Chuck, Judy, June, Joan, and Grace

Disneyland isn’t the only thing that came out of Anaheim. Chuck Walters (born Charles Powell Walter; the “s” was added later) was a dancer, choreographer, and director during the heyday of the MGM musical. The first shot shows him dancing with Judy Garland in “Presenting Lily Mars” (1943). The original finale was an overdone patriotic mess; Walters was called in to choreograph a new musical number to show off the maturing Garland and her talents. In the Walters biography, The Director Who Made Hollywood Dance by Brent Phillips, the author tells how Walters was able to get a fearful Garland to tackle the difficult steps:

“I’m not sure I can do what you want. I can’t move like this.” With Judy, he understood that kid gloves were required. They sat down together, and in a flash of inspiration he asked, “Who is your favorite female dancer?” Without much hesitation, she replied, “Renee De Marco.” “All right,” he announced. “From now on, whenever we rehearse, you are Renee De Marco.” Garland looked at him with wide eyes and gave a sigh of relief.

Judy begged for Walters to join her again in her next picture, “Girl Crazy” (1943). For “Embraceable You,” the two twirl around the dance floor with glee. It is a beautiful sight to see. Walters danced with the polish of Fred Astaire and the approachability of Gene Kelly.



Although a fantastic dancer, producer Arthur Freed realized that Walters had a knack for directing. He had a knack for knowing how to work with actors, keep the action moving, integrating the musical numbers so that they were natural and plot driven, and most importantly of all, bring the picture in under budget! His first big assignment came with “Good News” (1947), starring June Allyson and Peter Lawford. From the accompanying publicity blurb:

VARSITY DRAG…If you’re over forty…you’ll remember it. If you”re under forty…you’ll love it! It’s the “Varsity Drag,” dance craze of the roaring twenties, when every college campus was filled with turtleneck sweaters, short-skirted flappers…and not Quonset huts and surplus jeeps. The “Drag” comes to life again in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s Technicolor musical, “Good News,” starring June Allyson and Peter Lawford, with Broadway stars Patricia Marshall and Joan McCracken. “Just like an end play off left tackle!’ says June…and Peter begins to see the light.



Walters had to spend a lot of time boosting Lawford’s song and dance limitations. From Brent Phillips’ bio:

Upon seeing the finished film, Lawford’s boydhood dance teacher, Muriel O’Brien, declared: “I kept watching him and thought, Oh, my God! Anybody who could teach that boy to sing and dance in time has got to be a genius.”

Walters often directed by showing the actors how to do a scene (or number) by performing it himself.



“Good News” was such a success that Walters was handed the plumb assignment of Judy Garland and Gene Kelly in “Easter Parade” (1948). Just before filming commenced, Kelly had to be replaced by Fred Astaire due to an ankle injury.



By the time of Garland’s “Summer Stock” (1950), Walters was the only director at MGM who the brass knew could get the job done. Walters was able to elevate the basic barnyard musical story into one that is highly enjoyable and features some of the best numbers done by both Judy and Gene Kelly. “Friendly Star” is a highlight of the movie due to Garland’s performance, vocal talents, and perfect staging of this key number.



Another “J” in Walters’ portfolio was Joan Crawford. When she returned to MGM for “Torch Song” (1953), Walters was the director of choice. From the accompanying publicity blurbs:

MGM SPECIAL LAYOUT…BACK AT “HOME STUDIO”…AFTER 10 YEARS. CAMERA! ACTION!: Joan Crawford, now that the “welcome home” party is finished, goes immediately into a dance rehearsal with Charles Walters, director of her new Technicolor picture, “Torch Song,” and who is also her dancing partner in the dance sequences.

RHYTHMIC DUO… Joan Crawford and Charles Walters step a fancy rhythm in this scene from M-G-M’s drama packed Technicolor production “Torch Song.” Film co-stars Miss Crawford and Michael Wilding. In addition to portraying Miss Crawford’s dance partner, Charles Walters also directs the film and is credited with the choreography. Henry Berman produced.



