Million Dollar Mermaid
Encyclopedia
Million Dollar Mermaid is a 1952
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
biographical
musical film
of the life of Australia
n swimming star Annette Kellerman
. It was directed by Mervyn LeRoy
and produced by Arthur Hornblow Jr. from a screenplay
by Everett Freeman. The music score was by Adolph Deutsch
, the cinematography by George J. Folsey
and the choreography
by Busby Berkeley
.
George J. Folsey
received a 1953 Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography, Color.
The film stars Esther Williams
, Victor Mature
, and Walter Pidgeon
, with David Brian
and Donna Corcoran
.
(1945), Fiesta
(1947), This Time for Keeps
(1947), Pagan Love Song (1950) and Easy to Love
(1953).
1952 in film
The year 1952 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 10 - Cecil B. DeMille's circus epic, The Greatest Show on Earth, premieres at Radio City Music Hall in New York City....
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
biographical
Biographical film
A biographical film, or biopic , is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or people. They differ from films “based on a true story” or “historical films” in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a person’s life story or at least the most historically important years of their...
musical film
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
of the life of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n swimming star Annette Kellerman
Annette Kellerman
Annette Marie Sarah Kellerman was an Australian professional swimmer, vaudeville and film star, and writer...
. It was directed by Mervyn LeRoy
Mervyn LeRoy
Mervyn LeRoy was an American film director, producer and sometime actor.-Early life:Born to Jewish parents in San Francisco, California, his family was financially ruined by the 1906 earthquake...
and produced by Arthur Hornblow Jr. from a screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
by Everett Freeman. The music score was by Adolph Deutsch
Adolph Deutsch
Adolph Deutsch was a composer, conductor and arranger. He won Oscars for his background music for Oklahoma! , and for conducting the music for Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Annie Get Your Gun...
, the cinematography by George J. Folsey
George J. Folsey
George J. Folsey, A.S.C. was an American cinematographer who worked on 162 films between 1919 and his retirement in 1976....
and the choreography
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
by Busby Berkeley
Busby Berkeley
Busby Berkeley was a highly influential Hollywood movie director and musical choreographer. Berkeley was famous for his elaborate musical production numbers that often involved complex geometric patterns...
.
George J. Folsey
George J. Folsey
George J. Folsey, A.S.C. was an American cinematographer who worked on 162 films between 1919 and his retirement in 1976....
received a 1953 Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography, Color.
The film stars Esther Williams
Esther Williams
Esther Jane Williams is a retired American competitive swimmer and MGM movie star.Williams set multiple national and regional swimming records in her late teens as part of the Los Angeles Athletic Club swim team...
, Victor Mature
Victor Mature
Victor John Mature was an American stage, film and television actor.-Early life:Mature was born in Louisville, Kentucky to an Italian-speaking father from the town Pinzolo, in the Italian part of the former County of Tyrol , Marcello Gelindo Maturi, later Marcellus George Mature, a cutler,...
, and Walter Pidgeon
Walter Pidgeon
Walter Davis Pidgeon was a Canadian actor, who starred in many motion pictures, including Mrs...
, with David Brian
David Brian
David Brian was an American actor and dancer.-Career:Brian was signed by Warner Bros. in 1949 and appeared in such films as The Damned Don't Cry! and Flamingo Road with Joan Crawford, and Beyond the Forest with Bette Davis...
and Donna Corcoran
Donna Corcoran
Donna Corcoran, is a former child actress who appeared in several Hollywood films of the early 1950s. She most notably appeared in several aquatic musicals that featured Esther Williams ,and as a vulnerable girl being victimized by an emotionally disturbed babysitter in a more...
.
Cast
- Esther WilliamsEsther WilliamsEsther Jane Williams is a retired American competitive swimmer and MGM movie star.Williams set multiple national and regional swimming records in her late teens as part of the Los Angeles Athletic Club swim team...
... Annette KellermanAnnette KellermanAnnette Marie Sarah Kellerman was an Australian professional swimmer, vaudeville and film star, and writer... - Victor MatureVictor MatureVictor John Mature was an American stage, film and television actor.-Early life:Mature was born in Louisville, Kentucky to an Italian-speaking father from the town Pinzolo, in the Italian part of the former County of Tyrol , Marcello Gelindo Maturi, later Marcellus George Mature, a cutler,...
... James Sullivan - Walter PidgeonWalter PidgeonWalter Davis Pidgeon was a Canadian actor, who starred in many motion pictures, including Mrs...
... Frederick Kellerman - David BrianDavid BrianDavid Brian was an American actor and dancer.-Career:Brian was signed by Warner Bros. in 1949 and appeared in such films as The Damned Don't Cry! and Flamingo Road with Joan Crawford, and Beyond the Forest with Bette Davis...
... Alfred Harper - Donna CorcoranDonna CorcoranDonna Corcoran, is a former child actress who appeared in several Hollywood films of the early 1950s. She most notably appeared in several aquatic musicals that featured Esther Williams ,and as a vulnerable girl being victimized by an emotionally disturbed babysitter in a more...
... Annette Kellerman at age 10 - Jesse WhiteJesse WhiteJesse White may refer to:*Jesse White , film and television actor*Jesse White , Illinois politician*Jesse J. White, member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives*Jesco White, the West Virginia "Dancing Outlaw"...
... Doc Cronnol - Maria TallchiefMaria TallchiefMaria Tallchief was the first native-American prima ballerina. From 1942 to 1947 she danced with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, but she is best known for her time with the New York City Ballet from 1947 to 1965.-Early life:...
... Pavlova - Howard FreemanHoward FreemanHoward Freeman was an American stage actor of the early 20th century, and film and television actor of the 1940s through the 1960s....
... Aldrich, Lecture Bureau - Charles Watts ... Policeman on Revere Beach
- Wilton Graff ... Garvey the Producer
- Frank Ferguson ... Boston Prosecutor
- James Bell ... Boston Judge
- James Flavin ... Train conductor
- Willis Bouchey ... Movie director
The title
"Million Dollar Mermaid" not only became Esther Williams' nickname around Hollywood, but it became the title of her autobiography (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1999), co-written with Digby Diehl. Williams has often called this her favorite film.Home media
On October 6, 2009, Turner Entertainment released Million Dollar Mermaid on DVD as part of the Esther Williams Spotlight Collection, Volume 2. The 6 disc set was a follow up to the company's Esther Williams Spotlight Collection, Volume 1, and contains digitally remastered versions of several of Williams's films including Thrill of a RomanceThrill of a Romance
Thrill of a Romance was an American romance film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1945, starring Van Johnson, Esther Williams and Carleton G. Young, with musical performances by opera singer Lauritz Melchior...
(1945), Fiesta
Fiesta (1947 film)
Fiesta was an American Technicolor musical-drama film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1947, starring Esther Williams, Ricardo Montalbán, Mary Astor and Cyd Charisse. The film was directed by Richard Thorpe and written by George Bruce and Lester Cole...
(1947), This Time for Keeps
This Time for Keeps
This Time for Keeps is an American romantic musical film released in 1947 and produced by MGM. It is about a soldier, returning home from war who does not wish to work for his father's opera company or to continue his relationship with his pre-war lover. It stars Esther Williams, Jimmy Durante,...
(1947), Pagan Love Song (1950) and Easy to Love
Easy to Love (film)
Easy to Love is a 1953 musical film directed by Charles Walters. It stars Esther Williams and Van Johnson.-Cast:*Esther Williams as Julie Hallerton*Van Johnson as Ray Lloyd*Tony Martin as Barry Gordton*John Bromfield as Hank...
(1953).