Happy Birthday to Howie and Art!

 Arthur Freed (at right)

and Nacio Herb Brown (at the keys)

began writing songs for Hollywood movies in the late 1920s.

Before that, Arthur was a song plugger and even acted

in early Marx Brothers skits in Vaudeville.

He would become a Hollywood producer

of such goodies as Babes In Arms, An American In Paris,

Gigi, and about oh...40 more!

 On the set of Brigadoon,

with Cyd Charisse, Gene Kelly and Carol Haney.

 Much of the Brown/Freed songbook

was resurrected for Singin' In the Rain, 1952.

Above, Producer Freed with Jean Hagen

and below, that hoofin' trio,

Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds and Gene Kelly.

"Good Morning!"

 Another Nacio Herb Brown/Arthur Freed gem;

I feel soaked just looking at this scene.

Arthur's birthday was September 9th...

1894 - 1973 

Howard Dietz (on left) and Arthur Schwartz

another great music writing team,

who began their association in the late 1920s,

creating primarily for Broadway.

Howard also worked with Jerome Kern and Vernon Duke. 

 One of their big hits,

The Bandwagon (above), 1931, a revue with a book by 

George S. Kaufman, featured 

that hot new dancing team, Fred and Adele Astaire.

Is that a turtle they're riding?

Tilly Losch, Fred, Adele, Frank Morgan, and Helen Broderick,

in the number "I Love Luisa".

The show had the distinction of having the first REVOLVING stage!

 Come 1953, that music was resurrected for 

The Band Wagon,

with Fred, Nanette Fabray (above in dumb scarf),

Cyd Charisse, and Oscar Levant.

Above..."I Love Luisa", and below...Fred, "By Myself",

a song which was actually from the 1937 musical,

Between The Devil,

in which it was introduced by Jack Buchanan,

who is ALSO in the movie, The Band Wagon.

Got that? 

Happy Birthday, Howard..September 10th!

1896 - 1983