The greatest performance by a dress in television history.

It was designed by Bob Mackie, who would later work for Carol Burnett and Cher.

The dress is eleventyzillion times better than the voice.

Sexy yet not slutty. Sad bitches these days think dressing like a stripper is what sexy is about.

That was fun. I agree with R2. The dress was way better.

r2 and r4, Mitzi Gaynor would agree with you. She's that great and always in on the joke.

I wonder what happened to the dancers in the video?

Mitzi was the poor man's version of Jayne Mansfield.

Damn R6, that’s the first thing I thought of too. That dress, those boys, that number....FABULOUS!!!!!

Love the dress - it reminds me of Marilyn's when she sang to JFK. Probably pretty scandalous in the day.

And Mitzi is a name that deserves a come-back. It's fun as hell.

[quote]Mitzi was the poor man's version of Jayne Mansfield.

No she was not. Not at all. A completely different type and performer.

That number is excellent. The song, the choreography, the way it was filmed.

Gaynor's often off-key singing voice even works here. It's a Brazilian song....ever hear Astrud Gilberto?

I love her. I named my Lhasa Apso after her.

Great stories from her. She self aware. I love that.

^^^ She talks about them. Very handsome couple.

I win.

The dress deserved it's own series. That song would have been better in Spanish.

R16 Spanish? The song is so Brazilian Portuguese.

The original song. Gorgeous.

I always loved Bob Mackie’s fashions. Perfect dress for that performance and Mitzi wore it well. I too wondered about the guys — no close-ups, and I wonder if any of them later became famous. Also wonder, who today could wear that dress as beautifully as Mitzi did?

I’m tired. I wasn’t clear in R19.

What I meant was, if we were able to see their faces clearly, I wonder if any of the guys would be recognizable to us now, as celebrities.

..................

Absolutely gay iconic moment. Mitzi loves the gays. She a gay ally. People gave her shit about it but she was like fuck yoooooou! She respected gays at a time when most people in the US hated us. She was beautiful and had balls.

Choreography by Danny Daniels....choreography, wiggle wiggle , head bounce....chorepgraphy heh heh heh.

My MGM movie loving Mother took us as little kids to see her at The Westbury Music Fair on Long Island. I had no idea who she was and I didn't care. Two hours later I had no idea who she was and I didn't care. Now when Debbie Reynolds came to town that was another story.

Mitzi is the poor man's Joey Hetherton.

There is a CBS interview from about a year ago on youtube and it is very depressing. She is now an old lady who can barely move. Shrunken and feeble in a way you could never imagine this lady being. She is nearly 90 but you kind of think she would have gotten to 50 and always remained that way. She seems to have had a series of minor strokes.

[quote]Mitzi is the poor man's Joey Hetherton.

Mitzi Gaynor was a movie star. Not A -list but she did have starring roles in major productions including "South Pacific" one of the biggest box office successes of the 1950s. Moved on to TV and had a series of yearly Specials that rated highly.

Joey Heatherton can't compare.

r25, this? She almost 90. I can understand if she was a bit serious.

[quote]Choreography by Danny Daniels....choreography, wiggle wiggle , head bounce....chorepgraphy heh heh heh.

For that number that's all she needed to do. The song is a cool Samba.

The choreography between her and the boys is actually rather sophisticated.

Yes I said she's nearly 90. As unrealistic as it is you want these people to remain young. You want her to remain on stage and dance in a Mackie gown. Now she's an old woman and it hurts.

Mitzi and Marilyn.

Thank you R26, I was thinking of posting the something similar. Mitzi's not the poor man's anything, especially the examples posted here.

Mitzi is an old-fashioned, hard working broad. She worked hard at a movie career, knowing she really did not have "it" like some (and very few) others do - personally, I really enjoy her work in "There's No Business Like Show Business." She's adorable.

Movie career over? Shift gears, go to work in nightclubs and TV - a girl's got to eat and you gotta make money to do that. her TV specials rec'd high ratings, the networks asked her back over and over.

Her description of working with Mackie is great, would probably be funnier with some salty language if she had a drink in hand.

I saw an interview with Mackie years ago and he is also very clear about his job for Mitzi, Carol Cher etc... he did not create fashion he created costumes and they are very different. Costumes. Yes he can design fashion - and has, but not when the outfit is for TV or nightclubs.

Mitzi and Mackie, birds of a feather and part of a small slice of entertainment that is long gone. Thank God for youtube clips! Now let's watch Went With the Wind for the famous dress!

[quote]who today could wear that dress as beautifully as Mitzi did?

I can’t think of anyone.

Appropriate for the season, and from "Mitzi Zings Into Spring!"

𝓎𝓊𝓂-𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜!

/////////////

Mitzi was not beautiful, nor was she a great singer, and as that clip amply shows, she was far from a great dancer. And God knows she was not a great actress. But she had tons of pizzazz and energy and a great body, and she was a lot of fun.

A gorgeous Gene Kelly together with Mitzi

I know she's in heels but Gene Kelly seems small in stature compared to her.

