Barrie Chase and George Chakiris

Isn't George Chakiris gay?

Someone mentioned it in another thread, about how he would blow some of his straight cast mates.

She's pretty amazing.

[quote]Isn't George Chakiris gay?

Is this even a question?

[quote]Isn't George Chakiris gay?

He never sucked my cock...

I would argue that she was the best partner Fred Astaire ever had (or one of the very best along with Cyd Charisse). I first noticed her in SILK STOCKINGS (57) and couldn't take my eyes off her.

So did she suck off Arthur or not? I got the sense she did it once but wouldn't continue or go further...?

Mutual, I’m sure!

^^^

[quote]I would argue that she was the best partner Fred Astaire ever had

Barrie Chase gave him a contemporary vibe.

Go to 1:50 in the video. In his later career, you can understand why he shunned appearing with Ginger Rogers.

I've seen George Chakiiris in White Christmas.

It's the scene when Clooney has left the inn and is doing a appearance at a night club. George is one of the dancers while Clooney sings "Love you didn't do right by me."

^ He's also easily identified in the frenetic Mandy number.

George Chakiris also appears in the 1953 TV production of "Marty".

The choreography is memorable in that number, r10.

I think it invented angsty emo body expression way ahead of its time.

The White Christmas choreographer was Robert Alton (it was a Paramount Picture, but he usually worked for MGM--Easter Parade and many other musicals).

R6 No, she goes into more detail in other interviews. Gene wanted to use her in a film but (Invitation to the Dance?) because she wouldn't put out for Freed, who produced the film, so Kelly didn't use her.

She did appear in Silk Stockings, in 1957, though, which was produced by Freed.

I wonder what Barrie REALLY thought of Gene Kelly? You just know Dave Karger was hoping she wouldn't go there, as it might be too much for TCM fans. Love her, could listen to her go on forever.

I worked with George about 12-15 years ago. Such a sweet man, incredibly shy and inarticulate, and even then, he just didn't quite seem all there. He was still dying his hair and scruffy beard jet black. Nice to see he's finally let the white come in, it's a beautiful look for him.

In another interview, she was unhappy Gene seemed to go along with Freed's decision, and apparently suggested to her she should have played ball with Freed if she wanted to get cast. The story seems different every time she tells it, though.

Cyd was a protege of Freed's, he pushed her career at MGM--does it mean she had to do something in exchange? I doubt it.

They’re both interesting costars. I make note when they’re in something. Like White Christmas and Cape Fear.

r18, the man pulled out his dick to a 12-year-old Shirley Temple. WTF do you think?

Well, Shirley laughed and didn't do anything-- so I think Cyd also refused. Thx for asking.

[quote]I wonder what Barrie REALLY thought of Gene Kelly? You just know Dave Karger was hoping she wouldn't go there, as it might be too much for TCM fans. Love her, could listen to her go on forever.

Yeah, I think you read that right. She very clearly has opinions that voiced, would break the unspoken rules regarding discussing "legends" The rule being you don't say anything to tarnish the flattering narratives that have emerged around golden age stars. But the truth is they were ambitious horny men and they were pretty much on the honor system, which in the Hollywood studio system, didn't get you very far.

I'd love to hear her just lay it all out there.. some enterprising podcaster might be able to persuade her, but don't sleep on it.. she's in her 90s. yet, you can see she is barely restraining herself. She all but implies, in this interview, that if you advanced in Arthur Freed's world, you were putting out.

All those Hollywood guys were constantly on the make. Many of the power brokers were average to under average looking and needed the validation and power they felt over these beautiful women.

I knew an older gentleman who was an agent in that era, worked for a big agency and represented lots of big stars. He told me the agents as a rule would accompany female clients to meetings and auditions and just be in the background in case the interview went south OR in case the producer/director got "handsy" The reason for this was not altruistic, it was to make sure no "deals" were made that would undermine negotiations.

Anyway, story is he accompanied a young Shirley MacLaine to an interview with a known letch director. The director said to Shirley "Ah, I see you have brought your guard dog for protection" and MacLaine said, without missing a beat. "Actually Mr._____ He's here to protect YOU not me. I know Judo" "

IN the doc, Wait for Your Laugh, about (and starring) Rose Marie, she talks about how she was doing the movie of her Broadway show w/Phil Silvers, Top Banana. The producer or higher-up propositioned her, and she replied, "You probably couldn't get it up if the flag went by." Almost all her numbers were cut from the movie--and she had stopped the show on Broadway in the musical many times.

When Barrie went on about choreographers like Jack Cole, who she names, who were really brilliant and then those who were not, you'll notice Dave didn't press her for names.

