Esther Williams
Nascimento : 1921-08-08, Inglewood, California, USA
Morte : 2013-06-06
História
Esther Jane Williams (August 8, 1921 – June 6, 2013) was an American competitive swimmer and MGM movie star.
Williams set multiple national and regional swimming records in her late teens as part of the Los Angeles Athletic Club swim team. Unable to compete in the 1940 Summer Olympics because of the outbreak of World War II, Williams joined Billy Rose's Aquacade, where she took on the role vacated by Eleanor Holm after the show's move from New York City to San Francisco. There, she spent five months swimming alongside Olympic swimmer and Tarzan star Johnny Weissmuller.
It was at the Aquacade that Williams caught the attention of MGM scouts. After appearing in several small roles, alongside Mickey Rooney in an Andy Hardy film, and future five time co-star Van Johnson in A Guy Named Joe, Williams made a series of films in the 1940s and early 1950s known as "aquamusicals", which featured elaborate performances with synchronized swimming and diving. From 1945 to 1949, Williams had at least one film listed among the 20 highest grossing films of the year. In 1952, Williams appeared in her only biographical role, as Australian swimming star Annette Kellerman in Million Dollar Mermaid, which would go on to become her nickname while at MGM.
Williams left MGM in 1956 and appeared in a handful of unsuccessful feature films, followed by several extremely popular water-themed television specials, including one from Cypress Gardens, Florida.
Following her retirement from film in the 1960s, Williams became a businesswoman, lending her name to a line of swimming pools and retro swimwear, instructional swimming videos for children, and serving as a commentator for synchronized swimming at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Esther Williams, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Self
Documentary profile of legendary dance choreographer Busby Berkeley.
Self (archive footage)
American Masters Series. Documentary on Gene Kelly that gives insight into his dancing, how he formed a style (first "blue collar dancer") and developed different cinematique techniques, such as brilliantly shot dancing sequences.
Herself (archive footage)
Story of Annette Kellerman, the international swimming vaudeville and silent screen star whose life story inspired the MGM classic Million Dollar Mermaid starring Esther Williams, which featured lavish Busby Berkeley scenes.
(archive footage)
Highlights from the great musicals of the 1940s. Stars featured include Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Bing Crosby, Doris Day, Danny Kaye, Jimmy Durante and Frank Sinatra.
Self
The history of color photography in motion pictures, in particular the Technicolor company's work.
Self - Co-Host / Narrator
Algumas das estrelas musicais da MGM revisam a história dos musicais dos estúdios. De 'The Hollywood Revue' de 1929 a ' A Lenda dos Beijos Perdidos' de 1954. Dos primeiros talkies musicais a Gene Kelly em 'Cantando na Chuva' de 1952.
Herself
Celebrate the fiftieth birthday of the animated cat-and-mouse team, Tom & Jerry, including clips from their animated shorts!
Self
This special is the second "Night of 100 Stars" to benefit The Actors Fund of America. Edited from a seven-hour live entertainment marathon that was taped February 17, 1985, at New York's Radio City Music Hall, this sequel to the 1982 "Night of 100 Stars" special features 288 celebrities.
From 'Bathing Beauty' (archive footage)
A documentary film about dancing on the screen, from it's orgins after the invention of the movie camera, over the movie musical from the late 20s, 30s, 40s 50s and 60s up to the break dance and the music videos from the 80s.
(archive footage)
É a sequência de Era Uma Vez em Hollywood, de 1974. A produção mostra uma retrospectiva dos principais filmes produzidos pela MGM dentre os períodos de 1930 a 1950. Neste segundo documentário, arquivistas destacaram números musicais pouco conhecidos dos arquivos da MGM, e também tributos a alguns dos times de comédia mais famosos da MGM, como os Irmãos Marx, e Laurel e Hardy, duplas românticas como Spencer Tracy e Katharine Hepburn, e uma montagem de estrelas icônicas como Clark Gable, Mickey Rooney, John Barrymore, Wallace Beery, Joan Crawford, Jean Harlow, James Stewart, Lana Turner e Greta Garbo. Gene Kelly e Fred Astaire apresentam o filme e Kelly dirigiu as cenas introdutórias, como a volta dele à Paris, na qual foi rodada dois dos filmes mais famosos da MGM "Sinfonia de Paris" e "Gigi".
(archive footage)
Documentário que traça um panorama dos musicais no cinema desde a década de 20 até os anos 50, e traz entrevistas com algumas das estrelas do gênero.
Hyacinth Tower
A financier decides to take a vacation somewhere where nothing can disturb him. He travels to the south of Spain, to a small village where he lives a primitive life. A chance meeting with a young American sociologist who works to guide women towards a healthier and more comfortable life change the pace of his life.
Hillary Allen
A European circus family is torn apart by greed and jealousy.
