Yes! After Andrew got all the channels programmed in, Alice was flipping through the screens like nothing, programming the rest of it while Andrew and I watched over her..I simply can't keep up, it's ridiculous.
Re: Dan Dailey: Likable, Talented, or...Not?
Posted: November 25th, 2012, 4:22 pm
by RedRiver
A mere three years ago, somebody tried to explain to me why he only watched videos. His TV wasn't "hooked up." I said, "You mean you don't have cable."
"I don't have TV."
"You just said you have a TV."
I have A TV. But it's not hooked up."
"All you have to do is plug it in."
"Not anymore."
I'm still not sure I understand it!
Re: Dan Dailey: Likable, Talented, or...Not?
Posted: November 26th, 2012, 4:50 pm
by Maricatrin
Count me in as one of those who find him “likeable and talented.”
I was very favorably impressed by Dailey in The Kid from Left Field (the first picture I saw him in). Never would I have thought: “he’s some song and dance guy in a dramatic role”. He and Chapin conveyed such touching, at times desperate, father-son affection in their scenes together that I wasn’t above getting choked up occasionally.
Next Dailey film I saw was The Pride of St. Louis. I was rather disappointed with it, not through any fault of Dailey’s, who was a good choice for the role, but because the script attempted to clone The Pride of the Yankees too much, rather than tell a stand alone story about ol’ Dizzy.
Next I got all the films he (Dailey, not Dizzy Dean) did with Betty Grable except for When My Baby Smiles At Me. I don’t think it’s available anywhere, but I’d love to be proved wrong.
Other Dailey films and appearances I've come across since are There's No Business Like Show Business, Meet Me at the Fair, The Wings of Eagles, I Can Get It for You Wholesale, A Ticket to Tomahawk, It’s Always Fair Weather, The Mortal Storm,… there’s more, but I’m getting tired.
Re: Dan Dailey: Likable, Talented, or...Not?
Posted: November 26th, 2012, 5:38 pm
by Rita Hayworth
Mary-Kate,
I find your post interesting ... and thanks for sharing it.
Re: Dan Dailey: Likable, Talented, or...Not?
Posted: November 27th, 2012, 9:55 am
by Maricatrin
kingme wrote:Mary-Kate,
I find your post interesting ... and thanks for sharing it.
And thank you for commenting.
I forgot to add this to my post, it's a snappy little song and dance number from Meet Me at the Fair (1953):
[youtube][/youtube]
Re: Dan Dailey: Likable, Talented, or...Not?
Posted: September 13th, 2013, 6:38 pm
by rerun
moirafinnie wrote: Dan Dailey with his frequent partner Betty Grable (above), in some 20th Century Fox musicals.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Having come across a couple of Dan Dailey's musical and non-musical films of late, I find myself wondering if others find him hard to assess--he had that loose-limbed dancing style, (somewhat similar to that of Ray Bolger), a smooth way with a song, and an engaging, if sometimes oddly off-putting manner. Shouldn't he have had a more lasting fame as a song and dance man? While a nice enough looking guy, perhaps it was his slightly wolfish appearance that relegated him to a slot just below musical greatness--but simply being "un-handsome" in a conventional way never stopped Fred Astaire, did it? (I find that there's almost a Tex Avery exaggeration to Dailey's appearance at times, especially when he's trying hard to be an ingratiating performer).
To be honest, I actually really prefer his non-musical roles in such diverse films as The Pride of St. Louis, Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man, The Mortal Storm, and The Wings of Eagles. I'm not sure what it is about him that makes me question his likability, though perhaps others can tell me what to appreciate about him. Perhaps his ability and willingness to play negative figures with some relish makes me question his presence in lighthearted musical films, of which I've seen most of his best known, such as It's Always Fair Weather, There's No Business Like Show Business, Mother Wore Tights and Call Me Mister. Of all the musicals that I've seen him in, I guess my favorite would be the Douglas Sirk movie about medicine shows and the darker aspects of backstage life in Meet Me at the Fair. Perhaps one of you musically astute individuals can offer some insight into Mr. Dailey's work.
What am I missing?
