Friday, January 18, 2013

Danny Kaye's 100th Birth Anniversary

Kaye singing the Ugly Duckling
 
I will forever associate Danny Kaye with Hans Christian Andersen, which may be unfair to Kaye's legacy since his talents shone in other great films as well. But his performance in Hans Christian Andersen was so charming and captivating that it's the first thing I think of when Danny Kaye is mentioned. Even though the movie is not billed as an accurate biopic of Anderson, Kaye brought the fanciful imagining to life and provoked continuing interest in Andersen's fairy tales. Kaye is also well-remembered for his portrayal as Phil Davis in White Christmas, which is a favorite holiday film among many. Kaye had a very endearingly eccentric and goofy nature that sparked life into his films as showcased in the film clips below. He was also known as the UN's first ambassador-at-large and made signifcant contributions to its humanitarian efforts.
 
Inchworm (Hans Christian Andersen)
Copenhagen (Hans Christian Andersen)
Court Jester (famously hilarious routine)
White Christmas (creative dance routine) 


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