Vera-Ellen Tries To Get Perry Como To Dance!

Because of his "Mr. Relaxation" persona/moniker, Perry Como was good-naturedly ribbed throughout his career by showbiz personalities, with the zenith of the jests perhaps being SCTV's "Perry Como: Still Alive" skit in the early eighties, featuring a semi-comatose Eugene Levy crooning his way through songs. But when it came to lampooning Como's laid-back image no one was more proficient at it than Como himself. He beat the SCTV lampooners to the punch over two decades earlier by portraying himself falling asleep in the middle of his own TV show! (see the end of the "Kewpie Doll" video I've posted).

Here, from 1956, we have another example of Como having some fun with his image. In order to get out of dancing, he sends in another dancer (the show's choreographer, Louis DaPron) to take his place. Meanwhile, Mr. Como relegates himself to a rocking chair onstage and yawns through the performance!

Sorry about the less-than-stellar video quality; gotta settle for what's available with some of these early clips.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• perry como
• vera-ellen
• louis dapron
• gimme
• give me that old soft shoe
• soft shoe song
• live
• dance
• dancing
• television
• tv
• 1956

[TrevorHoltzworth]

Vera Ellen The Greatest Dancer

Of All The Hollywood Musicals

[Dancndon99]

I would like to add to these wonderful clips from yesteryear. I had the honor of studying with Louis DaPron as a young dancer myself. I started dancing as a child taking lessons from another dancer who herself worked as a child in many of the Peggy Ryan-Donald O'Connor movies, Choreographed by Mr. DaPron.

The last time I saw Vera Ellen was shortly before her passing taking a ballet class in Hollywood. You couldn't miss that great leg extention she still had long into her retirement.

[DyreStraits]

How nice. What a glimpse of 50s television. Vera-Ellen shows her stuff and makes it look so easy.

[youyong28]

There was nobody better than Vera-Ellen.

[angelamermaid]

That was cute, thanks for sharing!

[kennhon]

Even though Mr. Como got her name wrong.. this was on Feb. 18, 1956 [she was 35]. You'll notice her dance partner, Louis Da Pron, was outta breath, but she was still doing HIGH kicks, and continued to sing with Perry w/o any hint of heavy breathing. She, also, appeared on his show again on his Thanksgiving show in 1958, dancing, and singing to, "Shall We Dance". I don't think this is on You Tube,etc. Too bad, because GREAT composer, Harry Warren was on that show, too.

[PierreC2]

thank you for this WONDERFUL CLIP of Vera-Ellen THANK YOU THAN YOU...Please bring some more !

[nuzzi7]

this is great!!! Thank you for posting. Two of the kindest people in the business.

[Diiixdixo]

Thank you thank you thank you!!!!