Gordon MacRae
Encyclopedia
Gordon MacRae was an American actor
and singer, best known for his appearances in the film versions of two Rodgers and Hammerstein
musicals, Oklahoma! (1955) and Carousel
(1956) and films with Doris Day like Starlift
.
, MacRae graduated from Deerfield Academy in 1940 and served as a navigator in the United States Army Air Forces
during World War II
. Prior to this, he attended Nottingham High School
in Syracuse, NY.
debut in the mid-1940s, acquiring his first recording contract soon afterwards. Many of his hit recordings were made with Jo Stafford
. It was in 1948 that he appeared in his first film, The Big Punch
, a drama about boxing. He soon began an on-screen partnership with Doris Day
and appeared with her in several films.
In 1951, he starred with Doris Day
in On Moonlight Bay
, followed by the sequel By the Light of the Silvery Moon
in 1953. That same year, he also starred opposite Kathryn Grayson
in the third film version of The Desert Song
. This was followed by leading roles in two major films of Rodgers and Hammerstein
musicals, Oklahoma! (1955) and Carousel
(1956), both films opposite Shirley Jones
.
On radio, he was the host and lead actor on The Railroad Hour
, a one-hour anthology series made up of condensed versions of hit Broadway musicals.
MacRae appeared frequently on television
, on such programs as The Martha Raye Show
and The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford
, both on NBC
. On Christmas 1958, MacRae and Ford performed the holiday hymn "O Holy Night
". Earlier in 1958, MacRae guest starred on the short-lived NBC variety series, The Polly Bergen Show
.
Thereafter, MacRae appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show
, The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom
, and The Bell Telephone Hour
. He continued his musical stage career, often performing with his wife, as in a 1964 production of Bells Are Ringing
, also performing as Sky Masterson in the popular musical Guys and Dolls
, his wife playing the role of Miss Adeleide, reprising her Broadway role. In the late 1960s he co-hosted for a week on The Mike Douglas Show
. He also toured in summer stock
and appeared in nightclubs. In 1967, he replaced Robert Preston
in the original Broadway run of the musical I Do! I Do!
, starring opposite Carol Lawrence, who had taken over the role from Mary Martin
.
In the 1970s, he portrayed a murderer on the popular TV series McCloud and played a supporting role in what turned out to be his last film, the 1979 motion picture The Pilot
.
in Lincoln, Nebraska
, at the age of 64; he had been undergoing treatment for cancer of the mouth and jaw
as well as pneumonia.
from 1941 until 1967; the couple were the parents of Heather MacRae
and Meredith MacRae
. He married Elizabeth Lamberti Schrafft on September 25, 1967, and they remained married until his death.
He was close friends with Shirley Jones
and was the godfather of her son Shaun Cassidy
.
Short subjects:
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and singer, best known for his appearances in the film versions of two Rodgers and Hammerstein
Rodgers and Hammerstein
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II were a well-known American songwriting duo, usually referred to as Rodgers and Hammerstein. They created a string of popular Broadway musicals in the 1940s and 1950s during what is considered the golden age of the medium...
musicals, Oklahoma! (1955) and Carousel
Carousel (film)
Carousel is a 1956 film adaptation of the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical of the same name which, in turn, was based on Ferenc Molnár's non-musical play Liliom. The 1956 Carousel film stars Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones, and was directed by Henry King...
(1956) and films with Doris Day like Starlift
Starlift
Starlift is an American musical film released by Warner Brothers in 1951, starring Janice Rule, Dick Wesson, Ron Hagerthy and Ruth Roman. The film was directed by Roy Del Ruth and written by Karl Lamb and John D. Klorer...
.
Early life
Born Albert Gordon MacRae in East Orange, New JerseyEast Orange, New Jersey
East Orange is a city in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the city's population 64,270, making it the state's 20th largest municipality, having dropped 5,554 residents from its population of 69,824 in the 2000 Census, when it was the state's 14th most...
, MacRae graduated from Deerfield Academy in 1940 and served as a navigator in the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Prior to this, he attended Nottingham High School
Nottingham High School
Nottingham High School is a British boys' independent school situated about a mile north of Nottingham city centre. It has around 900 pupils from ages 11 to 18 and there is the adjoining Nottingham High Junior School catering for younger boys and, from September 2008, the Lovell House...
in Syracuse, NY.
