Three Little Words
Directed by	Richard Thorpe
Produced by	Jack Cummings
Written by	George Wells
Starring	Fred Astaire Red Skelton Vera-Ellen Arlene Dahl
Music by	André Previn Harry Ruby
Cinematography by
Editing by
Distributed by	MGM
Released	July 12, 1950 (U.S. release)
Running time	102 min
Language	English
Budget
Preceded by	{{{preceded_by}}}
Followed by	{{{followed_by}}}
IMDb profile

Three Little Words (MGM) is a 1950 Hollywood musical film biography of the Tin Pan Alley songwriting partnership of Kalmar and Ruby and stars Fred Astaire as lyricist Bert Kalmar, Red Skelton as composer Harry Ruby, along with Vera-Ellen, Debbie Reynolds and Arlene Dahl. The film was directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by Jack Cummings. Harry Ruby served as a consultant on the project, and appears in a cameo role as a baseball-catcher. Richard Thorpe (February 24, 1896 - May 1, 1991) was an American film director. ... There have been a number of people named George Wells: George Albert Wells - German professor and religious scholar George Wells (screenwriter) George Wells (ship builder) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987), born Frederick Austerlitz in Omaha, Nebraska, was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. ... Red Skelton Bernard Richard Red Skelton (July 18, 1913 – September 17, 1997) was an American comedian born in Vincennes, Indiana who started in vaudeville as a teenager, worked his way up to Broadway shows, secondary roles in MGM movies, radio performances and finally popularity in the early days of... Vera-Ellen Westmeyer Rohe (February 16, 1921 - 30 August 1981) was an American actress and dancer known best by just her hyphenated first name. ... Arlene Dahl (born August 11, 1928) is an American movie starlet who was most famous during the 1950s. ... André Previn, KBE (born April 6, 1930)¹ is a prominent pianist, orchestral conductor, and composer. ... MGM logo Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer or MGM, is a large media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of cinema and television programs. ... July 12 is the 193rd day (194th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 172 days remaining. ... See also: 1949 in film 1950 1951 in film 1950s in film 1940s in film years in film film // Events February 15 - Walt Disney Studios animated film Cinderella debuts. ... MGM logo Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer or MGM, is a large media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of cinema and television programs. ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... The art of singing and dancing in a prepared fictional play has been a time-honored tradition ranging to the early days of civilization. ... Films are produced by recording actual people and objects with cameras, or by creating them using animation techniques and/or special effects. ... Tin Pan Alley was the name given to the collection of New York City-centered music publishers and songwriters who dominated the popular music of the United States of America in the late 19th century and the early 20th century. ... Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987), born Frederick Austerlitz in Omaha, Nebraska, was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. ... Bert Kalmar (16 February 1884 - 18 September 1947) was a popular United States songwriter, born in New York City. ... Red Skelton Bernard Richard Red Skelton (July 18, 1913 – September 17, 1997) was an American comedian born in Vincennes, Indiana who started in vaudeville as a teenager, worked his way up to Broadway shows, secondary roles in MGM movies, radio performances and finally popularity in the early days of... Harry Ruby (October 29, 1895 – February 23, 1974) was an American songwriter and screenwriter. ... Vera-Ellen Westmeyer Rohe (February 16, 1921 - 30 August 1981) was an American actress and dancer known best by just her hyphenated first name. ... Debbie Reynolds in 1954 Debbie Reynolds (born April 1, 1932) is an American actress and singer. ... Arlene Dahl (born August 11, 1928) is an American movie starlet who was most famous during the 1950s. ... Richard Thorpe (February 24, 1896 - May 1, 1991) was an American film director. ...

