy in musicals, female performers 1940s, filming on location, vintage film production, film history content, cinema nostalgia, collectible movie trivia

04/23/2025

Mary William Ethelbert Appleton Burke's father was the internationally famous clown, Billy Burke, and she would spend most of her early years touring Europe before the family settled in London. In 1903, she appeared on the stage as an actress and came to America in 1907 to star opposite John Drew in "My Wife". A red-haired beauty, she became the toast of Broadway and married promoter Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. in April 1914. Burke was signed to make the film "Peggy" (1916); the $40,000 she was paid for eight weeks work was the largest salary ever paid up to that point to an actor for a single film. Of the next 15 films that she made, she would make 14 in New York. In between films, she would return to the stage which was her first love. Her last films were released in 1921 and she went into semi-retirement until their fortune was wiped out in 1929. Burke would return to films to support herself and her husband. Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. would die, a broken man, in 1932.
It was in the comedy drama "Dinner at Eight" (1933) that Burke would find the character that she would play the rest of her career. It is the hapless, feather-brained lady with the unmistakably high voice who would be more interested in little details than what was at hand. In some films, like "Piccadilly Jim" (1936), she was obviously too old for the part, but played it to the hilt. Beginning in 1937, she starred in the "Topper" series of films ("Topper" (1937), "Topper Takes a Trip" (1938) and "Topper Returns" (1941)) for producer Hal Roach in which she played Mrs. Topper with her usual fluffy performance. But for most of the people who were raised on television, she will always be remembered as Glinda, the Good Witch in "The Wizard of Oz" (1939). She continued to make films though out the 1940s and started another series with "Father of the Bride" (1950) and the follow-up "Father's Little Dividend" (1951).
Burke on Hollywood: "To survive there, you need the ambition of a Latin-American revolutionary, the ego of a grand opera tenor and the physical stamina of a cow pony." (IMDb)
Happy Birthday, Billie Burke!