How Old Was Danny Kaye When He Filmed ‘White Christmas’?

The movie ‘White Christmas’ is known to be an all-time Christmas classic and is one of the top movie choices worldwide for the holidays. The musical was directed by Michael Curtiz and starred Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen. The music and spirit of this holiday movie showcase the true meaning of Christmas.

‘White Christmas‘ revolves around four main characters- Bob Wallace, Phil Davis, and sisters Betty and Judy Haynes who are joining hands to perform a Christmas show in rural Vermont. Here the group meets Gen. Waverly, who has a failing inn business. The four try to help Waverly get back to a robust business condition. Here are more facts about the classic movie.

Danny Kaye In The Movie ‘White Christmas’

The actor Danny Kaye had really missed his role in ‘White Christmas’ which he is famously known for. But the role was not really Kaye’s. The character had been written with Fred Astaire in mind. But sadly, Astaire retired shortly before the film started its production. Thus the makers had turned to Donald O’Connor. The actor was famous for his dance sequence in the movie, ‘Singing In The Rain’. Again, O’Connor got sick and couldn’t make it to the role. Finally, came the right man for the role, Danny Kaye, and he made Phil Davis memorable.

The age of the cast also caused some talk as the movie had been released at that time. Rosemary Clooney who was 26 years old at that time, played the older sister, Betty, to 33-year-old Vera-Ellen. Furthermore striking was the fact that Crosby who played Rosemary’s love interest on screen was fifty-one, much old than Rosemary. But then, Kaye was the same age as his onscreen counterpart, Vera-Ellen, 33 years old.

What’s Special About The Movie?

The songs, the setting, and the message that ‘White Christmas‘ resonates with make the film an all-time favorite. The song White Christmas was also used by the songwriter, Irving Berlin in movies like ‘Holiday Inn’. Furthermore, it is Crosby himself who sang the song, White Christmas in both films.

The dance sequences of the movie also attracted much attention, mainly on Vera-Ellen was a versatile dancer from a very young age. And it was Bob Fosse who needs to be thanked for her sizzling moves.

The movie was a great hit and become the second highest-grossing film of 1954. There were so many technical factors that made the movie special. This included the use of VistaVision, which ensured better picture quality and better on-screen color. All these factors make ‘White Christmas‘ one of the best holiday movies.