Career
He made his BroadwayBroadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
debut in the mid-1940s, acquiring his first recording contract soon afterwards. Many of his hit recordings were made with Jo Stafford
Jo Stafford
Jo Elizabeth Stafford was an American singer of traditional pop music and jazz standards and occasional actress whose career ran from the late 1930s to the early 1960s...
. It was in 1948 that he appeared in his first film, The Big Punch
The Big Punch
The Big Punch is a 1921 Western film directed by John Ford.-Cast:* Buck Jones - Buck* Barbara Bedford - Hope Standish* Jack Curtis - Jed* George Siegmann - Flash McGraw* Jack McDonald - Friend of Jed's* Al Fremont - Friend of Jed's...
, a drama about boxing. He soon began an on-screen partnership with Doris Day
Doris Day
Doris Day is an American actress, singer and, since her retirement from show business, an animal rights activist. With an entertainment career that spanned through almost 50 years, Day started her career as a big band singer in 1939, but only began to be noticed after her first hit recording,...
and appeared with her in several films.
In 1951, he starred with Doris Day
Doris Day
Doris Day is an American actress, singer and, since her retirement from show business, an animal rights activist. With an entertainment career that spanned through almost 50 years, Day started her career as a big band singer in 1939, but only began to be noticed after her first hit recording,...
in On Moonlight Bay
On Moonlight Bay (film)
On Moonlight Bay is a 1951 musical film directed by Roy Del Ruth which tells the story of the Winfield family at the turn of the century. The movie is based loosely on the Penrod stories by Booth Tarkington. There was a 1953 sequel, By the Light of the Silvery Moon.-Plot:On Moonlight Bay centers on...
, followed by the sequel By the Light of the Silvery Moon
By the Light of the Silvery Moon (film)
By the Light of the Silvery Moon is a 1953 musical film. It is the sequel to On Moonlight Bay. Like its predecessor, the movie is based loosely on the Penrod stories by Booth Tarkington.-Plot:...
in 1953. That same year, he also starred opposite Kathryn Grayson
Kathryn Grayson
Kathryn Grayson was an American actress and operatic soprano singer.From the age of twelve, Grayson trained as an opera singer. She was under contract to MGM by the early 1940s, soon establishing a career principally through her work in musicals...
in the third film version of The Desert Song
The Desert Song
The Desert Song is an operetta with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel. It was inspired by the 1925 uprising of the Riffs, a group of Moroccan fighters, against French colonial rule. It was also inspired by stories of Lawrence of...
. This was followed by leading roles in two major films of Rodgers and Hammerstein
Rodgers and Hammerstein
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II were a well-known American songwriting duo, usually referred to as Rodgers and Hammerstein. They created a string of popular Broadway musicals in the 1940s and 1950s during what is considered the golden age of the medium...
musicals, Oklahoma! (1955) and Carousel
Carousel (film)
Carousel is a 1956 film adaptation of the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical of the same name which, in turn, was based on Ferenc Molnár's non-musical play Liliom. The 1956 Carousel film stars Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones, and was directed by Henry King...
(1956), both films opposite Shirley Jones
Shirley Jones
Shirley Mae Jones is an American singer and actress of stage, film and television. In her six decades of television, she starred as wholesome characters in a number of well-known musical films, such as Oklahoma! , Carousel , and The Music Man...
.
On radio, he was the host and lead actor on The Railroad Hour
The Railroad Hour
The Railroad Hour was a radio series of musical dramas and comedies broadcast from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s.Sponsored by the Association of American Railroads, the series condensed musicals and operettas to shorter lengths, concentrating on those written before 1943. Singer-actor Gordon...
, a one-hour anthology series made up of condensed versions of hit Broadway musicals.
MacRae appeared frequently on television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, on such programs as The Martha Raye Show
The Martha Raye Show
The Martha Raye Show is an hour-long comedy/variety show which aired live on NBC from January 23, 1954, to May 29, 1956. The series was hosted by the late Martha Raye, a Montana native, who often called herself "The Big Mouth." Her boyfriend on the program and a foil for her humor was portrayed by...
and The Ford Show, Starring Tennessee Ernie Ford
The Ford Show
The Ford Show is a half-hour comedy/variety program, starring singer and folk humorist Tennessee Ernie Ford, which aired in color on NBC television on Thursday evenings from October 4, 1956 to June 29, 1961....