I have to say that Dan Dailey was one of my favorite people on or off screen. I never worked with him but I was around a part of his horse life. Dan was a marvellous rider and could have made as big a name in the horse show world and he perhaps did in films. If you can remember some of the simplistic musicals Dan did, then you know Dan Dailey: Or his character in Wings of Eagles. Those were my favourites for him as they showed the real Dan. He was a sweetheart. I used to get so angry at some of the parts they gave him in films. I liked the simple parts that let him not act per se but just be Dan. I loved his singing and as a dancer he was amazing for his size. Most of films dancers are small and thus they have and can project a softer image than someone as tall as Dan was. I was married to a well known horse show trainer who knew Dan well. We went to see him backstage in Vegas during one of his appearances there in the early 60’s. Yes, you and a few others are sensing an undercurrent of distress in him. But he worked very hard to not let it show. He had major demons that made it difficult to pursue not only his film career but his life. He did both with class.
Re: Dan Dailey: Likable, Talented, or...Not?
Posted: September 14th, 2013, 11:30 am
by moira finnie
Thanks for your insights about your friend, Martha.
Since posting this original query about Dan Dailey six years ago, I have read a bit about his very honest discussions in the press from the '50s on about his marital, familial and personal struggles [readers can search this subject for themselves via the Google Newspaper Archive]. Your comments are more evidence that the man was not synonymous with his parts, but had real issues to cope with off-screen. Do you think that the fact that he began working as a child in show business hurt him? I do like him in The Wings of Eagles as the down-to-earth Navy man who wants to be a chicken farmer.
Re: Dan Dailey: Likable, Talented, or...Not?
Posted: September 14th, 2013, 1:00 pm
by JackFavell
I think that's fascinating, that you knew him, rerun.
When I was a kid, I found him a lot of fun to watch. I think there's a sense of energy or maybe urgency in him onscreen hidden by a more happy go lucky demeanor, like he needs to get things done in a certain amount of time and he doesn't have the time, he's got to do it NOW. He's terrific in The Wings of Eagles, absolutely wonderful, as seen in my previous posts. His no nonsense attitude, smiling, but getting Wayne to move that toe, not taking any excuses, well he's marvelous. Anyone who thinks he couldn't act just hasn't seen The Wings of Eagles.
I just saw Meet Me At the Fair last month and really enjoyed his performance. It's a perfect role for him, easy breezy with an undertone of darkness. And I think his dance numbers are super. After all these years, seeing him dancing again made me remember how much I liked him when I was younger and his films were on TV more. Did he have an ambition to be more than a hoofer? Was he happy or contented with his career as it ended up?
Re: Dan Dailey: Likable, Talented, or...Not?
Posted: September 14th, 2013, 2:03 pm
by moira finnie
Please allow me to introduce one of our recent members, a person who has known many extraordinary people from the world of film and television.:
Our new member rerun is Martha Crawford Cantarini, the author of the wonderful account of her remarkable life, Fall Girl: My Life as a Western Stunt Double written by Martha with with Chrystopher J. Spicer. Martha will be our Guest Author later this Autumn (Please watch for the announcement very soon).
Martha is a delight, a recipient of a Golden Boot Award from the Motion Picture & Television Fund for her many contributions to the Western genre, and a great addition to the SSO. She's also a font of first-hand information about Hollywood history.
Re: Dan Dailey: Likable, Talented, or...Not?
Posted: September 14th, 2013, 5:16 pm
by JackFavell
Hi, Martha! Welcome to the SSO! We're mighty proud to have you here.
Re: Dan Dailey: Likable, Talented, or...Not?
Posted: September 14th, 2013, 8:28 pm
by rerun
Oh my goodness! Thank you-thank you-thank you-thank you. It is a privilege for sure.
Re: Dan Dailey: Likable, Talented, or...Not?
Posted: September 20th, 2013, 11:21 pm
by Uncle Stevie
my favorite two Dan Dailey movies are The Girl next door with June Haver and Meet Me In Las Vegas with Cyd Charise. both of those movies made me feel warm.
Re: Dan Dailey: Likable, Talented, or...Not?
Posted: February 16th, 2014, 12:17 pm
by Uncle Stevie
I watched these two movies again and am just as thrilled and entertained now as I was earlier.
Re: Dan Dailey: Likable, Talented, or...Not?
Posted: February 16th, 2014, 5:03 pm
by Fossy
[quote="Mary-Kate"]Count me in as one of those who find him “likeable and talented.”
Next I got all the films he (Dailey, not Dizzy Dean) did with Betty Grable except for When My Baby Smiles At Me. I don’t think it’s available anywhere, but I’d love to be proved wrong.
