On the Town

'On the Town' was a movie musical old school, released in December 1949.  It followed 3 sailors--Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra & Jules Munshin on shore leave in New York for 24 hours.  They want to meet as many girls and see as many sights as they can.  Gabey (Gene Kelly) sees a picture of 'Miss Turnstiles' Ivy Smith(Vera-Ellen) and follows clues on the poster as to where to find her, thinking she is a big celebrity.  He is helped by a 'lady taxi driver' Brunehilde Esterhazy, played by Betty Garrett and a girl they meet at the museum, Clare, played by dancer Ann Miller.  In their search for Ivy, they sing and dance their way through New York City.  It's an amazing musical if you are a musical fan and I certainly am.

Alice Pearce played Brunehilde's roommate Lucy Schmeeler, a great character name.  She would later be remembered as playing the first Alice Kravitz on 'Bewitched'.  She died in her 2nd season on 'Bewitched' at age 48 of ovarian cancer.

Today, Betty Garrett died.  She was the last member of the cast and she was 91.  It is amazing to me that an entire cast of a movie can be gone.  Unless someone finds 'On the Town' or watches 'All in the Family' where Betty Garrett played a neighbor, an entire generation will never know her talent because she will never appear on screen in anything new ever again.

A sad side note, Vera-Ellen was a dancer who appeared in several movies over a 12 year period and was said to have been severly anorexic to keep her small frame.  In this movie and later in 'White Christmas' she wears high necked dresses, reportedly to cover a wrinkles on her neck, a side effect of poor nutrition.  She also lost her only child to SIDS and developed arthritis at an early age.  She died in obscurity at age 60 in 1981.

Rest in peace, cast.  Thanks for entertaining me.