, both on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
. On Christmas 1958, MacRae and Ford performed the holiday hymn "O Holy Night
O Holy Night
"O Holy Night" is a well-known Christmas carol composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847 to the French poem "Minuit, chrétiens" by Placide Cappeau , a wine merchant and poet, who had been asked by a parish priest to write a Christmas poem...
". Earlier in 1958, MacRae guest starred on the short-lived NBC variety series, The Polly Bergen Show
The Polly Bergen Show
The Polly Bergen Show is a half-hour 18-episode comedy/variety show, starring then 27-year-old Polly Bergen, which aired on NBC in the 1957-1958 television season. The program is remembered for its impressive guest-star lineup as well as its closing theme song, "The Party's Over" .The Polly Bergen...
.
Thereafter, MacRae appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
, The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom
The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom
The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom is a half-hour variety show that aired on ABC from October 3, 1957 to June 23, 1960, starring the young singer Pat Boone and a host of top-name guest stars. The program was of course sponsored by Chevrolet...
, and The Bell Telephone Hour
The Bell Telephone Hour
The Bell Telephone Hour is a long-run concert series which began April 29, 1940 on NBC Radio and was heard on NBC until June 30, 1958. Sponsored by Bell Telephone, it showcased the best in classical and Broadway music, reaching eight to nine million listeners each week. It continued on television...
. He continued his musical stage career, often performing with his wife, as in a 1964 production of Bells Are Ringing
Bells Are Ringing (musical)
Bells Are Ringing is a musical with a book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Jule Styne. The story revolves around Ella, who works at an answering service and the characters that she meets there. The main character was based on Mary Printz, who worked for Green's answering...
, also performing as Sky Masterson in the popular musical Guys and Dolls
Guys and Dolls
Guys and Dolls is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. It is based on "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" and "Blood Pressure", two short stories by Damon Runyon, and also borrows characters and plot elements from other Runyon stories, most notably...
, his wife playing the role of Miss Adeleide, reprising her Broadway role. In the late 1960s he co-hosted for a week on The Mike Douglas Show
The Mike Douglas Show
The Mike Douglas Show is an American daytime television talk show hosted by Mike Douglas that aired in syndication from 1961 to 1982, distributed by Westinghouse Broadcasting and for much of its run, originated from studios of two of the company's TV stations.The program featured light banter with...
. He also toured in summer stock
Summer Stock
For the article about the theatre genre, see Summer stock theatre.Summer Stock is a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical made in 1950. The film was directed by Charles Walters and stars Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Eddie Bracken, Gloria DeHaven, Marjorie Main, and Phil Silvers...
and appeared in nightclubs. In 1967, he replaced Robert Preston
Robert Preston (actor)
-Early life:Preston was born Robert Preston Meservey in Newton, Massachusetts, the son of Ruth L. and Frank Wesley Meservey, a garment worker and billing clerk for American Express. After attending Abraham Lincoln High School in Los Angeles, California, he studied acting at the Pasadena Community...
in the original Broadway run of the musical I Do! I Do!
I Do! I Do!
I Do! I Do! is a musical with a book and lyrics by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt which is based on the Jan de Hartog play The Fourposter. The two-character story spans fifty years, from 1895 to 1945, as it focuses on the ups and downs experienced by Agnes and Michael Snow throughout their...
, starring opposite Carol Lawrence, who had taken over the role from Mary Martin
Mary Martin
Mary Virginia Martin was an American actress and singer. She originated many roles over her career including Nellie Forbush in South Pacific and Maria in The Sound of Music. She was named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 1989...
.
In the 1970s, he portrayed a murderer on the popular TV series McCloud and played a supporting role in what turned out to be his last film, the 1979 motion picture The Pilot
The Pilot (film)
The Pilot is a 1980 film by director Cliff Robertson and is based on the novel of the same name by Robert P. Davis.The main character, Mike Hagan, is a pilot in passenger service and a candidate for the honor of Best Pilot of the Year. There's only one problem -- Mike is an alcoholic...
.
Death
In 1986, MacRae died at Bryan Memorial HospitalWilliam Jennings Bryan House
The William Jennings Bryan House, also known as Fairview, is a historic house built in 1902 in Lincoln, Nebraska, United States. It is noteworthy as the home of William Jennings Bryan , and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1963....
in Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
, at the age of 64; he had been undergoing treatment for cancer of the mouth and jaw
Oral cancer
Oral cancer is a subtype of head and neck cancer, is any cancerous tissue growth located in the oral cavity. It may arise as a primary lesion originating in any of the oral tissues, by metastasis from a distant site of origin, or by extension from a neighboring anatomic structure, such as the...
as well as pneumonia.
