THAT'S ME IN THE SECOND ROW
PART 5
Over the next few years, I had many interesting experiences. It seems that my instinctive knowledge of the relationship between music and dance was well known in the business. I was frequently rented out by my studio.
For the first (and thus far only) time, I had a disagreement with my amaretto. I had been choreographing dances for "B" movies. My studio offered me a job directing a "B" film. My amaetto urged me to accept the offer. I demurred. I thought it over. I did not want to be a star and being a director might lead to that. I was happy being a "Power Behind the Throne." I did not have any ambition to be other than what I was; I was happy doing what I was doing! Also, I would not do anything that might seem to put me in competition with my amaretto. I turned down the director's position, but did choreograph the movie.
As I had said, a great deal of my employment was when I was rented out to other studios. At that time, the movie business was a small world. Everyone knew of everyone else. The owners of the studio's were all acquaintances, if not friends. They helped each other out. They were, however, men of business and each time someone paid and the other made a profit. I became well known in other studios as I was constantly "Rented out," and I had a talent all studios took advantage of. Which leads me to my contribution to the art of film.
Another studio was doing a major production with a rotating stairway, a spiral curtain, a cast of thousands with opera singers. A grand spectacle was in the works. When it came time to film, the main sequence did not work. No matter what was done, the sequence did not come together and production came to a halt. The studio was losing thousands of dollars each day that production was halted. That is when I was called in. My studio received a large amount for my services, and I received a substantial bonus!
I went to the studio and witnessed an attempted run through. The opera singers had brought their own music, so they were OK; but the rest of the sequence didn't work! I noticed immediately that the music did not match the staging. The dancers danced out of sync to the musical playback. The dancers were confused and moved like drunken puppets. I could not put my finger on what was wrong. That night, I mentioned the problem and Peter volunteered to come with me and see if he could spot what was wrong. The next day, he came with me. When the musical playback began, Peter listened for one minute. He went over to the playback machine and moved one dial. All of the sudden the musical playback matched the written score. This caused me to look closely at the score the choreographer had used. It had been miscut, ALL of the Time signatures were missing. The choreographer had worked from the score which drastically differed from the erroneous musical playback. (I had some strong words for the studio's printing department. This would not have happened at my studio.) I showed the Choreographer what was wrong, and he slapped his head.
Peter went home and the choreographer and I spent the whole day and night adapting the dance to the correct music. I spent the next day drilling the dancers. They were all experienced dancer and quickly picked up the changes. I spoke with the production manager, and we had a run through that night. The number came together and was glorious! We arranged to film the following morning. The filming went off without a Hitch. I was amazed to see the Studio Bigwigs who had come to witness the filming.
A few days later, I was invited to see the rushes of the sequence. I went to the other Studio's theatre accompanied by Peter and my Amaretto. They sat on either side of me. We watched intently. The sequence was mind boggling! When it was over, I received kisses on both cheeks by my paramours. As we left the theatre, we ran into the head of that studio. He complimented me on the number and handed me an envelope. When I got home I opened the envelope. I had expected a gushie thank you note, but the envelope was filled with cash. There was a note from the Studio owner. It was brief and said: "Thank You, We couldn't have done it without you. Please find enclosed, our appreciation for the part you played." In addition to my Studio's "Bonus" I also had this envelope full of cash. I made out very well!
Many years later, I heard this film referred to as a "Classic." I beamed. Although I had not received credit for the production, I knew that I had helped create it!
After my helping this studio, I found myself working there quite a bit. It was there I met the incomparable Busby Berkeley. There are few people whose mere appearance would blow you mind, and he was one of them. He was both a Director and Choreographer and he was a Genius. (His genius was not matched until Stanley Donnen and Gene Kelly collaborated.) We hit it off. He would tell me what was in his mind, and I knew exactly what he wanted. I worked with him on several movies. I drilled his dancers and danced specialty numbers. (I will not bore you with descriptions of what it was like to be the front of a dancing cow, or how many rehearsals it takes to get 60 men to wave their tambourines left and right, in unison.) It was also good for the ego to be on a first name basis with the likes of Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney.
During this period, I had one other experience worth retelling. One of the highlights of the Hollywood Year was the "Charity Ball" at the Graumen's Chinese Theatre. It was not really a "Ball", but a review in a theater, and the Stars came and performed. All profits went to charity, while the studios had nice "Tax Write Offs." One year, my studio had me coordinate and choreograph the numbers, as I knew enough to not "Upstage" the Stars, and make them look good. Each Star sent me the music for the number they would perform, and I devised dances behind them. I drilled the dancers and worked with stage managers to coordinate the numbers. It was hard work and I loved it. I spent the day with the dancers, and the nights with the stars. Some of the rehearsals were at 3 o'clock in the morning.
I did one other thing that worked to my advantage. I went to the various costume shoppes, and determined if the dances could dance in the costumes. If there were any questions, I donned the costume and tried out the dances. (I looked very funny in Female dresses.) I did this at the suggestion of my ammarotto. It seems that one year, in stock, he had created a dance that had a number of kicks and splits, and the costumer delivered dresses that had 18 inch hems. The kicks and splits could not be done in those dresses. At the last minute, the dances and the costumes had to be adapted.
I danced with the Female Stars, and I called in my sister for the dances with Male Stars. The Production manager went crazy! Each star had their own stage manager and music. The production Stage Manager had to make sure the music got to the conductor of the live orchestras (including individual instrument sides,) and coordinate the stage crew, the lighting crew, the "Spot" operators and the sound crew. Each number was different and nothing could be done by "Formula." It was very hectic, but we pulled it off. The "Ball" got good reviews in the fan magazines and the newspapers. My studio was very pleased, and I received a hefty bonus.
The "Golden Days" ended with the Great Depression and World War II; but we had one more major adventure, BROADWAY BOY!