This warm and engaging film was one of Astaire's favourites, possibly because of the nostalgic vaudeville connection. As Hollywood film biographies of the period go, it takes less liberties with the facts than usual, and Astaire and Skelton's onscreen portrayal of the partnership is considered psychologically accurate, and is complemented by a mutual chemistry, some quality acting by both, and some fine comedy touches by Skelton. One defect - which affects quite a few MGM musicals of this period - is the top-heavy orchestration by twenty-year-old Andre Previn, which occasionally smothers the infectious spontaneity usually associated with songs composed between 1913 and 1931. Unusually for Hollywood songwriting biographies of this period, two of the songs, "Thinking Of You" and "Nevertheless" became major hits on the film's release, reaching first and second place respectively, in the U.S. charts. Vaudeville was a style of multi-act theater which flourished in North America from the 1880s through the 1920s. ... Andr Previn (born April 6, 1929) is a prominent pianist, orchestral conductor, and composer. ... 1913 (MCMXIII) is a common year starting on Wednesday. ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday. ...

In recognition of his acting performance here, Fred Astaire was awarded the first Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy in 1951. The Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as a separate category in 1951. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ...

Key songs/dance routines:

This film provides an object lesson in how to integrate the many songs and dances seamlessly and naturally into the script - a principle first introduced into the Hollywood musical by Astaire as far back as 1934. Hermes Pan collaborated with Astaire on the choreography which takes the opportunity provided by Vera-Ellen's technical prowess to showcase dance routines notable for leg kicks, lifts and - Hermes Pan's innovative combination of the two - the hurdling lift, first invented for "The Yam" number in Carefree (1938). These routines are contrasted with some choreographically primitive numbers typical of vaudeville c. 1920. The spirit of the partnered dances expands on the theme of marital contentment previously explored in The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939) and the prior year's The Barkleys of Broadway (1949). As usual, Vera-Ellen is dubbed by Anita Ellis. 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Fred Astaire and Hermes Pan working out a dance routine Hermes Pan (December 10, 1909 – September 19, 1990) was an American dancer and choreographer. ... Carefree was a 1938 Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers romantic comedy, musical film. ... 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1920 (MCMXX) is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January January 7 - Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. ... The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle is a biographical musical comedy starring Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edna May Oliver and Walter Brennan. ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) is a common year starting on Saturday. ...

• "Where Did You Get That Girl?": Astaire and Vera-Ellen, dressed in top hat, white tie and tails, impersonate the vaudeville partnership of Kalmar and Brown with this genial song and dance duet set c.1919. Fred and Adele Astaire had greatly admired this partnership: "We used to stand in the wings and watch Jessie and Bert with thrilled envy, wondering if we could equal their finesse and reach their headline billing". The routine is very straightforward, and when contrasted with the creations of Astaire, Gene Kelly and others, illustrates the profound evolution popular dance had undergone in the intervening period. Incidentally Ruby, working as a song plugger, had once played tunes for the Astaire siblings.

• "Mr. And Mrs. Hoofer At Home": A hectic and high-kicking comic dance duet for Astaire and Vera-Ellen - choreographed by Hermes Pan and featuring the hurdling lift - which is set in a suburban family living room and portrays the various challenges of contented domesticity. The routine, which, in contrast to the previous one, is thoroughly modern in conception, is nonetheless shown performed at the Keith's Theatre (which later became the K in RKO) in Washington, D.C. in the presence of President Woodrow Wilson, a noted vaudeville fan.

• "My Sunny Tenessee": Astaire and Skelton deliver a sparkling version of this 1921 hit.

• "So Long, OO-Long": Kalmar and Ruby's 1920 oriental-themed ditty receives another exemplary performance from Astaire and Skelton.

• "Who's Sorry Now": Langourous, syrupy and therefore inauthentic rendition by Arlene Dahl of this 1923 Kalmar and Ruby standard.

• "Test Solo": Danced by Astaire, initially to a spare piano accompaniment by Andre Previn and then to the music of "Where Did You Get That Girl?". This was his fifth tap and cane solo, the first being "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails" from Top Hat (1935), followed by "I Can't Be Bothered Now" from A Damsel in Distress (1937), the "Audition Dance" from You Were Never Lovelier (1942), and "Puttin' On The Ritz" from Blue Skies ((1946), - all remarkably dissimilar in execution. In the beginnning of the solo, Astaire places his hat on top of a light stand and then waves to it. One year later, in "Sunday Jumps" from Royal Wedding (1951) he would take a clotheshorse into his arms and dance with it.

