Sunday, April 30, 2017

A to Z Challenge-The Last Letter-Z...Yippee!


It's the last day of the challenge and I know everyone is whooped even though it has been enjoyable. So head over to the A to Z Challenge to check out all of the last posts.

ZIEGFELD FOLLIES-1946


DIRECTOR: Lemuel Ayers, Roy Del Ruth, Vincente Minnelli plus a few more
STARS: William Powell, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Lucille Bremer, Judy Garland.......
OSCAR NOMS: Nil
OSCAR WINS: Nil
PLOT: None really...just a showcase for the amazing talent at MGM. Flo looks down from heaven and imagines up some new shows
LOVE: The Dancing segment with Astaire and Kelly-simply stunning!
TRIVIA: The Lady has an interview number with Judy Garland is a spoof on the big star, Greer Garson. Judy was known to be a great mimic. Another number, involving a bubble machine went  wacky and so many bubbles were created that the fumes knocked out a camera man and many went home ill. Vincente Minnelli ran under the big camera because the cameraman was hanging from the crane! Vincente was trying to figure out what to do so the cameraman would be safe.

FLORENZ ZIEGFELD-March 21, 1867-July 22, 1932


OCCUPATION: Theatre Impressario
OSCAR NOMS: Nil
OSCAR WINS: Nil
ANECDOTE: He created the Broadway show from having beautiful girls in a chorus line scantily clad with heavy head pieces to weigh them down to introducing some big comedy stars like Will Rogers, W.C. Fields and Fanny Brice. He brought shows to the Great White Way that are still around, like Show Boat. Oh, and he was married to Glinda from the Wizard of Oz, Billie Burke.

31 comments:

  1. Oh I love that film...what a feel good show....hope you are enjoying your weekend we have sunshine today so my washing is whizzing round on the line.....a good drying day xxxxx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Birgit - what an amazing film ... I hadn't heard about - but perhaps I've seen some clips over the years. Clever Z though - Florenz Zeigfeld ... two 'z's ... well done on finishing a great and fun theme - cheers Hilary

    http://positiveletters.blogspot.co.uk/2017/04/z-is-for-zebra-zoo-and-zedland.html

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for bringing us so many great movies and industry people throughout the challenge. Thank you for stopping by my posts too. Visiting from
    If I Only Had A Time Machine

    ReplyDelete
  4. Who knew bubbles could be so dangerous? Never even knew they had fumes haha

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh I love that movie. Congratulations on this wonderful trip through the alphabet - one more time.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Peter, I think I'll go with Zoolander to block. :)

    Hi, Birgit!

    Happy Z-Day to you, dear friend!

    I figured you would either choose Zorba the Greek or Ziegfeld Follies. Wasn't there a cheapo Z flick called "Zsa Zsa Gabor Conquers the World" and another called "Zadora, Pia: Mamma Mia!" ? :)

    The reason I am stalling by writing all of the gibberish above is because, as you know, musicals aren't my thang, and I didn't see Ziegfeld Follies. If I had known it featured beautiful, scantily clad chorus girls, and that a rogue bubble machine went on a deadly rampage, I certainly would have watched it by now. :) However, I did see the little known comedy/horror film Abbott & Costello Meet the Phantom of the Opera Backstage at the Ziegfeld Follies. :)

    Congratulations on crossing the A to Z finish line, dear friend BB! Your "Q" post remains my favorite of the series. :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Like Hilary, I have seen clips over the years but not seen the movie right through. Congratulations on making in through the A to Z again this year.

    ReplyDelete
  8. That was a great movie! Loved Fred and Gene together. Congratulations on completing the challenge. Your theme was interesting, especially the trivia. Definitely time for a break, Whew! ☺

    ReplyDelete
  9. Heard of this, but never saw it. Congrats on finishing the challenge!

    Betty

    ReplyDelete
  10. I seen it many moons ago- good movie. Time for a repeat

    ReplyDelete
  11. Congratulations on reaching Z! I missed a couple of posts near the end through being out of wifi / phone coverage but really enjoyed the rest. Completed with your usual panache.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Well done for reaching the end of the challenge. You've shared some really interesting facts!

    Cait @ Click's Clan

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm sure I remember this movie but I don't remember much.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm not sure I've seen this, although it sounds familiar. Seeing Astaire and Kelly together must be a sight to see. They're two different types of dancers, Astaire graceful, Kelly athletic.

    We're done! Congratulations!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Awesome on completing the challenge! Congratulations!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Astaire and Kelly danced in the same scene? Dang.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I didn't know he was married to Billy Burke. Or I forgot. Congrats on finishing the A to Z 2017!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Wow, congrats on finishing the challenge. It's been fun reading your entries.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Always fun to read your series and discover lots of wonderful old movies that I haven't watched. One day when I find free time (probably when the kids are older) I will come back and go through your posts as a classic movie primer. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  20. Wow, that's an alarming last piece of trivia!

    Well done on the series.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thank you for sharing Ziegfeld and the great trivia. Always enjoy your little known movie facts and wisdom. Congrats on finishing the Challenge!!! Thanks for following my paintings and poems.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Apparently all it took was a dose of influenza during the hustle and bustle days of Tinseltown's development, and Ziegfield didn't even get to say goodbye to his wife who arrived 2 mins later. So the only people present were a Dr Marcus Radwin and a nurse, I hope she was kind and pretty for his sake - Well done on finishing the A to Z challenge!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Like others, I've seen clips but never the full thing. Never been much for dancing movies. And bubbles make me sick, too.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I think I've seen bits of that. I heard of it, though. Naturally.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Whoa, two geniuses together! A grand finale to the a-z. Congrats, Birgit!

    ReplyDelete
  26. I really enjoyed your take on A to Z this year. I've enjoyed every single movie, even if I've not seen them. Your description and plot lines left little to chance. You did an excellent job with these. Congratulations on a job well done.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Congratulations on surviving another A to Z Challenge, Birgit! It ain't easy, that's for sure.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I'm in awe of everyone who completed the challenge, and you totally deserve a badge, your favorite cheese, and an awesome vacation. Way to go!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Birgit,

    I did a post last year on the Ziegfeld Girls. This is a great "Z" topic to share for movie theme. Those gals were beautiful but I betcha they were than just a pretty face. ;) Thanks for checking out Art Sketching Through the Alphabet “Z” and congrats for crossing the A2Z finish line with me, ole pal!

    ReplyDelete
  30. This is a fun one to end your AtoZ challenge, Birgit. Congratulations!

    ReplyDelete