Trivia!

Gene Kelly : Had a half-moon shaped scar on his left cheek caused by a bicycle accident he had as a young boy.

Had a fever of 103 degrees while filming the famous rain scene in Singin' in the Rain (1952).

Doris Day :

According to her autobiography, she got the nickname Clara Bixby when Billy De Wolfe told her, on the Tea for Two (1950) set, that she didn't look like a "Doris Day," but more like a "Clara Bixby." To this day, that remains her nickname among a close circle of old friends, such as Van Johnson.

Has often cited Calamity Jane (1953) as her personal favorite of the 39 films she appeared in.

Her mother named her after her favorite silent film star, Doris Kenyon. By coincidence, in the mid 1970's when Day wrote her autobiography, Kenyon was her neighbor on Crescent Drive in Beverly Hills.

She is a staunch supporter of the Republican Party, and told the press she voted for George W. Bush in the 2000 presidential election.

Went to the same Cincinnati ballroom dance studio as a child as Vera-Ellen. Their parents used to carpool together to the dance studio.

Her dreams of a dancing career were dashed when a car accident on 13 October 1937 badly damaged her legs. She spent most of her teenage years wheelchair-bound and during this time began singing on the radio.

Shirley Jones :
Miss Pennsylvania 1952 first runner-up; her prize was a two year scholarship to the drama school at the Pittsburgh Playhouse.

Received a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame on Valentine's Day, 1986.

Had wanted to become a veterinarian.

When asked which of her musicals was her favorite, she has said it was The Music Man (1962). While she says she has special memories of Oklahoma! (1955) because it was her first movie, Carousel (1956) is her favorite Rodgers and Hammerstein score.

Turned down the role of Carol Brady on "The Brady Bunch" (1969).

Was/is best friends with: Eddie Albert, Florence Henderson, Ron Howard, Gordon MacRae and his wife Sheila MacRae, Jean Simmons, Rod Steiger and Oscar Hammerstein.

Gordon Macrae :

In high school (Nottingham High School in Syracuse, NY) he was quite athletic, participating in football, hockey, swimming, baseball, basketball, track, and lacrosse. The National Rifle Association awarded him a marksmanship medal.

At age 11 he was an emcee for a local radio station.

Van Johnson :

He was Gene Kelly's understudy in the Broadway production of "Pal Joey".

Lucille Ball was a good friend to him for decades. Van guest-starred on her classic TV show on one of her "trip to Hollywood" episodes where they dueted on the song "How About You?" Ball later insisted he take a prime role in her film Yours, Mine and Ours (1968) with Henry Fonda.

Was stagestruck himself and was often found with an autograph book in his hand.

Kathryn Grayson :

The third child of Charles and Lillian Hedrick, Kathryn was born in North Carolina but grew up in Kirkwood, Missouri, where her family moved in 1927. The entire family sang.

Discovered at age 11 by Frances Marshall, a Chicago Civil Light Opera singer, who trained her in voice.

Moved to California with her family when she was 15.

In 1939, Sam Katz, the executive in charge of musicals at MGM, sought out a rival to Universal's popular Deanna Durbin and turned to Kathryn. She repeatedly turned him down at the time because she wanted an opera and not a movie career. She finally relented.

Donald O'Conner :

Had to have three days bed rest after the "Make 'Em Laugh" sequence in Singin' in the Rain (1952).

From a vaudeville family act, his father John Edward "Chuck" O'Connor" was an acrobat with Ringling Brothers-Barnum and Baily Circus as a "leaper." His mother was a circus bareback rider and dancer named Effie. One of seven children, three died in infancy, but the rest were incorporated into show business. His mother kept the family going with extended family members despite many deaths (including her husband) until 1941.

Made his film debut at age 12 in Melody for Two (1937) with his two brothers, Jack and Billy, doing a specialty routine. Billy died a year or two later after contracting scarlet fever.

Was suppose to co-star with Bing Crosby in the perennial film classic White Christmas (1954) in 1954 but was sidelined with pneumonia and replaced by Danny Kaye.

Judy Garland, whom he knew as a child, was one of his best friends.

While he's hesitant to select a favorite film, he's quick to single out his favorite performance: "Call Me Madam (1953) - my favorite number is in there with Vera-Ellen. It's the number I do out in the garden with her to "It's a Lovely Day Today". It's a beautiful lyrical number. I think she was the best dancer outside of Peggy Ryan I ever danced with".

Howard Keel:

During the shooting of Annie Get Your Gun (1950), he broke his leg when his horse fell on him. He was laid up for six weeks.

Due to his huge size, many of his petite leading ladies had to stand on boxes to be in the same frame

Was the original choice to play the lead in Singin' in the Rain (1952). The part went to Gene Kelly instead.

His hobbies included: singing, dancing, watching movies, listening to opera, fishing, golfing, spending time with his family.

Before he was a successful actor, he also worked as a singing busboy.