Jacques d'amboise, Gordon MacRae, Sheree North - Song and Dance! 

Jacques was a phenomenal international ballet dancer. That is why the lifts look so smooth. They were dynamite together.

After all these year I never get tired of Gordon Macrae. What a great singer he was--NO ONE sings like this anymore. I had no idea Sheree North could dance like this!! The dance number with Jacques was STEAMY, to say the least. His arms and shoulders are unbelievable in their strength. Thanks for posting.

Sheree North was a stunning dancer.....up there with screen greats like Ginger Rogers and Cyd Charisse. North and D'Amboise are brilliant together. Xtremely sexy and technically accomplished. And Gordon McRae's voice is great. Many of us have forgotten what a big star he was back in the early '50's. Thanks for posting this.

Gordon MacRae did some great films what a voice he had, seemed like a nice guy too RIP Gordon

I first saw this as a Saturday afternoon movie on TV here in Australia back in the '70s - the "Birth of the Blues" number was a real stand-out for me back then - and I still enjoy watching it now.

OMG...That lift and flip he does with her! Brilliant!! That number is hot!! Wow..it's as vital and relevant to anything done today. What dances..what a voice..what an arrangement!!

Never knew Sheree North could dance. Great number!

The Best Things In Life Are Free---Such an underrated movie about an underrated songwriting team-DeSylva, Brown and Henderson.

One of the most sensual dance numbers in Hollywood history. The chemistry and artistry shown is extraordinary. Sheree North was terribly underrated. Here, she matches the great Jacques D'Amboise. No mean feat.

Yes, Jacques d'Amboise was in the Carousel ballet the year after he debuted as Ephraim in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers". Superb!

Yes! And only 78 years young. I'd thought that he had only 2 children, but later discovered he has 4! I saw him dance in New York for several years when I was between 9-11 years old! He's amazing!

This is from the 1956 film “The Best Things in Life Are Free”. It’s a musical about the lives of the 3 song writers who wrote many hit in songs in the 20’s and 30”s- Desilva, Brown and Henderson. My grandfather was Ray Henderson and he was the composer, Desilva and Brown wrote the lyrics. All the songs in the film were written by a combination of the 3. My grandfather was plaid by Dan Dailey in the film. Most of the songs became what is referred to as American Standards - classics . The list of famous singers who recorded their songs goes on and on for generations. At one time in the 20s they had 5 broadway shows going on at the same time -

Sheree was beautiful

Gorgeous Gordon! And Jacques's not too hard on the eyes either. What a great dancer he was. Thanks so much for sharing this

I'm ashamed to say I never knew Shared North was a dancer what a dance treat. Jagues &Sharee were just perfect for each other Thanks for posting this clip.

I had no idea that Sheree North was a dancer. I only remember her from her later films. WOW!

Jacques is really special in so many ways! I saw him dance when I was very young and was impressed even then. Thanks a lot for writing!

This is a great clip, it's the first time I've seen it since I was ten or eleven in 1956. Sheree North was not appreciated properly by me at that age obviously. That dance scene is hot, particularly for 1956. My only regret is that the full vocal of Gordon MacRae isn't shown. He was clearly getting better as an actor when he quit for TV and nightclubs, partly brought on by his own personality, preferring the golf course and bar at the Lakeside country club to chasing good parts. Apparently his wife got jealous at the closing party for this movie because Gordon and Sheree were getting just a bit too friendly with each other. I think Gordon was a bit of a dark horse with women from what I've read. Probably the best male singer Hollywood ever had. Just what I think.

GREAT Sheree North dance, a great dancer & actress

Lovely Sheree North just seemed to arrive a little late! I can't speak for the studios, but suspect they were positioning her as a replacement for MM! As for dancing, Sheree seriously kicked it! Observe her dance here with brilliant Mr. d'amboise! Talk about holding your own! Thanks so much for your comment!

This is from the movie The Best Things In Life Are Free and it was in CinemaScope in the theatres. Would be great to see it in that format again.

