O’Conner literally threw himself back into the sequence and landed once again in the hospital, this time with the addition of sprained ligaments. The aspiring star had nearly turned this opportunity of a lifetime into a literal “Big break!” But O’Conner’s hard work, physical skills and undeniable charm paid off. What was intended as a relatively minor role became much larger, and the young hoofer redefined the character, transforming the dour and cynical “Cosmo,” as initially written for Levant, into the friendlier and more comedic “Cosmo” which emerged. Other aspiring actors in the film were not so fortunate. The role of Zelda Zander, Lamont’s best friend and whistle-blower, exposing the studio’s scheme to replace the delusional diva’s voice with Seldon’s, portrayed by a 20-year-old Rita Moreno, was cut to virtually nothing. It would be nearly another decade before Moreno would land her breakout role in the 1961 adaptation of West Side Story, her portrayal of Anita, subsequently garnering her the Oscar for “Best Supporting Actress.” Dancer/assistant choreographer Carol Haney, who made her screen uncredited debut performing with Kelly in the “Day in New York” ballet in 1949’s On the Town, was originally set to appear again with Kelly in the Singin’ in the Rain “Broadway Melody” dream sequence, until the scene was extended to include an ethereal ballet. The ballet-challenged Haney was replaced by Tula Ellice Finklea, better known by her stage name, Cyd Charisse. Haney would go on to dance with Bob Fosse in Kiss Me Kate, released the year after. When Fosse landed his Broadway choreography job on 1954’s The Pajama Game, he recommended Haney for a small dancing part. The once snubbed hoofer so impressed Director George Abbott, her role was expanded to become the character Gladys Hotchkiss, which gained her fame and a 1955 Tony Award for “Best Featured Actress in a Musical.” Kenrick also debunked a popular myth about the filming of Kelly’s iconic titular routine in the rain. Though it is true the exacting hoofer was suffering from a fever of 103º—he persevered so as not to set the schedule back a single day—the scene was not shot in one take as is commonly believed. Kelly designed the sequence, so it could be broken up and spliced together seamlessly later, creating the illusion of a single take. Once completed and edited, he also had to dub in the sound of his feet tapping on the wet pavement, while watching his performance, because the water dampened the sound to virtually nothing. The final spectacular segment of the “Broadway Melody” dream sequence, in which the camera pulls back on Kelly and dozens of dancers to reveal an enormous backdrop of neon signage evoking Times Square and the Great White Way, the shot as envisioned by Kelly was impossible. It was too big to be contained by even the largest soundstage on the MGM lot. The obstinate Irish hoofer, however, was not to be rebuffed by such a minor detail. He combined two adjacent soundstages, knocking down the shared walls and draping a black canopy over the top. The maneuver added $600,000 to the movie’s cost. The work Kenrick puts into his presentations is clearly evident from the obscure, delectable tidbits of trivia he shares to the rare clips he unearths, such as the excerpt taken from an television interview aired several years ago in which writers Comden and Green speak about working on the movie or the reunion of Kelly, Reynolds and O’Connor at the 1986 Oscars, during which O’Connor took the spotlight rummaging for his glasses through the pockets of the yellow rain slickers the trio sported for their entrance. The animated auteur doesn’t merely present the facts, he enacts the stories with physicality, voice characterization and song. And Kenrick’s enthusiasm is real. Despite having seen and discussed his subject matter on dozens of occasions, whether at commissioned presentations like this one or as part of the syllabus of his regular teaching duties, he watches the clips, giddy and giggling like a child, as if seeing them for the first time. He shimmies and gyrates to the music and breaks out into song with joyful spontaneity. He tells his stories with the earnestness and intensity of a dear friend divulging the most intimate secrets. It’s no wonder the raconteur’s NST appearances are always standing-room-only affairs. Read All About It! John Kenrick wrote the book on musical theater… literally! Originally released in 2010, his book, Musical Theatre: A History, is soon to be released in a revised, updated edition. More than 350 pages and packed with dozens of photos, it covers the genre from ancient times to today’s Broadway, told in Kenrick’s inimitable style, through entertaining, sometimes touching, but always engrossing, anecdotal behind-the-curtain tales. “The book covers ten years of smelting students’ questions,” the author revealed of the inspiration for many of his latest stories and discoveries from the stage in this latest edition. “They ask the stupidest things, but they're the best questions...” But if you are interested in ordering his book, Kenrick has one caveat: DON’T! At least not until June, when the new edition will be available with an expected release date in July. “If you try to order it now on Amazon, you’ll get the old edition,” he cautioned. It was well into the evening when the “Good Morning” dance routine was finally completed after a full day of shooting Jean Hagen as delusional diva, Lena Lamont, a role written for Judy Holliday 14 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ May 2017
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