Archives for March 14, 2016

Fred Astaire performs “One for My Baby,” by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, in The Sky’s The Limit, directed by Edward H. Griffith. This is the film in which the song was introduced. Robert Benchley is seen at the beginning of the scene. The dance was choreographed by Astaire:

(This is the latest in a series of arts-related videos that appear in this space each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.)

“You cannot write tragedy without a sense of humor; the lack of it produces something turgid and dull. Wit must be the underpainting of all dark writing.”

Gene Lees, Portrait of Johnny: The Life of John Herndon Mercer (courtesy of Patrick Kurp)