Film zany Michael Schlesinger enjoyed ribbing me with this ‘top-ten list’ he conjured for arts•meme:
Top ten things choreographer Jack Cole
liked about Christmas10) Holiday spectaculars at Radio City Music Hall — boy, can them Rockettes kick or what?
9) People telling me how much they love “The Christmas Song.” (Oh, wait, sorry, that’s Nat “King” Cole.)
8 ) Staging lavish production numbers which allow me to indulge my passion for elf-tossing.
7) Marilyn Monroe showing up on time? Now there’s your
Miracle on 34th Street, pal!
6) Folks who give me “cole” slaw as gag gifts. Hey, free food is still free food, am I right, people?
5) Ringing Bob Fosse’s doorbell and then running away. Man, that never gets old!
4) No Number 4—writers busy watching Cover Girl on “Million Dollar Movie.”
3) Telling people, “No, thanks, I don’t need any more fruitcake. I’m working with Danny Kaye.” Hi-Yo!
2) Watching that Levine kid run away screaming whenever I answer the door and yell, “Booga! Booga!”
and the Number One thing Jack Cole liked about Christmas:
1) Every year, Gwen Verdon gives out a little sweet charity, if you know what I mean.
Love this. So glad you know Mike. Great photos.
andi
In fairness, I must note that I was not referring to Kaye’s sexuality, but his reputation for being irrational and nasty (as in the old cliche “nutty as a fruitcake”). There are legions of people who tell of how excited they were to meet him and coming away crushed after having encountered the “real” Danny Kaye.
Speaking of the delectabe androgyny of Mr. Kaye: My little holiday ritual is to catch the first 30 mins of “White Christmas” when Danny Kaye & Bing Crosby lip sync to “Sisters” sung by Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen. Kaye reveals his fully-ripened “fruity” self, causing Bing to break character in a glorious out-take (that is kept as the final take) of what appears to be an inside joke. It’s classic and my favorite holiday movie moment of all time!