Damn!

R23 Yes, and if I remember correctly, she made the comment loudly on the set with the cast and crew present. Her husband was a trumpet player who sometimes worked on movie sets, and he predicted her numbers would get cut.

Who knows—Silvers may have been fine with it because Rose Marie’s songs were the best of the show, as judged by the original cast recording from the stage version.

Rose Marie was great--she could have done a lot of the great Broadway parts, even if it was the road company--she didn't end up going in that direction, though.

I can’t imagine Cyd on the casting couch. She wouldn’t even put out for Tony Martin until they were engaged

For years I didn't know Barrie Chase was the girl who said "Mutual, I'm sure." in White Christmas. I mainly knew her from Cape Fear, as the woman Max Cady victimized.

Does she ever talk about her personal relationship with Fred?

My favorite chorus dancer from this period is Jimmy Thompson. He was my physical ideal: blond, beefy, dimpled, all-American.

He lip-synchs the “Beautiful Girl” number in SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN. He also had a featured part of the groom in BRIGADOON. But once I’d developed a crush on him, I saw that he appeared as an unbilled chorus dancer in a ton of movie musicals, mostly at MGM, though he’s also in the “Mandy” number in WHITE CHRISTMAS for Paramount.

The earliest musical I’ve spotted him in is GOOD NEWS (in the “Pass That Peace Pipe” number) but he was in everything from SUMMER STOCK to THE BAND WAGON and beyond. I wondered if he had a lover in casting at MGM that made sure he worked steadily. As far as I know, he seems to have dropped out of movies by the mid-‘50s when musicals were phasing out.

But look for him in the musical chorus and you’ll see he was here, there and everywhere for several years.

I first heard of Barrie Chase from, of all things, the lyrics to a song by Allan Sherman, sung to the tune of the refrain of “Mary's a Grand Old Name:”

We'll call him Barry, Barry.

That'll be the baby's name.

We thought of Lance or Josh,

But, oh, my gosh,

They're not the same.

But if it's Barry, Barry,

That's a name with style and grace.

And if he's not a he,

It still could be

Like in Barrie Chase.

I had to ask my father who she was, and he knew, which might explain why I’m gay!

For many Baby Boomers (like me!) Barrie will be remembered fondly as the girl in the bikini frugging with bare-chested Dick Shawn in It's a Mad......World.

R30 Looking at IMDB, he was also in musicals for Warner Bros. (The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady) and Fox (Down Among the Sheltering Palms, Wabash Avenue). Also one of three guys in Kay Thompson's nightclub act. (Kay also a vocal coach and arranger for MGM).

Obviously an excellent dancer, as seen in Brigadoon. Don't know what happened to him after that. TV (uncredited), or shows not on Broadway (no IBDB credits). Maybe he was just getting too old to be a chorus dancer by the late 1950s.

Someone needs to ask Barrie if she knows what became of Jimmy Thompson. If he’s still living, he’s 101 years old!

Chakiris sounds very gay when he says Gene was "darling, just darling."

I think George is more likely to know what happened to Jimmy Thompson.

Jimmie Thompson was born in Dec 1923 in Kansas City and graduated from HS in Hollywood in 1938. His birth name is James Delaney Thompson. A 1940 Seelctive Service card makes the connection between names. He was already listed as a freelance actor in 1940. Jimmie was last listed as alive and unmarried in his father's 1965 obituary in LA. His mother was Inez Williams Thompson and did the year before. Newspaper articles seem to play up his discovery and continued good fortune at the hands (and what else?) of Gene Kelly. 1965 is the last mention I can find.

No editorializing, please.

Thanks for the deep dive into research.

R37, we salute you!

Speaking of Golden Age Hollywood chorus boys, has anyone noticed the brunette guy who dances very athletically behind Judy Garland in SUMMER STOCK's Get Happy and Dolores Gray in IT'S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER's Thanks A Lot (But No Thanks)? I've seen him in lots of other musical numbers as well.

He's quite disarming and sexy and his "signature" seemed to be a forelock that would often fall on his forehead as he danced. I think I used to know his name but can't find it now.

R41 Which one?

The guy who bumps asses with her?

[quote]his "signature" seemed to be a forelock that would often fall on his forehead

Foreskin, maybe.

He's a bit featured at :33 lying on the floor as Judy steps around him and then at around 2:05-10 does a great little solo with her. Big polished pompadour. Hot!

Once you see him, you'll recognize him in a lot of those MGM numbers of the late 40s/early 50s.

Charles Walters directed Summer Stock, I wonder how many of the chorus boys he hooked up with?

