‘White Christmas:’ 10 Secrets About Everyone’s Favorite Holiday Movie

With all of the holiday movies out there, it's hard to pick a favorite. They're all great, but they are also all very different.

It's a Wonderful Life, for exampleis bound to make you shed a tear at least once during the film.

White Christmas, on the other hand, is hands down guaranteed to get a laugh out of you. Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye, and Vera-Ellen are all true stars in this Christmas film, and their quartet makes the film stand out among all others, at least to me!

Behind every film, though, hides the secrets that most folks never find out unless they go hunting for them. All of the behind-the-scenes juice that make watching your favorite films that much better is out there waiting for you to find it.

Luckily, we've gathered the gossip and trivia for you right here with these 10 fun facts. Did you ever know any of them before?

Please SHARE this fun list with your family and friends on Facebook, just in time for the holidays!

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1. Crosby Loved To Improvise

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The midnight snack scene where Bob Wallace goes into detail about which foods create what kinds of dreams, according to Rosemary Clooney, was almost entirely improvised.

2. Crosby's Laughter Was Real

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YouTube / Paramount Movies

The "Sisters" reprise where Kaye and Crosby do the dance with the blue fans wasn't originally in the script. The two men were fooling around on set when director Michael Curtiz saw their antics and decided to film it. Crosby's laughter in the scene was a genuine response to Kaye's very, very silly dancing. They had a cleaner take, but that laugh was just too good to pass up.

3. Danny Kaye Was A Last Minute Replacement

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Fred Astaire was the original choice to star beside Bing Crosby, but the filming took place during the time that he'd temporarily retired. The role was next given to Donald O'Connor, but he too had to back out for a much stranger reason: he'd contracted Q-fever from the talking mule he starred with in Francis Joins the WACs.

So, in the final hour, Danny Kaye was cast as the co-star. Good thing, too, or else that "Sisters" reprise may never have happened!

4. Vera-Ellen Only Sang Once

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YouTube / Paramount Movies

Vera-Ellen's own voice is only heard briefly, when the quartet sings the opening lines to "Snow" live during the railroad scene. For the rest of the movie, Rosemary Clooney's good friend, Trudy Stevens, dubbed all of her songs.

5. Crosby Inspired His Own Character

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Crosby had a very distinct speech pattern, and writers lifted many of Bob Wallace's strange sayings from the actor's own way of speaking.

6. It Was The First High-Resolution Film

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This was the first movie to ever be shot on VistaVision, a high-resolution film created by Paramount in 1954. It features the widescreen format that movies are made on today.

7. 'The New York Times' Didn't Think It Was Very Funny

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The New York Times critic went on and on about VistaVision and how crisp the image was, only to bash the integrity of the film itself, saying that it was a shame the film didn't hit the funny bone as sharply as the colors and movements met the eye.

8. The Movie Inspired A Myth About Vera-Ellen's Neck

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It is said that every piece of Vera-Ellen's wardrobe was designed to cover her neck, which had been damaged by an alleged struggle with anorexia or bulimia, both very serious eating disorders. While her neck is covered in every scene of this movie, there is no proof that previous illness was the cause. Friends claim that the style was simply her trademark, while others are sure that it was due to her struggle.

Yet, it's nearly impossible to say whether or not she even suffered from either of these illnesses, since they weren't even really considered diagnosable diseases at the time.

9. There Are Many Hidden Crossovers in Christmas Movies

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The train conductor, played by Percy Hilton, also played the drunk Santa Claus in Miracle on 34th Street. Bing Crosby is caught playing some of his songs from Holiday Inn on the piano in various parts of White Christmas, and this was the third movie in which Crosby sang "White Christmas," the first two being Holiday Inn and Blue Skies. 

Also, the Vermont Inn in this film was recycled from Holiday Inn, and you'll notice that the set (pictured above) is very gray because the previous film was shot in black and white, and no one bothered to repaint it!

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Barrie Chase, who later went on to work with the likes of Fred Astaire, danced behind Rosemary Clooney and had one line: "Mutual, I'm sure!"

George Chakiris, a future Academy Award winner, wore all black and danced behind Clooney as well in the number, "Love, You Didn't Do Right By Me."

Alfalfa, from The Little Rascals, also known as actor Carl Switzer, was Judy Haynes' brother, although he was only seen in a photograph.

Did you know any of these fun facts about this classic Christmas film? Please SHARE with your family and friends on Facebook!