I read where Bing was of course picked to play the lead in the movie. And then first Fred Astaire and then Donald O'Connor were picked to play roles, but were unable to for various reasons. And then Danny Kaye was picked. Danny was terrific in White Christmas. But I wonder if Bob Hope was considered to be in White Christmas, especially after the success of he and Bing's on the road movies.
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The movie was supposed to reunite Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby who had starred in 'Holiday Inn'(1942). Astaire had retired and turned the studio down. That's the reason they sought another co-star for Bing. I don't think Bob Hope would have worked as well as Danny Kaye who had that certain something that made him a romantic lovable clown while Hope was just a lovable clown. Truth be told I don't think Astaire would have been a good pairing either now that we have the film we do. Funny to think that Rosemary Clooney who played the older sister was actually 7 yrs younger than Vera-Ellen.
Sheldon:"Was the starfish wearing boxer shorts? Because you might have been watching Nickelodeon."
I thought Danny Kaye was terrific as Bing's sidekick too. The Bob Hope thought came into my head though because I love the old 'On the Road' movies. Also, I agree. I think Danny was a better sidekick than Fred Astaire would have been. Fred was one of the most talented dancers I've ever seen in the old Hollywood musicals, but Danny certainly wasn't lacking in talent either. In fact I think he was quite underrated. I was very surprised to see that Vera-Ellen was quite a bit older than Rosemary Clooney. They look very close in age in the movie, but Rosemary does seem like the older of the two by a year or two.
shareI love Bob Hope but I have never bought into his romantic scenes with any actress. He did 2 films with Lucille Ball (in one they were married -the other they had an affair) that were out & out duds to me. Not a spark between the two.
But his heartwarming scenes with kids will bring on the tears quick.
Sheldon:"Was the starfish wearing boxer shorts? Because you might have been watching Nickelodeon."
Just for the sake of accuracy, Hope and Ball did four films together. The two to which you refer are, I assume, "Critic's Choice" and "The Facts Of Life."
The two earlier - and better - ones were "Sorrowful Jones" (a Damon Runyon story very similar to "The Lemon Drop Kid") in 1949 and "Fancy Pants" (a slapstick-y western spoof very much in the vein of "The Paleface") in 1950.
I never really got the sense that audiences were meant to buy into Hope's romantic scenes. Hope himself seemed to sense that there was something inherently comical in his being romantic at all, and I don't think I can recall such a scene in any of his films that weren't accompanied by his trademark one-liners or some other comic business.
As it happens, probably the most credibly romantic he ever appears is in his "Thanks For the Memory" duet with Shirley Ross in "The Big Broadcast Of 1938."
Poe! You are...avenged!
Fred too old by then
shareBob Hope could do simple dances, but not complicated ones. He was no singer - in a sense he coudn't have a solo number. Even Kaye wasn't eactly V-E's level, and she had 2 numbers with someone else (if Aistaire would be cast, he'd have entire dancing role)
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