From the film The Best Things In Life of Free (1956) Song: Birth of the Blues Gordon McRae, Jacques d'Amboise & Sheree North

Jacques D'amboise is fabulous in this. A lot of male ballet dancers simply serve as anchors for the ballerina, but this guy has some great moves of his own. And those long legs...

Just watched Sheree North dance with Jerry Lewis in Living It Up. Though that was a crazy, all over the place number, it showed she knew a thing or two about dancing. This number shows the same. I love these three performers as well as the songs of DeSylva, Brown and Henderson. Thanks for sharing!

Can't believe this was 1956 - that dance sequence was not typical.

Fabulous choreography! Thanks for posting. (PS: I had no idea Sheree North could dance!)

Wow. I can't fathom how it is that I've never seen this before. Wow..

I'm honored, and very grateful for your remark! Though beautiful Sheree has left us, Jacques is still teaching the world to dance! If you have the opportunity, here on YT, look up Charlotte d'amboise. She's Jacques' daughter, she dances with her brother honoring their father who is watching from a box seat. He's being honored; think it's at the Kennedy Center. Thanks so much for writing!

Muito obrigado pelo seu comentário gentil. Sheree era uma beleza e um excelente dançarina. Ambos Jacques e Gordon completar esta peça linda!

Outstanding stuff !!!

Great dancer. He will be sadly missed.

Ah, I remember seeing this film years ago on the tele. Good musical tale of Henderson, DeSylva, and Brown. Nice to see some scenes on RU-vid. Thanks for the upload.

Thanks so much for posting this great -and unseen - dance. Rod Alexander choreographed it and Jacques is about to honored by the Anaheim Ballet International Dance Festival on August 9th and the Choreography Under the Stars Festival in Palm Desert on November 9th.

Indeed it was! Methinks that some censor was sleeping on the job, or The Breen Office was on vacation that week! This one is "steam-city," and I'm so glad it's still here! Also, thanks for writing and more to follow....

Thanks for this - another forgotten piece of great Hollywood dance. The pas de deux ranks right up there with Cyd Charisse and James Mitchell in "Deep in My Heart." Sheree and Jacques arrived in films at the wrong time. Picture them in "Chicago," "Moulin Rouge," etc.

This is one of my favourite songs and movie. Thank you for sharing.

Gordon MacRae and Jacques d' Amboise also costarred in the 1956 film of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel.

You are a breath of fresh air on RU-vid - ageless and ever curious. And inspiring others. I can only wish I had seen Jacques and Tanaquil dance. Sending you gratitude and best wishes.

I grew up in the 60's and 70's and only knew Sheree North from films like Don Siegel movies and tons of television shows. I never knew her this way. It's said that she was supposed to be a Marilyn Monroe knock-off. I don't believe that Monroe could have aged into work that North did. She held her own in film scenes with Richard Widmark in Madigan, Sidney Poitier in The Organization, John Wayne in The Shootist, Burt Lancaster in Lawman and stole scenes from Walter Matthau in Charley Varrick and Charles Bronson in Breakout. She could do it all....so many tv westerns, medical dramas and had terrific comedic timing on just about every situation comedy on television during the 60's thru the late 90's as Kramer's mother on Seinfeld. Monroe could not have had such a rich and varied body of work. I thought it was a shame that her passing wasn't even recognized on the Emmy Awards in 2005 after decades of good work. Only the Screen Actor's Guild acknowledged her passing. She was good at everything she did and was underappreciated. This is the most beautiful dance sequence I've ever seen on film.

R.I.P Jacque D'Amboise. ❤🌹

Bobby Banas in the cell with Jacques, playing a tin plate and forks.

It took a little bit, but this scene is from the movie, "The best things in life are free". I agree, the dance number is hot and spicy!

Ephraim Pontipee! :D

Sheree North started her career as Sheree Bethel. Under her original name , she danced in many Musicals at the LA Greek theatre before she went into films.