[quote]Mitzi's not the poor man's anything, especially the examples posted here.

The only performer who I think was sort of similar to Mitzi Gaynor as far as types go was Juliet Prowse. Could we say Juliet Prowse was the poor man's Mitzi Gaynor?

No one is the poor man's Mitzi Gaynor. That's categorically impossible.

If you had told me that DL's Eldergays would get worked up by a 52 year old video of a 38 year old woman in a dress singing torch songs....

To change the topic.. Also , by Bob Mackie Carol Burnett's drapery dress in WENT WITH THE WIND .

Fun OP thanks

I warned her not to wear it and face worldwide humiliation.

Surely Deborah Kerr owns this thread for frocks in films?

R37, thanks for the "Les Girls" clip... I didn't know Mitzi danced with Gene Kelly. You're right, Kelly is definitely not tall in it - he and MG seem well-matched in size.

It's definitely a routine that shows how different Kelly and Astaire were... Fred could never have pulled off that outfit and attitude. Gene really was sexy when he wanted to be.

And yes, perhaps Prowse was the poor man's Gaynor.

BTW - I saw Mitzi as Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes, back in the early 1990s. Her costumes were by Bob Mackie (natch!). I remember her as being too much Mitzi and not enough in character. True story, she left the stage during the big "Blow Gabriel Blow" number in order to change costumes! She re-appeared with a big, ta-da type reveal. Ridiculous, I think some of the audience loved it.

That dress with it's illusion of nudity reminds me of the Jean Louis designed dress for Marlene in concert.

The naked dress was done for Mitzi first. Cher made it a sensation at the MET gala.

Bob always talks about Mitzi in interviews. I never knew her or anything about her.

I went back and looked her up on You Tube. What a great broad. So much to love.

R44, actually the exit is part of the number. I cannot remember if LuPone changed costume.

(But she famously got involved in a card game with stage hands and nearly missed her re-entrance.)

R15 - Madonna did it better on the MTV Music Awards

r18, fuck, I didn't even recognize it!

Mackie was working here from the plinth of the designer JeanLouis, who invented the modern version of the nude dress for Marlene Dietrich for her Cafe de Paris and Vegas shows. They used a newly invented stretch moussiline (sp) to sew the sewuins on, but it would tear easily. Dieteich used to show her nipples for the Parisian audiences.

She is incredible. So good to her dancers. One of my friends had AIDS in the early 90s. She kept him working as long as he wanted. When he couldn’t dance anymore she put him in charge of the dancers. Loyal to him til the end, and his partner afterward. Her husband showed the same loyalty. She has worked hard and lived her life well.

Mitzi was originally considered to play Sugar Kane in Some Like it Hot, before Marilyn became involved.

R23, Danny Daniels was a respected Broadway and film dancer and choreographer.

His Broadway credits.

R51, were your friends Wayne and Ron?

Beautiful! What a dress and what a body!

R55, no. Michael was his name.

Thanks, R55. I knew a couple of her dancers back then.

I think was Mitzi like the Betty Grable of the 1950s for Fox but not as big as star as Grable was in the 1940s. She had the same all-American girl quality without the sex appeal of a Marilyn. Check out There's No Business Like Show Business where Mitzi and Marilyn have a number together called "Lazy".

The greatest performance by cowbells in a pussy.

She moves so effortlessly and elegantly in the "Les Girls" clip. She pairs beautifully with Kelly, nice sexual energy. Love the contrast between their hair color too.

[quote]Mitzi was the poor man's version of Jayne Mansfield.

You apparently have confused Mitzi Gaynor with Mamie Van Doren, who was the poor man's version of Jayne Mansfield, who was the poor man's version of Marilyn Monroe.

R62 OR maybe he confused her with Diana Dors who was the poor man's version of Mamie Van Doren, who was the poor man's version of Jayne Mansfield, who was the poor man's version of Marilyn Monroe.

Maybe you could make the case that Mitzi was the poor man's Doris Day. After all she got South Pacific, a part you would think Doris would have been given.

as for what happened to the guys, I'm not sure, but here are their names.

Oh, this show won an Emmy -- not for the dress though.

I remember this special "Mitzi Zings into Spring" when I was a kid; it pre-empted regular programming and I thought WHO is this woman?

And why is she 'zinging' into spring?

In an interview about the making of "South Pacific," Mitzi credits Joshua Logan as being "the man who got me out of sequins." Clearly she didn't stay out of them for very long.

By the time 1960 rolled around, if you were going to cast a big film musical you'd go with Doris Day, Shirley McLaine, Debbie Reynolds, Shirley Jones. And then Julie Andrews and Babs showed up. So really, there wasn't much room for a Mitzi Gaynor.

Apparently this is the number (below) that landed her, her TV Specials and was the start of her comeback.

Legend has it that this number got the longest applause for a musical number in Oscar history.

R68, one of those dancers is Lee Roy Reams.

