I have had vivid memories of seeing this on TV for years and years, and now I get to see it once more. Isn't it wonderful that so many of those wonderful things we thought were lost to time have found a new life on RU-vid. Thank you so much for preserving this and sharing it with us. Just wonderful - both Fosse and Verdon.
Kim, yes I am too. Obsessed with Gewn Verdon. Especially when she and Bob Fossie did dances together. Last time I saw her on TV was on a Walker Texas Ranger 1995 area. Not sure, loved her on Magumn PI Tom Selleck, she played a his Mom. I loved her dancing, esp from 1958? movie Damn Yankees, Who's got the Pain, with Bob Fossie. And as the Siren Lola. Whatever Lola Wants Lola Gets. I watch these 2 dances every day. Found a few of Bob Fossie dances on UTUBE. He and Gwen were so cute together. Sigh, I miss the old 🎼 Musicals and all the great dances, and talented Dancers.
From the Fosse Bio by Sam Wasson, page 237: In Oct '68, with the bulk of editing (Sweet Charity) behind him, Fosse took a moment to repay Gwen the only way he knew how. He choreographed two pieces for her (Verdon's) appearance on The Bob Hope Show. "Cool Hand Luke" and "Tijuana Brass". Each betrayed the softness he tried so hard to conceal. "Cool Hand Luke," especially - Fosse's most warm-hearted creation, a matador's lullaby devoid of ironic comment. Accompanied by Lee Roy Reams (Stage right in opening) and Buddy Vest, Gwen strutted and snapped through "Luke" with elegant machismo, receiving in wide welcoming arms Fosse's plaintive offering to her sensuality. "Every moment of creating this dance,: Reams said, "was a pleasure and a joy.
It is a wonderful surprise to discover this video! Gwen Verdon´s magic movements in Bob Fosse´s masterpiece choreography! This is absolutely awesome! I love it! Thank you very much for share this video! :)
Buddy Vest was in Sweet Charity on stage and screen. Also Hallelujah, Baby! with Leslie Uggams and Dreamgirls. He also played Zach in A Chorus Line. He did numerous Ed Sullivan shows as well as The Dean Martin Show. He passed away 20 years ago today...February 10, 1995.
The men can't swing their hips as much as Verdon. They look more angular. I love that Fosse used them to contrast the difference between male and female bodies.
The second song heard is "Mexican Shuffle," originally recorded by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass and very familiar at the time from a series of commercials for Clark's Teaberry chewing gum.
The part where she smoked then ground it out and went into a few Twist steps was a respectful nod to Chuck Berry who made "The Twist" a household word and dance. He was on a show- probably American Bandstand and showed the guests how easy it is to do the Twist. He asked for a cigarette, lit it and threw it on the ground. He put his toe over the cig and ground it out while swiveling his hips! He 😆
Just watched the movie of "Sweet Charity" for the first time in what, 20 years? Great to see both Lee Roy Reams and Buddy Vest on film with awesome Fosse direction and choreography, even without Gwen Verdon.
Now I see where the " I Get Lonely" video by Janet Jackson was influenced by, even the hand snaps. The choreographer, Tina Landon must have been a fan of Gwen Verdon.
@@VeeMac Bob Fosse created moving , living art 🎨🖌️🖼️ .. it is HE we should all be thanking .🗿... Gwen was simply the best chosen messenger of his Genius.. .when paired along with him.. . the two of them together on a stage was magical.🎁🎁🎇.. the best dancers of their chosen style.🤩❤️🎓🎓.. no one else can match them .🏆🏆... No one... 👑👑
Question : Why was Ms. Verdon NOT chosen for the lead in the film version of 'Sweet Charity' ? ...Nobody could move like Bob And Gwen ..🕺💃. Maclaine is good in the film .. but ... with all due respect to Ms. Maclaine , she is NOT Gwen.💃.. I will NEVER understand why Gwen was not chosen for the film 😳😔.🙁. She originated the role on Broadway .🤔.. She should have been the only choice for the film .🤨..It racks my brain to this day ..It was Gwen's to own ... nobody else ... what a crying shame... 😖😭☹️😩. ... .😠
@@jmason2838 The studio insisted. Fosse didn't have enough clout as a MOVIE director to sway them. I love Maclaine, too, but the movie could have been MUCH better. At least we got Buddy Vest, Lee Roy Reams and Ben Vereen in all the group numbers.