I'm grateful that this is available here but wish we could see it with its original color restored and in the proper widescreen ratio of its original release.

gordon macrae rocks

Sheree North é uma grande dançarina e a parceria déla com Jacques d'Amboise é simplesmente fantastica. Gordon MacRae também está numa de suas melhores fases. A coreografia de Rod Alexander...genial. Em resumo... é um grande clássico.

Jacques ď Amboise was an amazing dancer and he was absolutely gorgeous

Sheree North's dancing is fantastic. She was a fabulous dancer. Gordon MacRae's singing is beautiful, but this song 'belongs' to Bing. Great clip. Thanks for posting.

Jacques, so underrated by Hollywood.

They look so sexy dancing together ... I first saw her dancing with Jerry Lewis... And i thought she was amazing then... She is timeless

Dear Larry Billman, Please accept my apology for having taken so long for this reply. I often get dupes on another "RU-vid" sight and get befuddled as to which I've answered. Let's just say I'm pushing 70 from very close to the wrong side, OK? I'm thrilled to hear from you and wish I could have been there to see Mr. D being honored. To add to the fright aspect, I watched Jacques and Tanaquil LeClerque dance live together when I was around 10 years old. That even scares me! Best to you Larry!

Now that was a hot seductive dance number! And this was made in the '50s??

The prisoner playing the spoons in jail is Bobby Banas, a sensational dancer in his own right. He does The Real Nitty Gritty on the Judy Garland Show in this link. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-8S3Yt-NxY0E.html He was in many other important musicals. For example, one of the gang in Westside Story.

Hi Deborah HIgginbotham! As regards the choreography for this number, it's listed as one, two or three of the following: Michael Curtiz and/or Rod Alexander, and Bill Foster! I agree that it's very hot! Never saw the lovely Sheree North in person but viewed Jacques many times at City Center in New York. Kind of literally harried right now! I'll write more later. Thanks so much for your query!

Hubba Hubba 🔥🔥🔥

Man, oh, man! I've loved Ms. North, and I've NEVER seen this, before. What a TREAT! Great choreography, and Mr. d'amboise (I know his daughter, Charlotte), and Sheree are terrific! I don't think she was a dancer, by training, but, she really does a terrific job keeping up with him. A few of the moments I love; (2:03, 4:58, 5:03). they're those moments you see/hear something, and you get a chill because it's so beautiful (at least I do). As Freud said; 'sometimes a cigar's justa cigar'.

I just realized Sheree North played Blanche Devereaux's sister Virginia on an episode of The Golden Girls where she needed a liver or kidney transplant. Had no idea she was a full on trained dancer. Just beautiful.

Oh my

Hot Stuff!

😍

Who knows? Maybe the singer got the girl, and they strolled off together into the sunset! As for the guy with the torn shirt, I understand he managed to eke out a career in some obscure dance medium. He also had some kids. Not so very long ago they honored him at a tribute from the Kennedy Center. YT is less than charitable as regards links to other media. More to follow.....

YEAH..THATS BOBBY BANIS IN THE DANCE GANG..JE

sooo seductive especially for the time.Actually even now its a bit of a scorcher

Sheree North played Kramer's mom on Seinfeld.

What film is this?

Is it just me or is there a lot of sexual innuendo in this?

Blatantly sexist by today's standards, but still a master class on using dance as a story telling medium.

Notice how the black men in prison are no longer on camera once Sheree's legs appear at the window? Sheree is a great dancer and would have been a bigger star if the studio system did not collapse and if musicals didn't stop attracting audiences. She's not as "elegant " as Cyd Charisse but she has a vibrancy in her dancing and a more "rock n roll" attitude in her moves. I like her lot

Very good choreography for those years, but very incorrect fir our times, mainly for the role of the woman in it.

That's masculinity right there....

What kind of sick fantasy was North’s character having, dancing in front of criminals who couldn’t get at her?