Busby Berkeley Picture
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Busby Berkeley (1895–1976)


Busby Berkeley was one of the greatest choreographers in the U.S. movie musical. He started his career in the US Army in 1918, as a lieutenant in the artillery conducting and directing parades. After the cease fire he was ordered to stage camp shows for the soldiers. Back in the US he became stage actor and assistant director in smaller acting troops... See full bio »

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Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 1 win See more awards »

Known For


Filmography

Hide HideMiscellaneous Crew (36 titles)
1962 Billy Rose's Jumbo (choreographer - uncredited)
 
1953 Easy to Love (choreographer)
 
1953 Small Town Girl (choreographer)
 
1952 Million Dollar Mermaid (choreographer)
 
1951 Two Tickets to Broadway (choreographer)
 
1951 Call Me Mister (choreographer)
 
1950 Two Weeks with Love (choreographer)
 
1950 Annie Get Your Gun (director: some scenes - deleted from final print - uncredited)
 
1943 The Gang's All Here (dance director)
 
1943 Three Cheers for the Girls (short) (director: archive footage - uncredited)
 
1939 The Wizard of Oz (choreographer: scarecrow's dance - uncredited / deleted from final print)
 
1939 Broadway Serenade (director: finale number)
 
1938 Gold Diggers in Paris (dance numbers created and directed by)
 
1937 Hollywood Hotel (dances created and directed by - uncredited)
 
1937 Varsity Show (creator: finale, director: finale)
 
1937 The Singing Marine (dance numbers created and directed by)
 
1936 Gold Diggers of 1937 (numbers created and directed by)
 
1935 Stars Over Broadway (numbers staged and directed by)
 
1935 I Live for Love (choreographer - uncredited)
 
1935 In Caliente (numbers created and directed by)
 
1935 Gold Diggers of 1935 (dances created and staged by)
 
1934 Dames (numbers created and directed by)
 
1934 Wonder Bar (numbers created and directed by)
 
1933 Roman Scandals (production numbers director)
 
1933 Footlight Parade (numbers created and directed by)
 
1933 Gold Diggers of 1933 (numbers created and directed by)
 
1933 42nd Street (creator: dances and ensembles, stager: dances and ensembles)
 
1932 The Kid from Spain (numbers created and directed by)
 
1932 Bird of Paradise (choreographer - uncredited)
 
1932 Night World (choreographer)
 
1932 Girl Crazy (choreographer - uncredited)
 
1932 Sky Devils (choreographer)
 
1931 Flying High (dances stager)
 
1931 Palmy Days (dances and ensembles)
 
1931 Kiki (dances staged by)
 
1930 Whoopee! (dances and ensembles staged by)
 
Show ShowDirector (30 titles)
1956 MGM Parade (TV series)
Episode #1.24 (1956) (archive footage)
 
1954-1955 Big Town (TV series)
The Lovers (1955)
The School Teacher (1955)
The Airplane Story (1955)
Boys Week (1954)
 
1951 The Blue Veil (uncredited)
 
1950 Annie Get Your Gun ( - uncredited / footage unused and completely reshot)
 
1943 Girl Crazy ("I Got Rhythm" number)
 
1943 Cabin in the Sky (director: "Shine" sequence - uncredited)
 
1941 Lady Be Good (uncredited)
 
1941 Ziegfeld Girl (musical numbers)
 
1939 Babes in Arms
 
1937 Hollywood Hotel
 
1937 The Go Getter
 
1936 Stage Struck
 
1935 I Live for Love
 
1935 Bright Lights
 
1934 Dames (musical numbers)
 
Show ShowMusic Department (8 titles)
1954 Rose Marie (stager: musical numbers)
 
1948 Romance on the High Seas (musical numbers creator and director)
 
1945 All Star Musical Revue (short) (director: musical numbers)
 
1943 Three Cheers for the Girls (short) (creator of musical numbers)
 
1942 Born to Sing (director of musical numbers: finale)
 
1942 Calling All Girls (short) (creator and director of musical numbers)
 
1941 Lady Be Good (director: musical numbers)
 
1934 Fashions of 1934 (musical numbers creator and director)
 
Show ShowActor (3 titles)
1933 Footlight Parade
Drugstore Clerk (uncredited)
 
1933 Gold Diggers of 1933
Call Boy (uncredited)
 
1931 Palmy Days
Fortune Teller (uncredited)
 
1962 Billy Rose's Jumbo (second unit director)
 
Show ShowSoundtrack (1 title)
1933 Plane Nuts (short) ("We'll Dance Until the Dawn" - uncredited, "I'll Make A Happy Landing The Lucky Day I Land You" - uncredited)
 
Show ShowThanks (1 title)
1976 That's Entertainment, Part II (documentary) (acknowledgement: the special style and content of the musical sequences were created by)
 
Show ShowSelf (9 titles)
1971 The Movie Crazy Years (TV documentary)
Himself
 
1971 New York, New York (TV series)
Himself
Episode dated 21 March 1971 (1971) … Himself
 
1971 Cinéastes de notre temps (TV series documentary)
Himself
Busby Berkeley (1971) … Himself
 
1970 The David Frost Show (TV series)
Himself
Episode #2.268 (1970) … Himself
 
1970 The Phynx
Himself
 
1942 We Must Have Music (short)
Himself
 
1935 A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio (documentary short)
Himself (uncredited)
 
1934 Hollywood Newsreel (short)
Himself (uncredited)
 
1934 And She Learned About Dames (short)
Himself (uncredited)
 
Show ShowArchive Footage (8 titles)
2008 American Masters (TV series documentary)
 
2004 Ziegfeld Girl Intro (video documentary short)
Himself
 
1998 The Canadians (TV series)
 
1998 Busby Berkeley: Going Through the Roof (TV documentary)
Himself
 
1996 Great Performances (TV series)
 
1985 That's Dancing! (documentary)
Himself
 
1975 Brother Can You Spare a Dime (documentary)
Himself
 
1963 Hollywood and the Stars (TV series)
 

Related Videos

Girl Crazy -- Watch the trailer for the musical Girl Crazy, starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland. For Me and My Gal -- Set during WW I, Palmer and Hayden team up as vaudeville artists. Harry Palmer deliberately injures his hand to avoid being drafted to the army...
Edit

Personal Details

Other Works:

Earl Carroll's Vanities (1928). Musical revue. Lyrics by Grace Henry. Music by Morris Hamilton. Based on material by W.C. Fields, Paul Gerard Smith, Joe Frisco, Robert T. Tarrant and Herman Meyer. Additional music by George Bagby, G. Romilli, Michael H. Cleary, George Whiting, Louis Alter, Mario Savino... See more »

Publicity Listings:

5 Biographical Movies  | 4 Print Biographies  | 1 Article  | See more »

Height:

5' 9" (1.75 m)
Edit

Did You Know?

Personal Quote:

In an era of breadlines, depression and wars, I tried to help people get away from all the misery...to turn their minds to something else. I wanted to make people happy, if only for an hour. See more »

Trivia:

On his way home from a party thrown by William Koenig to celebrate the completion of In Caliente, Busby hit two vehicles, killing three people in the second car: William von Brieson, his mother, and sister-in-law. Tried for murder, Berkeley, represented by Jerry Giesler, was acquitted in a third trial after the previous two ended in hung juries. See more »

Nickname:

Buzz See more »

Star Sign:

Sagittarius