Though, as pointed out below, Fosse knew how to contrast 'gendered' bodies (ugh - sorry for being so aridly academic), he simultaneously found an erotic ambiguity in the two: Verdon swaggers with 'silken' masculinity while Vest and Reams flicker between camp masculinity and being lushly 'girlie'. It's no surprise that Fosse's obsessions seemed to swirl around a notion of pornography without nudity: the slippery, free floating gender play, the 'extreme close up' isolation of the smallest body parts, the 'ironic' detachment from and satiric delivery of standardized show dance gestures, the body exposed as 'mechanism' and yet simultaneously re-established as lust object...fantastic. Just when you're about to say, "Oh, come on, Bob, I've seen those tight pelvic thrusts and extended arms in profile several time before..." he gets you and you are in, a voyeur lapping up every micro move, falling into the trap of, 'Well, anybody can dance that...oh, wait...oh, wait...holy S, this is a technical feat..."
People making films and TV shows today should be forced to watch this. The camera actually allows us to SEE the dance! None of this flippity floppity up and down and all around that destroys every moment these days.
I wonder how many in the TV audience, at hearing the opening notes of the "Tijuana Brass" number, were expecting Verdon and co. to dance the Teaberry Shuffle...
The other is Buddy Vest. They did a LOT of work for Fosse. They're both featured in the group numbers in the movie of "Sweet Charity", along with Ben Vereen.
@@soggytom And we can't forget Tommy Rall, man he was great as Frank, in 7 Brides for 7 Brothers. And a great dance number with Bob Fossie in My Sister Eileen Great movie, too. They were all such wonderful dancers. Such great talent. ❤
wow you think about some of the great music that producers have sampled... but i think of MJ when i watch this and he made a body of work out of this beautiful piece big shout to the contributors if the art world
If anyone has seen The Intro choreography to Beyoncé’s “Formation Tour” it feels very that towards this performance. Very loose, but I can see it. Anyone else?
Okay, I’m not familiar with the female dancer. So, admitting to my ignorance- there are three dancers all performing the exact same moves. Why does the female get all the credit by commenters? Because the other two aren’t famous?
The other is Buddy Vest. Both he and Reams are very well known in the dancing and theatre worlds. Gwen Verdon is possibly the most famous and longest-lasting dancers on the Broadway stage. Won multiple Tonys, usually performing choreography by her husband, Tony- and Oscar-winning choreographer, dancer and director Bob Fosse. Gwen also starred in the movie version of "Damn Yankees" (Fosse choreography) with Tab Hunter, and did several highly-regarded guest roles on TV in the 1970's and 80's.
Also, they are most definitely NOT doing the exact same moves. Sometimes the moves are very, very close, but switch it to full screen to catch all the intricate give and take, as well as Gwen and the boys complimenting each other.
My my my... and of course they say Jazz is dead. With no choreographers or dancers or shows like this. And all the great teachers gone. Do you think Jazz is dead?
markie polo I console myself with thinking Mozart and Tchaikovsky are dead too and yet we still have them. Perhaps future generations will rediscover jazz and all its great choreographers and performers and try to recreate them, even bring something new to them. Problem is I don't see young people really knowing the difference between bullshit Broadway and the real thing. Maybe it will take another generation or two.
I mixed up the dancer w/ a painter. LeRoy Neiman because of first name...and there was a resemblance w/ the fake mustache. Oh we'll the brain was on half power LOL.
@markiepolo I love this clip! The first dance was in the show "Fosse" but done slightly different. The 2nd one with all it's syncopations and isolations is difficult. BTW: I thought this was from a Bob Hope special?
@markie polo. I am fan of Lee Roy Reams. He can be seen dancing in the "Sweet Charity" movie. He's also a great singer. I was lucky enough to see him the original "The Producers" tour in San Francisco . He was great!
Markie - what's the origin of the clips here? Reams was well known to me as a flamboyant painter popular in the late 60s/70s. Has to be the same man with that mustache. Great moves on canvas and stage now.
You're thinking LeRoy Neiman. I've seen both him and Reams laugh about the names getting confused. Especially since Neiman had a giant mustache and I've always seen Reams clean-shaven.
