THE LAST TIME FRED PLAYED LONDON loads o pix — Page 2

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#26

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/30/08 at 1:24am

I went to Pasadena today and in an antique store, I bought a bunch of these "New York Amusements" from 1932. And sure enough...

http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=972787#3631451 http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=963561#3533883 http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=955158#3440952 http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=954269#3427915 http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=955012#3441622 http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=954344#3428699

#27

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/30/08 at 1:24am

#28

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/30/08 at 1:27am

It was while he was in London, figuring his career was going nowhere fast that Fred got a telegram from his agents telling him - and this was an utter surprise - that "Flying Down to Rio" was a HUGE hit in America and his contract was being picked up for a full seven years. Hollywood was calling.

#29

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/30/08 at 1:59am

#30

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/30/08 at 2:01am

Fashion show. Claire Luce, as Mimi, was dressed in the latest styles (and her costumes were updated during the run). Claire appeared in dozens of fashion spreads in numerous magazines.

#31

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/30/08 at 2:03am

Meanwhile, back at the plot, such as it was....
Mimi mistakes Fred, er Guy Holden, for her correspondent and Fred, er, Guy thinks Mimi is here with some Italian... a screw it, enjoy the pages!

#32

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/30/08 at 2:04am

#33

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/30/08 at 2:05am

The loveleeeee ladies of the chorus on the stage at the Palace.....

#34

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/30/08 at 1:19pm

"Adele decided to quit the business and marry Lord Cavendish"

Off-topic but of possible interest:

The Cavendish family were seriously into American aristocracy as well. The same Lord Cavendish's nephew, heir to the Duke of Devonshire, married John F Kennedy's sister Kathleen.

#35

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/30/08 at 4:56pm

Since all of our ancestors (well, most of them) came from Europe and England, they're all inter-related. Queen Victoria was the grandmother/great aunt/cousin/mother-in-law of every crown head involved in World War One, including the Tsar and the Kaiser.

#36

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/30/08 at 5:03pm

Adele was busy being Lady Cavendish, but sadly, she didn't have the fairytale ending. She had three children who all died shortly after birth and Lord Cavendish died at age 38. Adele came out to Hollywood in '35 to scout out making a movie, but when she watched Fred filming "Top Hat" she realized her career was long past. She filmed two days of a movie in England in '37 with Jack Buchanan, then quit for good. The film was abandoned. She died in 1981, six years before Fred.

Updated On: 3/30/08 at 05:03 PM

#37

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/30/08 at 5:07pm

So here's the ending, with Fred (can you believe it) threatening to punch Mimi's hubby who turns out to be... oh, see the film.

The finale was actually amazing. The three couples danced offstage, then Fred and Claire came back for a lightning dance number where he literally danced her up and over all the furniture, which was securely screwed to the stage. Apparently, there were often spills but they gamely did it every night anyway.

Updated On: 3/30/08 at 05:07 PM

#38

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/30/08 at 5:30pm

This is a list of shows playing in London during the run of "Gay Divorce." Just look at all the familiar names! Wow, this was a golden era of live theater. And two years later, you could add Vinian Leigh to this list.

Updated On: 3/30/08 at 05:30 PM

#39

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/30/08 at 5:38pm

I have a few more 8x10's from the London production.

#40

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/30/08 at 5:39pm

She was a fine match for Fred. And those legs....

Updated On: 3/30/08 at 05:39 PM

#41

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/30/08 at 5:41pm

Fierce. Fosse look.

#42

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/30/08 at 5:45pm

But Fred had a date with the movies. He got out to Hollywood, having finally escaped that lame plot of Gay Divorce, only to find David O. Selznick, who contracted him, had left M.G.M. for RKO, taking Fred's contract along. Again he was teamed up with Ginger Rodgers and their first film would be....

Nooooooo!!!!!!

#43

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/30/08 at 5:53pm

Well, at least Fred made his first staring film with a group of old friends.

#44

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/30/08 at 5:55pm

But this is how I always want to remember Fred's work on stage.

There was a time when you could walk into a theater, having paid less than $5.00 and watched the greatest dancer ever to appear on the Broadway stage make love to a woman solely with his feet, his hand and perhaps a few bars of song.

That's Broadway.

Updated On: 3/30/08 at 05:55 PM

#45

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/30/08 at 10:45pm

bump

#46

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 3/31/08 at 10:41am

#47

re: 'The Last Time Fred Played London'

Posted: 4/3/08 at 1:04am

once more, then back into the Disney vault

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