1876 - 1962
Victor Moore was a stage and screen star with a lengthy and successful Broadway career. Movie fans recall him best as Fred Astaire's pal in Swing Time. Among his original characterizations was the role of Moonface in Cole Porter's Anything Goes which ran on Broadway for 420 performances in the 1934 - 1935 season.
1886 - 1970
Charles Ruggles was familiar to Broadway fans for 30 years and a familiar face to classic movie fans from Bringing Up Baby to The Parent Trap. As is a seeming tradition with Hollywood, when they buy the rights to film a Broadway show they never seem to want to cast the original stars. Charlie Ruggles played the role of Moonface in the 1936 movie based on Anything Goes.
In 1947 Roy Del Ruth directed a delightful holiday film called It Happened on 5th Avenue. It is the story of a millionaire played by Ruggles whose deserted mansion is taken over by a hobo played by Moore. Two Moonfaces for the price of one! What could be more fun?
A Christmas treat.
I saw that movie for the first time last December. It's a real charmer, as are Ruggles and Moore. I hadn't heard of it, and I love holiday movies. It may never reach the status of 'It's a Wonderful Life', but it's right up there with 'Holiday Affair'.
ReplyDeleteRuggles also did a lot of TV. He was "Aesop" on the "Bullwinkle and Rocky Show" and "Lowell Redlings Farquhar" on the Beverly Hillbillies.
ReplyDeleteA lot of these Great old stars not only did Broadway and movies they did TV, where I first saw them.
I recall the first time I heard Ruggles voice would have been on "Bullwinkle", the same with Edward Everett Horton - who I knew from "F Troop" before I ever saw "Holiday" or any of his classic movie appearances. We were certainly spoiled for talent on television in those days.
ReplyDeleteRemember when Lucy and Ricky went to Hollywood.
ReplyDeleteJohn Wayne, William Holden, Harpo Marx, how terrific was that!
How about 'My Three Sons', Fred MacMurray and William Demarest.
ReplyDeleteNovabreeze, we did have an embarrassment of riches when it came to the movie stars who transitioned to the small screen.
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