TOMORROW {BOB FOSSE AND AGNES DE MILLE} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of late-night topical interview programs hosted by Tom Snyder. On this edition, Snyder's guests are legendary choreographer Agnes de Mille and acclaimed director/choreographer Bob Fosse. As George Benson's hit song, "On Broadway," plays, Snyder predicts success for Fosse's new film, "All that Jazz," and interpretes the film's message about egos in the entertainment industry; he also cites the recent PBS documentary, "Agnes de Mille: Conversations About the Dance," featuring the Joffrey Ballet. Snyder screens the opening sequence from "All that Jazz," showing a cattle call dance audition. Highlights of this program include the following: Snyder recalls trying to take New York transportation after viewing "All that Jazz" the previous night and introduces his guests and asks them about the cattle call nature of dance auditions; Fosse confesses he has turned down the best dancers in the business by mistake; disclosing the qualities he seeks when auditioning dancers, Fosse says he squints at auditions so he can watch the body move and not see the face; both choreographers agree upon the difficulty of spotting stage presence and gauging who will take direction, and then examine why dancing is considered a "sissy" activity in the U.S.; Fosse explains what made him want to be a dancer; the guests analyze what makes their dances accessible to wide audiences and cite the importance of television in making good dancing available; as Snyder tries talking about sex and dancing after a commercial break, de Mille is surprised to learn that the show's taping has resumed; Fosse discusses sexual elements in the "Air Erotica" dance number in "All that Jazz" and mentions an erotic number that composer Stephen Schwartz wanted cut from the Broadway musical "Pippin"; de Mille recalls her scenes which shocked people and introduces a clip of the Joffrey Ballet dancing the scandalous "volta" from "Agnes de Mille: Conversations About the Dance"; Fosse protests that "All That Jazz" is not entirely autobiographical and introduces a clip in which the lead stages a conventional Broadway number that segues into a "ballet of sexual fantasies"; Fosse notes that it takes a day to film a minute's worth of dancing, and reveals differences between choreographing for stage and screen; de Mille analyzes differences between choreographing the stage and film versions of "Oklahoma!"; she discloses how dancers' personalities shape her choreography, praises the irreplaceable Joan McCracken, and notes that dancers often dance with injuries; Fosse agrees with Snyder that eliminating an intermission can indicate a producer feels a show is a "dog"; de Mille dismisses being labeled the "grand old dame" of dance and explains why she recently restaged "Oklahoma!", remarking that it opened doors for trained dancers instead of showgirls; the guests discuss contemporary salaries for dancers and injuries that can occur; Snyder talks about dancers' fragile egos and questions whether they dislike the prominent billing choreographers and directors receive; Fosse discusses the financial value of television commercials, especially the impact of the "Pippin" commercial -- the first one for a Broadway musical; Fosse acknowledges his ambivalent feelings toward show business and its destructive influence; de Mille and Fosse disclose their resolutions and new perceptions after near-death illnesses; and Snyder concludes the program with a recording of Ethel Merman singing "There's No Business Like Show Business." Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: January 31, 1980 1:00 AM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:46:29
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:41869
- GENRE: Talk/Interviews
- SUBJECT HEADING: Choreography; Dance; Films - Production and direction; Interviews; Theater - Production and direction
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV series, 1973-1982
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Pamela Burke … Producer
- Bob Carman … Associate Producer
- Pat Caso … Staff Producer
- George Paul … Director
- Donald Berman … Talent Coordinator
- Robert Morton … Talent Coordinator
- Tom Snyder … Host, Interviewer
- Agnes DeMille
- Bob Fosse