May 10, 2005
Happy birthday to ...
... one of my favorite performers of all time. As a matter of fact, along with Ralph Macchio (in his Eight is Enough incarnation), this man was the first performer I really LOVED, the first performer to engender a Sheila OBSESSION when I was - oh - 11 years old.
He was truly one of a kind.
This was the man who did his first screen test in Hollywood, and some executive wrote the following about him: "Can't act, can't sing, slightly bald. Can dance a little".
Can dance a little?
I'll say.
Happy birthday, Fred!!
Posted by sheila
But remember, Ginger did everything Fred did, except backwards and in high heels. /feminist ;)
Posted by: Lisa at May 10, 2005 9:17 AMWho is more magical together than those two?? And yup. Dancing backwards and in heels? Uhm, I couldn't do it.
Posted by: red at May 10, 2005 9:20 AMAlways loved that line, "Can dance a little"
Posted by: Ken Summers at May 10, 2005 10:38 AMRalph Macchio, eh? Well, since we're making confessions, I'll admit to my first crush - Rick Springfield. Mmmmm.
Posted by: sadie at May 10, 2005 10:43 AMFred and Gene Kelly were the most amazing dancers. I never tire of watching them in movies. There are many talented dancers but they moved with such a grace that they appeared lighter than air...they never seemed to be exerting a great deal of effort to dance so marvelously.
Posted by: Carl V. at May 10, 2005 11:31 AMThat photo of Fred Astaire reminds me of something Rudolph Nureyev said, about his astonishing leaps through the air:
"When I get to the top of my leap - I just pause for a moment."
hahaha
Posted by: red at May 10, 2005 11:56 AM*Sings (off-key.. natch)*
I've got no strings
To hold me down
To make me fret, or make me frown
I had strings
But now I'm free
There are no strings on me
[/disney]
Posted by: peteb at May 10, 2005 12:35 PMOkay...i have to confess that for a brief moment, I confused Scott Baio and Ralph Macchio into an Italian American acting mish-mosh named Ralph Bacchio or Scott Maio.
Who can ever forget him as Jonny Cade in The Outsider? And yeah...wax on, wax off...
Posted by: fee at May 10, 2005 1:02 PMfee - hey you! How are you?
I had a crush on Chachi too, I admit. But that didn't last as long as the Ralph Macchio one.
Posted by: red at May 10, 2005 1:03 PMHey Sheila:
I'm good...had a Pat the Rat sighting in Times Square yesterday....a flood of HUB memories, mostly of you and him sitting side-by-side IMing, quietly subverting Karen on her power trip.
He's running a bar now...surprise...NOT...we'll have to go check it out....Irish Pub called Epstein's....that says it all right?
Posted by: Fee at May 10, 2005 1:26 PMPat the Rat! Karen! hahahahaha Oh man, those were the days. So insane!
We have to go see Pat - that would be hilarious.
Posted by: red at May 10, 2005 2:00 PMi watch Easter Parade on an almost constant loop. I love him sooo much. And i also had a Chachi(more Charles in Charge era) and a Macchio thing. Whats that about? Did they both seem like RI'ers???
Posted by: mitchell at May 10, 2005 2:16 PMmitchell - I remember your almost shameful confession to me that you were addicted to Charles in Charge. HAHAHA
Come on. Scott Baio was adorable.
Posted by: red at May 10, 2005 2:17 PMOooo! Oooo! I saw Scott Baio live and in person once at Six Flags over Mid-America. He was taping an episode of the American Teen television show with Willie Aames and Jimmy MacNichol. The three of them walked RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME and my friend Lauralyn.
And yes, we totally spazzed.
Posted by: Lisa at May 10, 2005 2:21 PMhaha..remember i vowed on New years Eve at Brian's house to stop watching Charles in Charge??? I havent watched since..of course its not on anymore..but it was on daily for a while...i was sick, sick i tell you....but he was hot!!!
Posted by: mitchell at May 10, 2005 2:56 PMI have to admit that despite your actor's confusion I don't remember either Baio or Macchio being in Eight is Enough!
Posted by: Carl V. at May 10, 2005 3:32 PMCarl:
Ralph Macchio was brought onto the show at the tail-end - when all the older kids were too grown up, and they needed some new adolescent blood to keep viewers (like myself) interested.
He played ... can't remember his character's name - but he was Betty Buckley's orphaned nephew who came to live with the family.
This was before Karate Kid. So imagine how thrilled I was when he hit it HUGE with that film - I felt like I had discovered him personally.
Posted by: red at May 10, 2005 3:39 PMThanks for the info...we watched Eight for several years as kids but I don't really remember much of the last years when people were getting married off, etc.
Posted by: Carl V. at May 10, 2005 4:21 PMMy favorite quote about Astaire was by Betty White. She knew him and mentioned her brief dance with Fred Astaire. They were at a party and he danced her through a doorway. Just a few seconds, over way too quickly, and she said she'll remember it as long as she lives.
Anyway, the interviewer (Jon Stewart, IIRC), said, "But he had a face like a banana!"
"Yes, but a banana that could dance like a dream."
Sorry. Late to the thread again.
Mitchell: If I recall, you confessed your love of Scott Baio to me one night at Lounge Ax circa 1993. I believe that I SCREAMED at you as we were leaving that your "secret" would DIE with me.
Now, I'm relieved of that pressure, since you've revealed it to the entire Interweb. :-)
Posted by: Ann Marie at May 10, 2005 11:28 PMCharles-in charge
of our days
and our nights...
Charles-in charge
of our wrongs
and our rights...