Sheila Brooks (archive footage) (uncredited)
Andy Hardy, now a grown man with a wife and children, returns to his hometown on a business trip and finds himself getting mixed up in local politics.
Laura
Passengers struggle to survive after their plane crashes on a remote island. Director Richard Wilson's 1958 drama stars Esther Williams, Jeff Chandler and Rosanna Podesta.
Lois Conway
A high-school music teacher is the victim of a student who writes indecent notes and assaults women.
Amytis
Rome is on the verge of being conquered by Hannibal. While Rome's ruler, Fabius Maximus, plots a defense against Hannibal's armies, Fabius' fiancée, Amytis, is curious about the fearless conqueror. Amytis travels to Hannibal's camp just to get a look at him, but she ends up being captured. However, she is instantly smitten by the Carthaginian commander, so she tries to shift his attentions away from Rome -- and to her instead.
Julie Hallerton
Two men vie for the heart of a Cypress Gardens swimming star.
Katie Higgins
The health conscious, dairy-farming Higgins family begin each day with an invigorating swim. One day, traveling health-tonic salesman, Windy Weebe, comes to town and suggests they could swim the English Channel. Sponsored by "Liquapep" and coached by Windy, the family arrive in Europe. There it is decided that daughter Katie is the only one strong enough to enter the contest. But while she should be focused on the difficult and risky task ahead, Katie is pursed by dashing Frenchman, André Lanet... This comedic musical is well remembered for the scene when Katie dreams she is swimming with cartoon characters Tom & Jerry!
Annette Kellerman
Filme biográfico da campeã australiana de natação e artista Annette Kellerman. Depois de superar a pólio Kellerman alcança a fama e cria um escândalo quando seu maiô de uma peça é considerado indecente.
Conta a história da sensação da natação australiana Annette Kellerman, que superou a pólio infantil para continuar e conquistar a fama como nadadora profissional e estrela de cinema nas primeiras décadas do século XX. Ao mesmo tempo, ela escandalizou o mundo vestindo uma roupa de banho de uma peça só, em praias públicas, muito antes desse modelo ser aceito pela sociedade educada, e causou outras polêmicas também. A história foi um veículo perfeito, décadas depois, para mostrar o talento da estrela Esther Williams na década de 1950, e o apelido de Kellerman foi usado pela revista Life para a Sra. Williams quando a chamou de "Sereia de Milhões de Dólares". (e Livre - Estimado Livre)
Whitney Young
Three young ladies sign up for some kind of training at a naval base. However, their greatest trouble isn't long marches or several weeks in a small boat, but their love life.
Esther Williams (uncredited)
Two smart marketing people resurrect some old films starring cowboy Smoky Callaway and put them on television. The films are a big hit and the star is in demand. Unfortunately no one can find him. When a lookalike sends in a photo, the marketing team hires him to impersonate Callaway. Things get sticky when the real Callaway eventually shows up.
Debbie Telford
A Texas carnival showmen team is mistaken for a cattle baron and his sister.
Mimi Bennett
Island girl Mimi plans to leave Tahiti, but maybe she'll have a reason to stay when Mr. Endicott arrives.
Christine Riverton Duncan
Ellen Hallit is in love with her playboy boss, Douglas Morrison, but is too timid to do anything about it. To help her, her roommate Chris decides to step in, and devises a plan. Chris follows Morrison on his trip to Sun Valley, Idaho and plays the overattentive female, hoping that he will send for Ellen (who often played his "fiancée" when he had a female he couldn't discourage otherwise.) Complications arise when Chris catches the eye of band leader Dick Layne, and finds herself caught in a triangle between the two men.
Self (archive footage)
This short focuses on the job of the costume designer in the production of motion pictures. The costume designer must design clothing that is correct for the film historically and geographically, and must be appropriate for the mood of the individual scene. We see famed costume designer Edith Head at work on a production. The Costume Designer was part of The Industry Film Project, a twelve-part series produced by the film studios and the Academy. Each series episode was produced to inform the public on a specific facet of the motion picture industry.
Self (uncredited)
This short film takes a look at the off-screen personas of screen actors.
Eve Barrett
Uma estilista de roupas de banho está determinada a proteger sua desmiolada irmã de um destruidor de corações da América do Sul, mas um caso de identidade equivocada complica as coisas. A desmiolada Betty Barrett confunde o massagista Jack Spratt com Jose O'Rourke, o capitão da equipe de pólo Sul-Americana. Spratt entra na brincadeira, mas a situação se complica quando eles se apaixonam. Enquanto isso Eve, a sensível irmã mais velha de Betty, teme que Betty fique com o coração partido quando descobrir a confusão. Então ela arranja um encontro com o verdadeiro O'Rourke, mas, para complicar um pouco mais, o amor logo floresce entre eles também.
