Remembering...

Doris Day

1922-2019

Doris Day acted with Jack Kelly in the 1956 feature film Julie (shown above). They also appeared in The West Point Story (1950), although they had no scenes together. Rest in peace, Ms. Day.

Look Out!

"Monday's coming!"

But, don't worry JK, because Monday means a brand new week--and some brand new posts in TDS! So, hang in there, and watch out for le diabolique Monsieur Benton*...that's what you really need to worry about!

 

 

*Le Diabolique Monsieur Benton is what the 1956 film Julie was called in France, which is where this fantastique still came from. :)

JK in "The West Point Story" :)

Howdy!

Well, the snow finally melted and I was able to attend an antiques show last weekend. One of my purchases at the show was a DVD of The West Point Story, a 1950 musical starring James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, and Gene Nelson. Oh, and Jack Kelly shows up for a moment (literally) near the end of the film.

Although it has plenty of singing and dancing, The West Point Story is no Yankee Doodle Dandy. Cagney plays "'Elwin 'Bix' Bixby", a down-on-his luck Broadway director who agrees to help stage a show written by and starring a cadet (MacRae) at the West Point Military Academy. Bix spends a lot of time yelling--at the cadets, at his girl (Mayo), and even Doris Day (who plays his former protégée). 

Day's character, "Jan Wilson", has become a movie star and after Bix gets her a part in the show at West Point, she falls in love with MacRae's character, "Tom Fletcher". Tom goes AWOL to pursue Jan, intending to resign from the military and marry her. Realizing that both his and her career are too important to throw away, Jan rejects his proposal and prepares to return to Hollywood. Bix and cadet "Hal Courtland" (Nelson) return the dejected Tom to the Academy.

When Tom, Bix and Hal arrive back at West Point, JK (as the "Officer-in-Charge") informs Tom that he is under arrest for being AWOL. 

JK has only a few lines and is shown only in left profile--but, hey, that's enough for me. ;)

 

What's next in TDS? Please stay tuned and find out! :)



Lights! Camera! Grimace! :)

Happy Friday Everyone!

Three marvelous movie posters recently joined the Kellection. Although they all show Jack Kelly (of course!), are from the 1950's, and two of them are foreign, the trio also has something else in common: the expression on JK's face. Let's call it "Variations on A Grimace".

First, there's this moody Belgian poster for The Night Holds Terror (1955). JK grimaces in anger and fear as he's abducted by three hoods:

Next, we have a French poster for Julie (1956), starring Doris Day. JK (at lower right) grimaces in pain as he's shot by Julie's psychotic husband, a.k.a. "Le diabolique Monsieur Benton" (played by Monsieur Louis Jourdan):

Finally, I've saved the best for last. JK flashes an evil grimace--twice!--on this incredible (and huge) poster for 1955's Double Jeopardy:

You won't find his name on the poster, but JK is pictured more prominently than the film's nominal star, Rod Cameron! I've seen different versions of this poster and most are illustrated with drawings. I like this version the best because it uses photographic illustrations of JK. I think it's my favorite poster in the Kellection so far. :)

I hope JK's grimaces have brought a smile to your face. Stay tuned for more of the expressive Mr. Kelly! :)