Did Danny Kaye play any musical instruments?

Early years. David Daniel Kaminsky was born in Brooklyn, New York, on January 18, 1911 (though he would later say 1913), to Ukrainian-Jewish immigrants Jacob and Clara (née Nemerovsky) Kaminsky. He was the youngest of three sons. Kaye sang while Louis played the guitar and the pair eked out a living for a while.

Who sang for Virginia Mayo in a song is born?

A Song Is Born (also known as That’s Life), starring Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo, is a 1948 Technicolor musical film remake of Howard Hawks’ 1941 movie Ball of Fire with Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck….

A Song Is Born
Box office $2.4 million (US rentals)

Did Virginia Mayo do her own singing in a song is born?

Virginia Mayo’s vocals on both the theme song and the “free-style jazz ” number were dubbed by an uncredited Jeri Sullavan.

What nationality is Danny Kaye?

American
Danny Kaye/Nationality

The son of Ukrainian immigrants, Kaye began his performing career in the 1930s as a comic entertainer in hotels in the Catskill Mountains and in nightclubs across the United States. During this period he originated the pantomimes, rapid-fire scat singing, and physical antics that were to become his trademarks.

Did Danny Kaye actually play the trumpet?

As noted in the onscreen credits, Nichols himself played the cornet and trumpet solos that are heard in the film. Actor Danny Kaye spent several months learning to play the cornet in order to be able to duplicate Nichols’ fingering.

Was Danny Kaye a conductor?

A virtuoso entertainer, UNICEF’S first Goodwill Ambassador to the world’s children (1954), a Renaissance man who was a jet pilot, baseball owner, master Chinese chef, symphony orchestra conductor, a performer honored with Oscars, Emmys, Peabodys, Golden Globes, the French Legion of Honor and the Presidential Medal of …

Can Virginia Mayo sing?

“I got my first chance on Broadway to really sing and dance.” Mayo was brought to the attention of Goldwyn, who signed her to a long-term contract, although her singing in movies was always dubbed by someone else. “He guided my career so beautifully,” Mayo said of Goldwyn in 1981.

What happened to Virginia Mayo?

Mayo died of pneumonia and complications of congestive heart failure in the Los Angeles area on January 17, 2005, aged 84, at a nursing home in Thousand Oaks. Her death was reported the next day in The New York Times.

Is Actress Virginia Mayo still alive?

Deceased (1920–2005)
Virginia Mayo/Living or Deceased

What killed Virginia Mayo?

Pneumonia
Virginia Mayo/Cause of death
She was 84. Mayo, who had been in failing health, died of pneumonia and heart failure, according to the Los Angeles Times, which first reported her death on its Web site. “She passed away this afternoon,” longtime friend Mary Walsh told The Associated Press.

Who was Danny Kaye married to?

Sylvia Finem. 1940–1987
Danny Kaye/Spouse

Did Red Nichols have a daughter?

Nichols married Willa Stutsman, a “stunning” George White’s Scandals dancer, and they had a daughter. In 1942 their daughter contracted polio, which was misdiagnosed at first as spinal meningitis, and Nichols left Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra to work in the wartime shipyards.

What did Danny Kaye do in the 50’s?

The early 50s was a fertile time for Danny Kaye, with such definitive films as On the Riviera, Hans Christian Andersen, Knock on Wood and his sold-out, one-man shows in New York. In 1952 he hosted the 24th Academy Awards. Kaye made the timeless film, White Christmas, with Bing Crosby in 1954,…

When did Danny Kaye and Sylvia Fine work together?

In April of 1939, Sylvia Fine’s career path changed when she and Danny Kaye (1911–1987) worked together on the musical revue Sunday Night Varieties —Fine composing music and playing piano, Kaye serving as a company actor. The show had financial and structural problems causing it to only run for three of its four scheduled performances.

How old was Danny Kaye when he was born?

Danny Kaye was born David Daniel Kaminsky on January 18, 1913 in Brooklyn, New York. (His actual year of birth was 1911, but the birthday he celebrated was 1913). The son of an immigrant Russian tailor, his parents spoke Yiddish and Russian at home and he started “entertaining” when he was about 5, singing and dancing at 3-day Jewish weddings.

When did Danny Kaye first appear on Broadway?

Danny Kaye first caught the world’s attention in 1941 with a small role in Moss Hart’s Broadway show, Lady in the Dark. Reeling off the names of 50 Russian composers in 38 seconds in a song written by Ira Gershwin and Kurt Weill, Kaye became an overnight sensation.