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8 unusual facts about Busby Berkeley


Adam Davy

In the same venue that year, in rep, Adam Davy also played cameo roles as Charlie Chaplin and Hollywood director Busby Berkeley in Babes, the life story of Judy Garland.

Geological Museum

The Museums Association's journal Museum Practice reported in 2007 that “the contrast between galleries just before and just after Potter’s arrival (at the Natural History Museum) is like switching over from a television programme made for schools to a big-screen epic, choreographed by Busby Berkeley.”

H2hos

Without formal training as synchronized swimmers, the troupe taught themselves to swim reconstructing moves from vintage coaching manuals and Busby Berkeley films.

Jennie Livingston

The film, a lesbian sex comedy with musical numbers, also features 24 Broadway dancers choreographed by Broadway choreographer John Carrafa in the manner of Busby Berkeley.

Let Forever Be

The video also makes specific visual and thematic references to the dance sequence "Dames" (music by Harry Warren; lyrics by Al Dubin), choreographed by Busby Berkeley for the Warner Brothers musical Dames (1934) directed by Ray Enright.

Masahiro Makino

He made musicals like Singing Lovebirds (1939) and even his wartime propaganda films like Hanako-san and Ahen senso (both 1943) could have Busby Berkeley-like musical numbers.

Sheila Ryan

She appeared in other memorable films, including two Laurel and Hardy movies, Great Guns (1941) and A-Haunting We Will Go (1942), and the Busby Berkeley musical The Gang's All Here (1943).

Where Did All the Love Go?

According to guitarist Serge Pizzorno, the song's music video was inspired by Kenneth Anger's films like Scorpio Rising, Busby Berkeley and French cabaret.


Backstage musical

This type of musical was typified in the early films by director and choreographer, Busby Berkeley, including 42nd Street (1933), Footlight Parade (1933), Dames (1934) and the Gold Diggers series (1933, 1935 and 1937).

Gordon Westcott

After appearing in a string of pre-code productions, and working with such well-known directors as William A. Wellman, Busby Berkeley and William Dieterle, his film career ended with his death from head injuries sustained in a polo accident.

Palmy Days

Palmy Days (1931) is an American musical comedy film written by Eddie Cantor, Morrie Ryskind, and David Freedman, directed by A. Edward Sutherland, and choreographed by Busby Berkeley (who makes a cameo appearance as a fortune teller).


see also

Charley O'Leary

The O'Leary/Schaefer vaudeville act is said to have inspired two MGM musicals: the forgotten 1930 film They Learned About Women, featuring the noted vaudeville act Van and Schenck, and Busby Berkeley's last film, Take Me Out to the Ballgame (1949), with Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra.

Gold Diggers of 1937

' series of "Gold Digger" films, following Gold Diggers of Broadway (1929), which is now lost, Gold Diggers of 1933, which was a remake of the earlier film, and the first to feature Busby Berkeley's extravagant production numbers, and Gold Diggers of 1935.