Thursday, March 7, 2013

Hal LeRoy, Tap Dancer

I was watching one of my favorite things on Turner Classic Movies the other night, "TCM Extras." I sometimes find myself tuning in to TCM about 20 minutes before the next film is scheduled, just to watch for an Extra. I realize how much work it is to maintain a web site, but I do think Turner could do a better job of listing the wonderful short films they use as fillers between features.

They should also offer these great shorts in collections in their store. I searched the store for 'extras' and found E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982) and a series called "Extras" starring Ricky Gervais (b. 1961) that was on television a few years ago. No joy there either.

Back to my viewing experience. The short musical film I caught was The Knight is Young (1938) starring Hal Le Roy (1913 - 1985) and June Allyson (1917 - 2006). This was Allyson's eighth film, all of her work on screen was in shorts (short films, I mean) up until then.

June is trapped in her apartment because she doesn't have the rent money, and Hal is a sign painter she can see from the window. Hal shows June what tap dancing is all about, and later returns to rescue her through the window. Before he comes back, June has a fantasy day-dream about a Scotsman on the new sign Hal just painted, and we enjoy a dance routine by the Gae Foster Girls. June and Hal then go dancing at the Sign Painters' Ball...all in 19 minutes, including a surprise ending.

Two-reelers like this are a load of fun, requiring no thought at all. Just sit back and enjoy. They should be required viewing at every movie theater, taking the place of some of the ads.

When this short started on TV, I thought I remembered Hal Le Roy's name. Sure enough, I had the pleasure of meeting Hal at a Son's of the Desert event in 1982. Since he never became a big movie star, he fits in perfectly here as a Bit Actor.

Hal Le Roy was a vaudevillian, and he played all over. He started dancing on the stage at age 15 and was an instant hit. He was popular through the 1930s at music halls including Radio City, and would occasionally get a dancing role in a movie. His film career was not as good as his Broadway or vaudeville work.

Hal only appeared in 22 films, mostly shorts, and a few television shows. His first feature was Wonder Bar (1934) starring Al Jolson (1886 - 1950), Kay Francis (1905 - 1968), and Dolores del Rio (1904 - 1983). Hal was in black face, but Jolson appeared that way many times. This film was released just a few months before the Hays Code censored anything untoward on the screen. With Dick Powell, Guy Kibbee and Hugh Herbert also in the cast, this is a film I want to see.

Hal's next film gives him a starring role in a feature. Harold Teen (1934) also includes Clara Blandick (1880 - 1962) who would go on the become Auntie Em in The Wizard of Oz (1939).

In 1937 he worked with June Allyson in Swing for Sale. I guess it had some swing dancing. He would also work with June in Ups and Downs (1937), which was Phil Silvers' (1911 - 1985) first screen appearance, and The Prisoner of Swing (1938) which includes Eddie Foy, Jr.

Hal worked with Jimmy Durante (1893 - 1980) in Start Cheering (1938); danced with Betty Hutton (1921 - 2007) in her first film, Public Jitterbug No. 1 (1939); and his final film was Too Many Girls (1940) with Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Ann Miller and Frances Langford.

Le Roy's dancing style has been likened to Ray Bolger. Both were incredibly thin and seemed to be made of rubber. Hal did a great job of incorporating dance into the most unlikely stories. He was a washing machine salesman who excelled by dancing his sales pitch!

I don't remember much about my conversation with Hal or our time together. I did take his photo for you to enjoy. Hal passed away just three years after I met him.

This photo is free for non-profit use.
Please list my credit if your re-post it.
Higher quality is also available. Just e-mail.
Thanks!


10 comments:

  1. I have never seen Hal Leroy or any of these titles you've mentioned. I would love to see him dance.

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    1. Thanks for commenting, Silver. I had never seen one of Hal's movies either, until last week. We didn't have anything to screen when I met him back in the 80's. His dancing is fast and energetic, especially his tap dancing.

      Your best bet for finding him would be on a DVD collection that includes shorts. Hopefully the box will list all the titles. A search on Amazon brought up Hal Roach, Leroy Shield and Bad Leroy Brown. Not much help.

      Or, write to TCM and ask them to add TCM Extras into their web site and magazine. An improved search on the web site would also be helpful. I think that sounds like a good idea!

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    2. I had an opportunity to go the 1982 Sons meeting in NYC to see Hal Leroy. Since I did not know anything about him, I stayed home. I regret it.
      Last year, I acquired a 1930s autographed picture.

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    3. Thanks for the comment. I knew nothing about Hal at the time I met him. He was friendly and open with us, but as you, I wish I knew more about him (and classic films, for that matter) back then.

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  2. When I was a small boy I remember Hal Leroy on stage at a vaudeville show and I was amazed when he sat in a chair and tap danced around the legs of the chair.Nearest performer to him was Ray Bolger but I do believe that Hal Leroy was the most flexible and was better than Ray Bolger.

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    1. Thanks for sharing that wonderful memory, Tony. I am glad I could bring it back for you. Hal was much more of a treasure than most people know. How many others were out there, and are now forgotten?

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  3. Did Hal make any commercials? I believe I saw him in one.

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    1. Sorry I can't give you a definite answer, Tony. My guess is that he did. Entertainers will take whatever work they can get!

      I am not even sure why he stopped working in television. Surely there would have been many variety shows in the 1950s where he would have been great.

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    2. I just remembered that I seen Hal dance in an Arthur Treacher's commercial a while back.

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  4. You can see, hear, and enjoy the musical short "Ups And Downs," starring Hal Le Roy, June Allison, and Phil Silvers, as an extra feature on the DVD for the movie "Stage Door," starring Katherine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Adolpe Menjou, Gail Patrick, Lucille Ball, Eve Arden, Ann Miller, and Andrea Leeds. I found this DVD at my local library branch. Such awesome talent and creativity. You won't see entertainment like this today.

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