This wasn't the first time Bing Crosby sang 'White Christmas' on-screen.
Many folks assume that the titular track "White Christmas" originally came from the movie with the same name. In reality though, Bing Crosby first performed the tune 13 years before White Christmas came out, on the radio show The Kraft Music Hall. Then, he sang it in Irving Berlin's 1942 classic, Holiday Inn, as well as Blue Skies in 1946. Still, most will agree that the White Christmas movie version is the best one.
Irving Berlin opened his own Oscar for 'White Christmas.'
Getty ImagesThe composer was an Oscar presenter in 1943 and happened to open the envelope and read his own name as the winner. After winning for his Holiday Inn rendition of "White Christmas," he joked with the audience, "I'm glad to present the award. I've known him for a long time."
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
There are some shocking age differences.
John Swope/The LIFE Images Collection/GettyAs Betty Haynes, Rosemary Clooney plays Vera-Ellen's older sister in the movie, but she was actually seven years younger. When the film came out, Clooney was 26, and Vera-Ellen, 33. Even more striking? Bing Crosby, who plays her love interest, was 51 when the movie debuted. That's a 25-year-age gap! (It's also funny to note that Dean Jagger, who played the retired, elderly general was actually born a few months after Crosby.)
And height differences.
Getty ImagesBecause Vera-Ellen was two inches shorter than Rosemary Clooney, wardrobe gave her higher heels to wear. That way, the two women would appear to be similar heights during their performances.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
It was praised for being in VistaVision.
Paramount PicturesThe film instantly gained notoriety and buzz the year it was released for being in VistaVision, Paramount's then-brand-new process of projecting on a wide, flat screen. The result was a better pictorial quality and better on-screen colors.
'Sisters' wasn't part of the script.
Paramount PicturesBing Crosby and Danny Kaye's comedy act wasn't originally in the story. The actors were goofing around and director Michael Curtiz found it so hilarious that he wrote the scene in. Apparently, the actors found it comical, too: The laughing during the number is real. The take in the film was the best one they could get of the two, who kept cracking each other up.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
The Vermont inn doubled as 'Holiday Inn,' too.
Paramount via 7thhouseontheleft.comGeneral Waverly's Columbia Inn in fictional Pine Tree, Vermont, made its debut a decade before in Holiday Inn. The set on the Paramount lot was refurbished for the next Christmas classic.
Vera-Ellen didn't actually sing any of the songs.
Mondadori Portfolio//Getty ImagesWhen the character Judy Haynes sings, you're actually hearing singer Trudy Stevens. The only time Vera-Ellen's real singing voice is heard is when they disembark the train in Vermont and the quartet sing the opening lines of "Snow."
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
But she sure did all her own dancing!
Paramount PicturesVera-Ellen started dancing at age 10. And at 18, she became one of the youngest Radio City Rockettes, performing in several Broadway shows before heading to Hollywood. Fun tidbit: Growing up in Norwood, Ohio, a suburb of Cincinnati, she carpooled to dancing classes with Doris Day!
Speaking of dancing, Rosemary Clooney wasn't proud of her moves.
Getty ImagesAdvertisement - Continue Reading Below
This dancer went on to big things.
Paramount + Silver Screen Collection//Getty ImagesThroughout the film, dancer George Chakiris accompanies the Haynes sisters in an uncredited role. But soon after, he received the credit he was due: He later won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor as Bernardo in West Side Story.
Fred Astaire was supposed to play Phil Davis.
ParamountAfter Fred and Bing's success in Holiday Inn, this film was intended to reunite them. But Fred had "retired" by the time White Christmas was shot 12 years later and he declined. Next, the part was offered to Donald O'Connor (known for Singin' in the Rain), but he pulled out after an illness. Finally, the part went to Danny Kaye.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
It wasn't originally about snow.
In the club car of the train, the four leads sing "Snow" about their frosty dreams. Originally, the Irving Berlin tune was called "Free," for the musical Call Me Madam — and it had nothing to do with winter.
The TV camera in the 'Ed Harrison Show' scene is a real one.
Paramount PicturesRumor has it, anyway. As stated on IMDb, the camera belonged to NBC's Channel 4 station in New York (which changed its name to WRCA-TV in 1954).
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Bing Crosby made up most of the liverwurst sandwiches and buttermilk bit.
ParamountThe iconic scene when Bob tells Betty his theory of what foods cause which dreams was almost completely improvised. (Then, he launched into "Count Your Blessings" and we stopped caring that buttermilk with liverwurst sandwiches sounds absolutely vile.) In fact, much of Bob's dialogue was based on Bing's own conversation. So thank him for gems like, "weirdsmobile."
One line in the sandwich scene had a special meaning.
Getty ImagesIn a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, Bing's character says that the menu is not the same as "Toots Shor's." As it turns out, that was a very real restaurant on 51st Street in Manhattan — a favorite celebrity hangout at the time.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Rosemary Clooney took the part for a specific reason.
Getty ImagesDanny Kaye was the class clown on set.
Getty ImagesThe actor apparently caused plenty of retakes by making everyone break character with his humor. His on-screen jokes and antics had everyone cracking up while filming.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Bob Fosse was the uncredited choreographer.
Silver Screen Collection//Getty ImagesYou've seen Benny Haynes before.
CBS Photo ArchiveWhen Bob looks at a picture of Benny Haynes, "The Dog-Faced Boy," it's actually an image of a grown-up Carl Switzer. He's best remembered for playing Alfalfa in the original Our Gang, also known as the The Little Rascals.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below