In many of the songs, Cagney speaks the lyrics rather than sings them. But I think I remember him singing early in the film - did he do his own singing or was it dubbed by a singer? And it appears that he did all his own dancing, but is this for certain? Just curious.
Thanks
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He was simply adopting Cohan's own style of speak-singing and of dancing. There are several other films where he dances and sings more in his own style
shareCagney was an amazing dancer in his own right, yes he did everything... He was George Cohen's personal choice.... Not at first, though... but then when they met, sparks flew... In short, Cagney was VERY versatile
shareCagney was a Master Tap Dancer. So was Cohan. These were true "American Masters".
"Most children grow up. Except one."
"Forget them, Wendy. Forget them all."
...Cagney also starred in other musicals, like "Footlight Parade" (1933) and even one or two in the '50's (look 'em up on his IMDb file--I'm too lazy!)
shareYes, I just saw "Footlight Parade", and always enjoy it. I also like Cagney in "Midsummer Night's Dream". It is another switch away from his gangster movies, even though he does not sing and dance in it that I am aware of.
"Most children grow up. Except one."
"Forget them, Wendy. Forget them all."
...Yeah, well, Ol' Bill Shakespeare was never much on doing Broadway revue-type stuff, anyway, gkeith1...
shareExcept that "West Side Story" was sort of an adaptation of "Romeo and Juliet".
"Most children grow up. Except one."
"Forget them, Wendy. Forget them all."
Cagney once said "I never 'played' a song and dance man. I was one."
shareGreat quote.
You're a Mormon...Next to you, we ALL have a drinking problem.
Cagney reprises the role of Cohan in THE SEVEN LITTLE FOYS starring Bob Hope (1955). They dance (or more appropriately, hoof) together. To tie things together, Hope portrays the comedian Eddie Foy, Sr., whose son, Eddie Jr., appears in YDD portraying his father.
Also, Cagney sings & dances in a minor musical, THE WEST POINT STORY, which co-stars Virgina Mayo and Doris Day. Mayo & Cagney also starred in WHITE HEAT (a MUCH different relationship) and Cagney & Day would later do LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME.
They tried to get Cagney to come out of retirement for "My Fair Lady" for the part of Liza Doolittle's (Audrey Hepburn's) father; but he declined the offer, citing that it had only been three years since Cagney's (ostensibly) final picture, "One Two Three" and that he was through with acting. (Cagney's screen comeback would wait until 1982, with "Ragtime.")
shareCagney enlisted the help of Cohan's actual dance coach from Broadway and was the first to arrive on the set each day to practice with him. Not a wonder he won the Oscar that year. Really terrific.
Cagney also wanted to mimic Cohan only in singing and dancing. The rest of the film was more loosely based and a less true characterization. Cohan had final cut approval and at first withheld it. it was Cohan's wife who said to Cagney, "George, this is wonderful" after a personal viewing. That was the highest compliment she could have given Cagney.
One thing's for sure: No one argues that Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly were the greatest silver screen dancers of all time, but either of them would have been wrong for playing George Cohan. Cagney, on the other hand, was sheer perfection!
shareHis singign was bad, he almost rapped lol. But the dancing wow.
shareOf Cagney:
His singign was badAs bad as your spelling?
Thanks for that. I was only vaguely aware of the name George M. Cohan before watching this, but from listening to this clip, Cagney does indeed give a good impersonation of Cohan's own style.
Poorly Lived and Poorly Died, Poorly Buried and No One Criedshare
I can't think of a single Hollywood musical where a stunt dancer did the dancing for star. You can dub the singing voice, but it's hard to fake the dancing. The real Cohan didn't have much of a singing voice. He did a lot of talk singing, like Rex Harrison did in "My Fair Lady".
Soy 'un hijo de la playa'