Another dancer, Marc Wilder, was cast as Crawford’s partner for the scene shown above. Joan had different ideas; she wanted the best. “I’m so comfortable when I’m rehearsing with you. Would you consider doing the routine with me in the film?” Just as he had to do with Judy in “Girl Crazy,” Walters had to coax a performance out of the nervous Crawford. As Phillips tells it:

Crawford gravely whispered, “Chuck, I cannot get out of this chair.” “Honey, you’re gonna be great. The routine is down pat. We’re lit. We’re ready to go.” “I know his is a terrible thing to ask,” said Joan, “but would you be upset if I have a little vodka?” “Baby, anything that’s going to relax you is fine. Have a little slug if it’s gonna help.” “Well, you have to have one with me.” Walters later admitted it took about three drinks to shore up her confidence. “We came out of the dressing room a hair high—but relaxed and comfortable.”

One of my favorite Walters directed films was the cinematic swan song of Grace Kelly (why couldn’t her name begin with “J” for my title alliteration?), “High Society” (1956), also starring Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby.



The duet that everyone waited for between Sinatra and Crosby was the Cole Porter chestnut “Well, Did You Evah” first introduced by Betty Grable. From Phillip’s bio:

“Towards the end of the number, I did a fairly audacious thing,” said Walters. “When they exited, I simply let the camera roll,” focused on the empty library. Then without warning, the duo burst back into their safe haven, made a beeline for the bar, tossed back one final drink and offered one final chorus. It was a unique example of a stage convention working neatly on the screen. During the film’s first sneak preview, the audience broke into spontaneous applause at what they assumed was the song’s finish. Then Frank and Bing rushed back onto the screen for another drink and another verse; by the time the pair made their arm-in-arm final exit—bellowing, “What a swellegant, elegant party this is!”—the crowd was cheering.



Not surprisingly, Crosby would later say “High Society” was his favorite film to make.

See more Classic Movie & TV photos at my main website.

Trip to Philadelphia, Pt. 3: Grace Kelly

One of the highlights of my trip east was to see the Grace Kelly: Beyond the Icon exhibit at the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown. The displays included photographs of the actress, wife, mother, and Princess, who was one of the top style icons of the 20th Century.



The images of Grace and her wardrobe from the exhibit were kindly sent to me by the museum's publicity department, since photography was not allowed inside.

Grace flirted shamelessly with Cary Grant in Alfred Hitchcock's "To Catch a Thief," while wearing this peach ensemble designed by Edith Head.



This 1954 photo of Grace was taken by Philippe Halsman as part of a Life Magazine layout. This Edith Head designed dress was also worn by Grace to "The Country Girl" premiere as well as the 1955 Oscars ceremony.



It was amazing to see it in person, displayed next to the Oscar that she took home that same evening, beating out Judy Garland in "A Star is Born."



For Grace's last film, "High Society," she wore this Greek Goddess draped gown designed by Helen Rose:



Grace's sense of style was understated, as she could make even the most simple dress appear to be chic. The woman just exuded class.



Oscar winning designer Edith Head herself said, "I have never worked with anybody who had a more intelligent grasp of what we were doing."



Grace wore a fitted suit by MGM's costume designer, Helen Rose, for the Civil Ceremony with Prince Rainier of Monaco:



The outfit with matching hat and shoes was on display at the Michener; apparently Grace kept almost everything.





For the Royal Wedding on April 19, 1956, Helen Rose designed this classic dress:



Unfortunately, the original (owned by the Philadelphia Museum of Art) is too fragile to be transported.



A Mondrian inspired dress by Yves Saint Laurent:



This March 1967 shot reveals a loving mother with her son, Prince Albert.



A 1969 dress designed by Marc Bohan, which Grace wore to a costume ball at the Monte Carlo Casino:



Christian Dior was a favorite designer of the Princess; this 1967 design was part of her cherished wardrobe:



The exhibit paints a warm portrait of a lovely and stylish woman who thoroughly enjoyed motherhood as much (if not more) as her brief Hollywood career. If you want to catch it, you'll need to hurry, as the exhibit goes back overseas on January 26.