Well "South Pacific" was lousy and ugly with it's weird gels and filters masking the glorious scenery. Something everyone including the director regretted. It wasn't even a big hit, "The Sound Of Music" played three years in theaters in it's initial run and re-released many times. "South Pacific" isn't remotely considered a classic.

[quote]Well "South Pacific" was lousy and ugly with it's weird gels and filters masking the glorious scenery. Something everyone including the director regretted. It wasn't even a big hit,

"South Pacific" was the top-grossing movie of 1958. You don't know what you're talking about.

Plus Mitzi was the only one not dubbed.

South Pacific was a very very big hit. It played in London's Dominion theater for four fucking years. Probably the longest run of a movie in one theater ever. It is still beloved by many people.

I agree with you about the filters. It turns it into an ugly mess. Still I got to see it once in a Todd AO print in 6 track stereo on a humongous curved screen and it was a very impressive experience. The opening notes at the beginning of Bali Hai at the beginning of the movie had me pinned to the back of the theater.

[quote]Plus Mitzi was the only one not dubbed.

Juanita Hall was dubbed as Bloody Mary even though she had created the role on Broadway. Richard Rodgers preferred the singing voice of Muriel Smith, who had played the role in London, and had her dub Hall. That must have hurt.

And it seems everyone wanted Juanita Hall's voice in the film except Rodgers and his word was law. Clearly he had no problem with it in FDS.

[quote]"South Pacific" was the top-grossing movie of 1958. You don't know what you're talking about.

And for the entire decade it is tied at 11th place (with "Rear Window"). You're right, he doesn't know what he's talking about.

Dawson was the poor man's Mitzi Gaynor.

R9

Bob did the original sketches for the happy birthday dress.

Haha at R77, “Man pleasing recipes”.

Simulated nude dresses go back at least to Rita Hayworth in the mid 40s. I bet there are examples that go back further.

-------------

History of the nude illusion dress:

R33, thanks. I can finally say I saw Wayne Rogers dance.

The dress is spectacular. What really impresses me is the set decoration and the lighting. Here’s another number (which Mitzi hated) with an amazing backdrop, lighting and camera work. All rendered in the glorious 1960s palette of an RCA TK-42 color television camera.

She's now on Amazon Prime. All the tv specials.

This is FAAAAAAAABULOUS.

And all the dancing MARY!s

I wish some brave soul would give the variety show one last try, but instead of being serious about it, do it like they are in on the joke.

Do it like they know it's dated and corny but make it spectacularly so.

[quote]Bob did the original sketches for the happy birthday dress.

So he says.

This is a cool dress too.

What a dress R84 ! I am bedazzled .

Amy Sedaris on Letterman

Amy Sedaris in a thread about Mitzi Gaynor? Just no.

Oh yeah the chewbacca dress.

[quote]Amy Sedaris in a thread about Mitzi Gaynor? Just no.

This is what happens when you let J. Lo into a thread about Mitzi Gaynor.

True R7

You can tell they edited the number by the varying number of broken rhinestone strands on the floor.

[quote]True R7

That makes two posters who don't know what the fuck they're talking about.

Cher wore a version of that dress. I think she was on the cover of Time magazine wearing it. In her version the dress had a lot less sequins and was much more revealing. She looked nude in it and I guess that was the desired effect. She was on some talk show where she talked about attending some Hollywood function in it and she said a man approached her and asked "How does it feel to be out in public naked?" She was seemingly shocked by that; she tried to explain that yes, that dress showed everything but it didn't REALLY show everything. Anyway, it didn't stop her from going out in public with all her parts visible. I remember her at some skating ring wearing a top you could see through and no bra. Well, that was Cher. And being nearly nude in public is pretty much kind of standard now. At awards shows you see female celebrities (no male ones) with their parts out there for all the world to see. Ho-hum.

I love those chorus boys. Anyone had them/any? Any good?

[quote]Amy Sedaris in a thread about Mitzi Gaynor? Just no.

Sweetie, the tread is called... the greatest performance by a DRESS in television history, not some one movie hit wonder glorified Vegas showgirl.

Revoke my gay card if you must but I didn't really know much about Mitzi Gaynor before this thread. Sure, the name was familiar but I've never seen South Pacific let alone any of her TV specials. Now that I've gone down the rabbit hole of YouTube videos I can say that I'm obsessed with her. She seems to have parlayed her talent through sheer force of will into a decades long career. And so many people that have worked with her go on and on about how delightful and genuine she is - which I assume is why I can't recall ever coming across any gossip or scandal involving her.

sex-oooooooooooo!

Mackie made the mentioned Cher dress, the outfit she's pictured in,Tina's pictured outfit and of course Mitzi's costumes.

Happy 90th Mitzi!

R9 "Love the dress - it reminds me of Marilyn's when she sang to JFK"

Surely Marlene Dietrich wore it first in the late 50s?

Wiki describes it as Marlene Dietrich's celebrated beaded souffle stagewear for her cabaret world tours

R31 Seems like I read somewhere that for all the serious design he's done, he regrets that he's going to be remembered for a novelty dress.