• "Come On, Papa": Another high-kicking song and dance routine, this time for Vera-Ellen and chorus of sailors, to a 1918 song by Ruby and Edgar Leslie.

• "Nevertheless": Kalmar and Ruby's endearing 1931 song is performed on stage by Astaire and Vera-Ellen to Skelton's piano accompaniment. The romantic partnered routine which follows is straightforwardly elegant.

• "All Alone Monday": Arlene Dahl delivers a sensitive performance of Kalmar and Ruby's 1926 ballad.

• "I Wanna Be Loved By You": Debbie Reynolds, in one of her earliest film appearances, performs this 1928 number with Carleton Carpenter, with Reynolds dubbed by the original boop-boop-a-doop girl Helen Kane.

• "Thinking Of You": One of the dance highlights of the film is this romantic partnered routine for Astaire and Vera-Ellen, which follows the latter's mimed and overly slow performance of this 1927 standard. The dance begins quietly and affectionately in a lounge area, and gradually builds becoming progressively more extrovert until the music changes into a rhumba - the Latin dance of love - and Astaire embarks on a further exploration of the possibilities of blending Latin and ballroom dance styles, which he had first been inspired to undertake during his celebrated partnership with Rita Hayworth. After this departure - which illustrates the passion than can continue to flourish long after the married nuptials - the dance subsides into a tender coda, recalling its opening mood.

• "Medley (incl. Three Little Words)": In this closing scene, Astaire and Skelton perform a medley of most of the songs featured in the film, ending with "Three Little Words" - Kalmar having finally found a suitable lyric for Ruby's melody, a running gag throughout most of the film.

1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Adele Astaire, 1927 Adele Astaire (September 10, 1896 -January 25, 1981) was an American dancer and entertainer. ... Gene Kelly (1912-1996) Eugene Curran Kelly (August 23, 1912 - February 2, 1996), born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was an American dancer, actor, singer, director, producer, and choreographer. ... RKO could stand for: RKO Pictures The R.K.O. - finishing manoever (and initials) of WWE professional wrestler Randy Orton. ... Washington, D.C. is the capital city of the United States of America. ... Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856 – February 3, 1924) was the 28th President of the United States (1913–1921). ... 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1920 (MCMXX) is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January January 7 - Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. ... 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Duke Ellington wearing a top hat. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Choose one of the following: Damsel in distress A Damsel in Distress (RKO), 1937 Hollywood musical film. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... You Were Never Lovelier (Columbia Pictures) is a 1943 Hollywood musical comedy film, set in Buenos Aires. ... This article is about the year. ... Blue Skies is a 1946 musical film. ... 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Royal Wedding (MGM) is a 1951 Hollywood musical comedy film set in London in 1947 at the time of the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Prince Phillip, and stars Fred Astaire, Jane Powell, Peter Lawford, Sarah Churchill and Keenan Wynn, with music by Burton Lane and lyrics by Alan Jay... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... 1931 (MCMXXXI) is a common year starting on Thursday. ... 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... A ballad is a story in a song, usually a narrative song or poem. ... 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Helen Kane (August 4, 1903 - September 26, 1966) was an American popular singer, best known for her boop-boop-a-doop trademark and her signature song, I Wanna Be Loved By You. Fleischer Studios animator Grim Natwick used Kane as the model for his studios most famous creation, Betty... 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Rumba is both a family of music rhythms and a dance style that originated in Africa and traveled via the slave trade to Cuba and the New World. ... The term Latin dances in the context of social and ballroom dances may be used in two meanings. ... Ballroom dance is a style of partner dance which originated in the Western world and is now enjoyed both socially and competitively around the globe. ... Rita Hayworth Gilda poster Rita Hayworth (October 17, 1918 – May 14, 1987), whose real name was Margarita Carmen Cansino, was an American actress of Spanish and Irish descent, who reached fame during the 1940s. ...

External links

• Three Little Words at the Internet Movie Database

The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about actors, movies, television shows, television stars and video games. ...

References

• Fred Astaire: Steps in Time, 1959, multiple reprints.
• John Mueller: Astaire Dancing - The Musical Films of Fred Astaire, Knopf 1985, ISBN 0394516540