K.C. Higgins
O time de basebol Wolves fica cozinhado quando eles acham que foram comprados por um tal de KC Higgins, um provável "Cabeça de Bagre", que pretende ter uma atuação ativa na gestão da equipe. Mas KC se revela uma grande surpresa. É uma bela mulher que realmente entende de beisebol. O segunda base Dennis Ryan cai imediatamente de amores por ela. Mas seu companheiro de quarto e playboy Eddie O'Brien tem suas próprias ideias de como lidar com a nova senhora proprietária e alguns jogadores desagradáveis têm suas próprias ideias sobre como lidar com Eddie.
Rosalind Rennolds
A young navy lieutenant is brought in as technical adviser on a song-dance-and-swim film being made by screen star Rosalind Reynolds. Having once done a number with her at a Forces show, the young lad somehow believes she should be his girl. Her boyfriend is just one of those disagreeing.
Nora Cambaretti
An ex-GI falls for a bathing beauty.
Maria Morales
When a matador leaves town to focus on his music, his twin sister takes on his identity in the bullfighting ring.
Esther Williams - Signing Autographs (uncredited)
Light bio-pic of American Broadway pioneer Jerome Kern, featuring renditions of the famous songs from his musical plays by contemporary stage artists, including a condensed production of his most famous: 'Showboat'.
Connie Allenbury
When a newspaper accuses a wealthy socialite of being a home-wrecker, she files a multi-million-dollar libel lawsuit. The publication's frazzled head editor now must find a way to discredit her.
Kay Lorrison
A former reporter comes back home after serving in the army during World War I and finds that it's much more difficult to find work than he expected. Desperate, one day he crashes a wedding attended by many of the city's rich and powerful, meets a beautiful girl named Kay who turns out to be his ticket to meeting those rich and powerful people, and he soon manages to land a job on a newspaper. He gets caught up in the "make money at all costs" game but receives a rude awakening when the stock market crashes in 1929.
Esther Williams (segment A Water Ballet)
O falecido grande empresário Florenz Ziegfeld olha dos céus e ordena um novo espetáculo em seu antigo grande estilo. No céu, Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. showman carinhosamente recorda seu primeiro musical da Broadway, o Ziegfeld Follies de 1907. Mesmo do céu, ele acha que pode, por uma última vez, criar essa mesma magia com a montagem de uma de suas últimas loucuras. Assim como ele pensa sobre quem ele gostaria de aparecer nessas loucuras, ele é auxiliado na realização de sua fantasia, pelo menos em sua própria mente, por luminares como Fred Astaire, Edward Arnold, "Lucille Ball ', Marion Bell, Lucille Bremer, Fanny Brice, Cyd Charisse, Judy Garland, Kathryn Grayson, Lena Horne, Gene Kelly, James Melton, Victor Moore, Virginia O'Brien, Red Skelton, Esther Williams, Keenan Wynn, e, é claro, um bando de garotas bonitas.
Cynthia Glenn
A soldier falls in love with a newly-married woman after her husband abandons her for a business meeting on their honeymoon.
Herself
Johnny Weismuller, Esther Williams and other aquatic champions present an exhibition of swimming and diving.
Caroline Marie Brooks
O compositor de canções românticas Steve (Red Skelton) ingressa numa faculdade feminina para tentar reconquistar sua esposa Caroline (Esther Williams), uma treinadora de natação. A partir daí começam muitas confusões, risadas garantidas e memoráveis balés aquáticos. Skelton em ótima forma e Esther Williams abalando os corações com seu corpo escultural, sem contar com inúmeras beldades como alunas da bela Williams. Uma comédia deliciosa.
This short celebrates the 20th anniversary of MGM. Segments are shown from several early hits, then from a number of 1944 releases.
Ellen Bright
Uma sentimental, patriótica (se não propagandística) fantasia de Hollywood sobre um piloto de bombardeiro morto na Segunda Guerra Mundial, Maj. Pete Sandidge que se torna anjo da guarda para outro piloto, o capitão. Ted Randall, orientando Randall através de batalhas e ajudando-o no romance de sua ex-namorada, apesar de sua devoção excessiva a memória do Sandidge.
Sheila Brooks
Andy (Mickey Rooney), ligado à faculdade, deixa escapar propostas de casamento para sua namorada Polly (Ann Rutherford) e sua amiga Sheila (Esther Williams).
Sheila Brooks (screen test footage) (uncredited)
In this "Romance of Celluloid", MGM showcases performers whose careers are just starting. Excerpts from their recently released films are included. The narrator says that moviegoers will have to decide whether these fledgling actors and actresses have that certain quality that made superstars out of MGM players Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, and Lana Turner.
Mrs. Smith
The Devil works with Adolf Hitler to cause inflation in the United States.
