The interesting thing about these two guys is that neither one was known for dancing. Jimmy Cagney (playing composer George M. Cohan here) was an actor, most well known for his "You dirty rat" portrayal in gangster movies - almost always the bad guy. And Bob Hope (here as Eddie Foy) was a comedian, later known for all his USO shows for the troops overseas. But if you came out of vaudeville, you'd better know how to tap. According to the comments on YouTube, Hope was 47 when the movie The Seven Little Foys that this comes from was made in 1955; Cagney was 56. Cagney's part in the film is just this sequence. He had played the role of Cohan (and won an Oscar) in Yankee Doodle Dandy in 1942. He agreed to do the part if he didn't get paid. He called it a tribute on behalf of the many struggling actors (including Cagney) who found a free meal at Eddie Foy's house in the 20's when they were just starting out. Enjoy!
No comments:
Post a Comment