Personal life
He was married to Sheila MacRaeSheila MacRae
Sheila MacRae is an English actress and author. She was born Sheila Margaret Stephens. She appeared in such films as Pretty Baby , Caged , Backfire , and Sex and the Single Girl ....
from 1941 until 1967; the couple were the parents of Heather MacRae
Heather MacRae
Heather MacRae is an American stage, film and television actress, perhaps best known for her role in the Woody Allen 1972 comedy film Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* ....
and Meredith MacRae
Meredith MacRae
Meredith Lynn MacRae was an American actress and singer.-Life and career:MacRae was best known for her television roles as Billie Jo on Petticoat Junction and as Sally Ann in My Three Sons...
. He married Elizabeth Lamberti Schrafft on September 25, 1967, and they remained married until his death.
He was close friends with Shirley Jones
Shirley Jones
Shirley Mae Jones is an American singer and actress of stage, film and television. In her six decades of television, she starred as wholesome characters in a number of well-known musical films, such as Oklahoma! , Carousel , and The Music Man...
and was the godfather of her son Shaun Cassidy
Shaun Cassidy
Shaun Paul Cassidy is an American actor, singer, writer, and producer. He is the eldest son of Academy Award winning actress Shirley Jones, and the second son of Tony award-winning actor Jack Cassidy...
.
In popular culture
- MacRae is mentioned in the song Oklahoma U.S.A. by The KinksThe KinksThe Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
, as the song's subject daydreams of "riding in the surrey with the fringe on top" with "Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRae.."
Filmography
Feature films:- The Big PunchThe Big PunchThe Big Punch is a 1921 Western film directed by John Ford.-Cast:* Buck Jones - Buck* Barbara Bedford - Hope Standish* Jack Curtis - Jed* George Siegmann - Flash McGraw* Jack McDonald - Friend of Jed's* Al Fremont - Friend of Jed's...
(19481948 in filmThe year 1948 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Laurence Olivier's Hamlet becomes the first British film to win the American Academy Award for Best Picture.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :...
) - Look for the Silver LiningLook for the Silver Lining"Look for the Silver Lining" is a popular song with music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by B.G. DeSylva. It was written in 1919 for the unsuccessful musical Zip, Goes a Million. In 1920 it was published and reused in the musical Sally whence it was popularized by Marilyn Miller...
(19491949 in filmThe year 1949 in film involved some significant events.-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:*Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff, starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello...
) - BackfireBackfire (1950 film)Backfire is a thriller and crime film in the film noir style directed by Vincent Sherman and starring Edmond O'Brien, Virginia Mayo, Gordon MacRae, Viveca Lindfors, and Dane Clark. It was written by Larry Marcus, Ben Roberts, and Ivan Goff. It is notable for launching the film noir careers of its...
(19501950 in filmThe year 1950 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 15 - Walt Disney Studios' animated film Cinderella debuts.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:*Ambush...
) - The Daughter of Rosie O'GradyThe Daughter of Rosie O'GradyThe Daughter of Rosie O'Grady is a 1950 film directed by David Butler. It stars June Haver and Gordon MacRae.-Cast:*June Haver as Patricia O'Grady*Gordon MacRae as Tony Pastor*Debbie Reynolds as Maureen O'Grady*Gene Nelson as Doug Martin...
(19501950 in filmThe year 1950 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 15 - Walt Disney Studios' animated film Cinderella debuts.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:*Ambush...
) - Return of the Frontiersman (19501950 in filmThe year 1950 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 15 - Walt Disney Studios' animated film Cinderella debuts.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:*Ambush...
) - Tea for TwoTea for Two (film)Tea for Two is a 1950 American musical film directed by David Butler. The screenplay by Harry Clork and William Jacobs was inspired by the 1925 stage musical No, No Nanette, although the plot was changed considerably from the original book by Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel, and the score by Harbach,...
(19501950 in filmThe year 1950 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 15 - Walt Disney Studios' animated film Cinderella debuts.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:*Ambush...