The Michener Museum is only part of the Doylestown Cultural District.



Across the street is The Mercer Museum, which was built to house Henry Mercer’s extensive collection of objects representing everyday life in the pre-industrial age. The Museum's permanent exhibits represent over 60 early American trades, including woodworking, metalworking, agriculture, and advertising, plus furnishings and folk art.



I didn't get a chance to go inside (next time!), but still enjoyed zooming in to see the building's weather vane.



Doylestown's Main Street area included a number of interesting buildings, including 1938's County Theatre.







The final museum I experienced during my trip home to Philly was my mother's infamous Food Museum. I was raised on homemade fruitcake. Every holiday season, my mom would make my favorites like Apricot, Bourbon, and Old English. It has been years since my mom made any, so imagine my surprise when she casually mentioned that she thought there was one "downstairs."



When I asked how old, I got the standard answer: "Oh, I don't know; not that long ago." I inquired if it was in the freezer. "No, it's in the refrigerator." Camera in hand, I went down to the basement (where food goes to die) and pulled the brick of tin foil out. It was marked 2006. 7 years. Under the foil was Saran Wrap, and underneath that was a layer of cheesecloth that had been soaked in Old English.



I could still smell the booze, but after a seven year stint in the fridge, there was no way I was going to eat it. After cutting a slice (which took some extra effort), even Mom finally admitted that it might look a little "dry."



Can't wait to see what else I might discover in mom's fridge/freezer on my next visit. Where else but Daveland could you read about Grace Kelly and fruitcake all in the same post?

See more Daveland Doylestown photos on my Doylestown web page.

Grace goes to Columbia

Taking a one-day break from all things Disney, I interrupt with a post about a childhood memory that returned thanks to the acquisition of vintage photo #1.

As a child, one of the highlights of our annual trip to California was the time that our family spent with my Aunt & Uncle up in Tuolumne County, 45 miles northeast of Modesto. Nearby was Columbia State Park, a quaint little historic town that preserved what Frontierland attempts to recreate. From the California Parks website:

The town's old Gold Rush-era business district has been preserved with shops, restaurants and two hotels. Visitors have the chance to time-travel to the 1850s, imagining life when gold miners rubbed shoulders with businessmen and the other residents in Columbia. Visitors can experience a bygone era watching proprietors in period clothing conduct business in the style of yesterday. There are opportunities to ride a 100 year-old stagecoach, pan for gold, and explore the real working businesses of Columbia.

I still have fond memories of panning for gold, shopping for rock candy (it came in the same type of pan you'd use in panning for gold), and riding the stagecoach, which invariably got held up by some nasty varmints that were all part of the fun.

Photo number one from today shows Grace Kelly in Columbia, where they were filming scenes for the classic western "High Noon." Grace played Amy, the wife of Sheriff Will Kane (Gary Cooper) in Fred Zinnemann’s classic film. Fictitious Hadleyville, New Mexico’ was to have been filmed on Columbia State Historic Park's Main Street, but by the time the crew arrived, spring had arrived and the bleak, bare main street of Columbia had burst into green leafiness. Western Street on the Columbia Pictures lot in Burbank ended up standing in for the real thing. Oh the irony...shooting Columbia at Columbia.

There are still a few scenes that were shot in the real Columbia, such as the one showing the white picket fence of Sam Fuller (Harry Morgan), the cowardly friend who sends his wife to claim he's not at home. This is the Wilson House on Main Street, a few doors away from The Visitor Center, and the last privately-owned home in the town.

In this vintage shot of the Columbia Hotel/Fallon Theatre, you can see where Grace was standing.



An interior shot of the Fallon Theatre where I once saw a live stage version of "Dracula." It was very well done, and the memory of the "bats" flying over the audience still lingers with me today.



Another vintage shot, showing the Stage Driver's Retreat:



Last one for today is a May 1963 view of the Stagecoach. One of these days I'll have to find the shots of my family's visits there.



See more vintage Columbia State Park photos on my Columbia State Park web pages.