Matt Mattox (1921-2013) leads off in “Lonesome Polecat” 5

Dance · Film


Big guy Matt Mattox leads off his “brothers” in this lovely unhurried number choreographed by Michael Kidd for SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (MGM, 1954). The precision!

Matt’s mournful singing, “Can’t make no vows … to a herd of cows” is dubbed in the movie by Bill Lee.


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5 thoughts on “Matt Mattox (1921-2013) leads off in “Lonesome Polecat”

  1. debra levine Aug 21,2017 6:59 am

    Great to hear from you, Mark. Wonderful work.

  2. Barbara Bailey Plunk Mar 7,2013 2:24 pm

    If you’re looking at the “cheezy” backdrops, you’re not enjoying the great dancing and choreography……rarely back then did dancers get a whole chunk of time to properly execute a whole ballet, American in Paris excepted.

  3. Darlene Arden Mar 6,2013 10:30 pm

    Thank you for this. I’ve always adored Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Most of the “Brothers” were wonderful dancers. It’s such a shame that the studio made the film on the cheap and used such tacky sets. It’s as if they were trying to throw it away. Such a shame that we lost Matt Mattox this year but he will always live on film. Tommy Rall who, as the comment above notes, sang opera, also went on to star on Broadway in Milk and Honey with Molly Picon. It was a wonderful production that I still remember fondly.

  4. Larry Billman Feb 20,2013 1:00 pm

    Fascinating. As I watch I think about the dubbed voices such as Jeff Richards and Russ Tamblyn – the two MGM contractees that the studio insisted be used in the film. Matt does a fine job and suprises me as I cannot remember him singing in other films. Russ Tamblyn eventually did his own singing and Tommy Rall went on to sing opera. Marc Platt sang for himself at Columbia. Matt’s voice must have been replaced by the MGM musical director/vocal arranger who might have been going for some sort of “mellow male vocal group of the time” sound. Wish somebody had replaced the slightly cheesy wide open spaces backdrops. Nevertheless, it is still a classic. Thanks for posting this.

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