) - The West Point StoryThe West Point Story (film)The West Point Story is a 1950 musical comedy film directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring James Cagney, Virginia Mayo and Doris Day.-Plot:...
(19501950 in filmThe year 1950 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 15 - Walt Disney Studios' animated film Cinderella debuts.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:*Ambush...
) - On Moonlight BayOn Moonlight Bay (film)On Moonlight Bay is a 1951 musical film directed by Roy Del Ruth which tells the story of the Winfield family at the turn of the century. The movie is based loosely on the Penrod stories by Booth Tarkington. There was a 1953 sequel, By the Light of the Silvery Moon.-Plot:On Moonlight Bay centers on...
(19511951 in filmThe year 1951 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Sweden - May Britt is scouted by Italian film-makers Carlo Ponti and Mario Soldati-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:...
) - StarliftStarliftStarlift is an American musical film released by Warner Brothers in 1951, starring Janice Rule, Dick Wesson, Ron Hagerthy and Ruth Roman. The film was directed by Roy Del Ruth and written by Karl Lamb and John D. Klorer...
(19511951 in filmThe year 1951 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Sweden - May Britt is scouted by Italian film-makers Carlo Ponti and Mario Soldati-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:...
) (cameo) - About FaceAbout Face (film)About Face is a 1952 film directed by Roy Del Ruth. It stars Gordon MacRae and Eddie Bracken.-Cast:*Gordon MacRae as Tony Williams*Eddie Bracken as Biff Roberts*Dick Wesson as Dave Crouse*Virginia Gibson as Betty Long*Phyllis Kirk as Alice Wheatley...
(19521952 in filmThe year 1952 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 10 - Cecil B. DeMille's circus epic, The Greatest Show on Earth, premieres at Radio City Music Hall in New York City....
) - By the Light of the Silvery MoonBy the Light of the Silvery Moon (film)By the Light of the Silvery Moon is a 1953 musical film. It is the sequel to On Moonlight Bay. Like its predecessor, the movie is based loosely on the Penrod stories by Booth Tarkington.-Plot:...
(19531953 in filmThe year 1953 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*September 16 — The Robe debuts as the first anamorphic, widescreen CinemaScope film.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:A...
) - The Desert SongThe Desert SongThe Desert Song is an operetta with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel. It was inspired by the 1925 uprising of the Riffs, a group of Moroccan fighters, against French colonial rule. It was also inspired by stories of Lawrence of...
(19531953 in filmThe year 1953 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*September 16 — The Robe debuts as the first anamorphic, widescreen CinemaScope film.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:A...
) - Three Sailors and a GirlThree Sailors and a GirlThree Sailors and a Girl is a 1953 musical film made by Warner Bros.. It was directed by Roy Del Ruth, and written by Devery Freeman and Roland Kibbee, based on the George S. Kaufman play The Butter and Egg Man...
(19531953 in filmThe year 1953 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*September 16 — The Robe debuts as the first anamorphic, widescreen CinemaScope film.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:A...
) - Oklahoma! (19551955 in filmThe year 1955 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* November 3 - The musical Guys and Dolls, starring Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra, debuts.* June 27 - The last ever Republic serial, King of the Carnival, is released....
) - CarouselCarousel (film)Carousel is a 1956 film adaptation of the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical of the same name which, in turn, was based on Ferenc Molnár's non-musical play Liliom. The 1956 Carousel film stars Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones, and was directed by Henry King...
(19561956 in filmThe year 1956 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 5 - The Ten Commandments opens in cinemas and becomes one of the most successful and popular movies of all time, currently ranking 5th on the list of all time moneymakers * February 5 - First showing of documentary films by...
) - The Best Things in Life Are FreeThe Best Things in Life Are Free"The Best Things in Life Are Free" is a song by Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson.-Song information:Released in 1992, the song was originally recorded for the Mo' Money soundtrack...
(19561956 in filmThe year 1956 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* October 5 - The Ten Commandments opens in cinemas and becomes one of the most successful and popular movies of all time, currently ranking 5th on the list of all time moneymakers * February 5 - First showing of documentary films by...
) - Zero to SixtyZero to SixtyZero to Sixty is a 1978 American comedy film directed by Don Weis. The film never received a theatrical release, but it was later reviewed by TV Guide, which called McGavin "fun to watch" in the film but noted the premise was brought to the screen six years later in a different film, Repo...