Did Walters direct that fabulous number? It's so similar to Dolores Gray's in attitude I would assume they both had the same choreographer. Or was that all the work of an uncredited Kay Thompson?.

Walters choreographed Get Happy. He didn't choreograph the whole movie.

Walters had nothing to do with It's Always Fair Weather. Most of that was choreographed by Gene Kelly, though I'm not sure he took a credit.

You really think Gene Kelly was going to bother with Dolores Gray's number? I don't think it worked that way back in the day.

I also doubt he had anything to do with that fab Cyd Charisse number with the boxers, Baby, You Knock Me Out!

Btw, those are the 2 best numbers in the film.

R49 What are you even talking about? Gene was credited as the choreographer ("dances by").

He also choreographed Brigadoon, An American in Paris, Take Me Out to the Ball Game, The Pirate, and Anchors Aweigh. He also choreographed the Broadway show, Best Foot Forward. I don't know what else.

He was the co-director of the movie and he cast those people; of course he did their numbers.

Kelly also choreographed most of the dances in Singin' in the Rain and On the Town.

In "Get Happy" Judy is doing basically much of the same choreography that she did in the cut "Mr. Monotony" number from Easter Parade three years earlier, and in a very similar costume.

Mr. Monotony and especially the costume were deemed too modern for Easter Parade (set in 1912). The number is a lot slower and it's a solo song, so while I do see similar moves it's not as choreographed as the Get Happy number.

But yeah, definitely was inspired by it.

Easter Parade was choreographed by Robert Alton. Summer Stock was (I think) choreographed by Nick Castle, but he didn't do Get Happy (Walters), or Gene's newspaper dance (that was Gene).

It was very common practice for choreographers back then, both on Broadway and in Hollywood, to have assistants/associates, always UNCREDITED, who would take over the duties of staging a dance that was not in the credited choreographer's wheelhouse. For example, on West Side Story, Jerry Robbins trusted his assistant Peter Gennaro to choreograph the Mambo dance portions the Sharks did in The Dance at the Gym as well as the dancing in America. Gennaro was only finally acknowledged and credited after Robbins' death by the dancers who danced his steps.

In Gene Kelly's case, I have no doubt he had final approval on any dance segments in films he was credited as director and choreographer, but he certainly didn't create the steps for all the dances in Fair Weather, Brigadoon or even Singin' in the Rain and American in Paris. The studio system, especially at MGM, was not built to give any individual that kind of complete power.

[quote]r23 The producer or higher-up propositioned her, and she replied, "You probably couldn't get it up if the flag went by."

Were flags sexually stimulating back then? I don't get it.

Yes, Gene Kelly primarily had three dance assistants at MGM: Carol Haney, Jeannie Coyne (who he later married). and Alex Romero.

"This is an interesting shot of Gene and his dance assistant Alex Romero working with Vera-Ellen on the dream ballet sequence of On the Town. Gene choreographed his numbers sitting in a chair at night, writing things out in much the way a writer does. He would then go in the next morning and put the dance on the dancers or on himself in rehearsals. If he wanted to see how something worked, he would have his assistant step in to his role."

[quote] In Gene Kelly's case, I have no doubt he had final approval on any dance segments in films he was credited as director and choreographer, but he certainly didn't create the steps for all the dances in Fair Weather, Brigadoon or even Singin' in the Rain and American in Paris. The studio system, especially at MGM, was not built to give any individual that kind of complete power.

I'm not sure exactly what you're arguing about, here. Why would the choreographer on the film not have complete power? You think his assistants had more power, and created the dances for him? And that would be something the studio would prefer? Not only did choreographers at MGM like Kelly, Walters, Robert Alton, Eugene Loring, Valerie Bettis, Michael Kidd, Hermes Pan and others devise the steps, they also shot the numbers, usually. The director and producer usually left it to them to be behind the camera for dance numbers. Kelly was dancing many of his own numbers, so of course he was heavily involved. He even taught Leslie Caron to change her style for his type of film ballet. In other cases I'm sure he left things to his assistants, but so what?

Kelly always gave ample credit to his assistants: "When you are involved in doing choreography for film, you must have expert assistants. I needed one to watch my performance, and one to work with the cameraman on the timing ... without such people as Stanley, Carol Haney, and Jeanne Coyne I could never have done these things." But he often was given free reign by MGM and Arthur Freed to create numbers and to innovate, which he did, a lot--he's given credit for advancing choreography in film a great deal, using new camera techniques, integrating various forms of dance into the narrative.

He would be unable to rise for the occasion, r57.