(19781978 in filmThe year 1978 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 1 - Bob Dylan's film Renaldo and Clara, a documentary of the "Rolling Thunder Revue" tour premieres in Los Angeles, California....
) - The PilotThe Pilot (film)The Pilot is a 1980 film by director Cliff Robertson and is based on the novel of the same name by Robert P. Davis.The main character, Mike Hagan, is a pilot in passenger service and a candidate for the honor of Best Pilot of the Year. There's only one problem -- Mike is an alcoholic...
(19801980 in film- Events :* May 21 - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is released and is the biggest grosser of the year ....
)
Short subjects:
- The Screen Director (19511951 in filmThe year 1951 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Sweden - May Britt is scouted by Italian film-makers Carlo Ponti and Mario Soldati-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:...
) - Screen Snapshots: Fun in the Sun (19521952 in filmThe year 1952 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 10 - Cecil B. DeMille's circus epic, The Greatest Show on Earth, premieres at Radio City Music Hall in New York City....
) - So You Want a Television SetJoe McDoakesJoe McDoakes is the protagonist of a series of 63 black and white live action comedy one reel short subjects released between 1942 and 1956. The Joe McDoakes shorts are also known as the Behind the Eight Ball series or the So You Want... series...
(19531953 in filmThe year 1953 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*September 16 — The Robe debuts as the first anamorphic, widescreen CinemaScope film.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:A...
)
Solo
- "Love Is A Many Splendored ThingLove Is a Many-Splendored Thing (song)"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" is a popular song with music by Sammy Fain and lyrics by Paul Francis Webster. The song was publicized first in the movie, Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing , winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song...
" - "Easy To LoveEasy to Love"Easy to Love" is the title of a R&B single by For Real, it was the second single from their debut album It's a Natural Thang. Billboard magazine noted "super-tight harmonies that are proiminent, but not overshadowing; instatly memorable melody stands as the cut's focal point.-Chart positions:...
" - "Hair of Gold, Eyes of BlueHair of Gold, Eyes of Blue"Hair of Gold, Eyes of Blue" is a popular song.It was written by Sunny Skylar. The song was published in 1948.Popular versions of the song were recorded by Gordon MacRae, by The Harmonicats, and by Jack Emerson....
" - "It's MagicIt's Magic"It's Magic" is a popular song.The music was written by Jule Styne, the lyrics by Sammy Cahn. The song was introduced by Doris Day in her film debut, Romance on the High Seas, and was published in 1947....
" - "Rambling RoseRambling Rose (1948 song)"Rambling Rose" is a popular song.The music was written by Joe Burke, the lyrics by Joe McCarthy, Jr.. The song was published in 1947. A cover of the song was recorded by The Beatles in 1962. The popularity of this particular track grew immensely from the exposure of the popular 1960's rock band...
" - "Love Is The Sweetest Thing"
with Jo Stafford
- "'A' — You're Adorable'A' — You're Adorable"'A' – You're Adorable" is a popular song with music by Sid Lippman and lyrics by Buddy Kaye and Fred Wise, published in 1948.The biggest hit version was recorded by Perry Como, with The Fontane Sisters on March 1, 1949...
" - "DearieDearie"Dearie" is a popular song.The music was written by David Mann; the lyrics, by Bob Hilliard. The song was published in 1950.The song is about reminiscences, and often sung as a duet...
" - "My Darling, My DarlingMy Darling, My Darling"My Darling, My Darling" is a popular song.It was written by Frank Loesser. The song was published in 1948.It was originally introduced by Byron Palmer and Doretta Morrow in the Brodway musical Where's Charley?...
" - "Say Something Sweet To Your Sweetheart"
- "Whispering HopeWhispering Hope (Jo Stafford album)Whispering Hope is a 1962 album by Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae.- Track listing :# Whispering Hope # Abide With Me # In the Garden# Beyond the Sunset# Beautiful Isle of Somewhere # It is No Secret...
" - "EchoesEchoes (1950 song)"Echoes" is a popular song.It was written by Bennie Benjamin and George David Weiss and published in 1950.It was popularized in 1950 by Jo Stafford and Gordon MacRae. The Stafford/MacRae recording, released by Capitol Records as catalog number 782, was backed with "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo " on the flip...
"
External links
- Biography from Starpulse
- Gordon MacRae, That Old MacRae Magic by Frances Ingram from ClassicImages.com