Danny Kaye, a legacy in film and music
Actor- singer’s posthumous 100th birthday sparks resurging interest
NEW YORK — Dena Kaye frequently hears from people who have vivid stories about how her legendary father, Danny Kaye, affected their lives.
Whether it was through his movie performances, which ranged from slapstick to dramatic, or his crooning voice, his effortless dancing or his charitable works, for many, Kaye provided indelible memories that continue to be cherished to this day.
But as Dena Kaye says, those comments are usually from those of a “certain generation” — translation, an older generation. Those fans were around when classics such as White Christmas, his television shows and specials or his music were in the public consciousness.
Now, in the 100th year since his birth, Dena Kaye is determined to help a new generation discover the genius, and the generosity of her father, who died in 1987 at age 74.
“That’s one of the reasons why I am putting my heart into this centennial,” said Kaye, her father’s only child. “My goal is the centennial is a springboard. And that if parents knew him, the fact that there’s going to be more interest in him, that they’ll take their children, their grandchildren.”
So, Danny Kaye — born David Daniel Kaminsky in Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1913 — is now on Facebook with an official page. His website has been relaunched with plenty of multimedia ( www. dannykaye. com). The Library of Congress unveiled its new Danny Kaye and Sylvia Fine Collection, where countless documents, including video, audio and photographs from Dena’s parents’ own collection, are available for examination on the Internet.
“We have a big following on Facebook and his website is getting a lot of attention,” said Scott Mauro, a producer who is working with Dena Kaye to co- ordinate the centennial celebration.
There are also numerous concerts, tributes and film screenings planned throughout the year- long celebration, which officially kicked off last December ( and included a Los Angeles- area screening of the classic White Christmas, complete with artificial snow).
“Ultimately what’s going to make this centennial successful, in my mind, is that the movies are out, the DVDs are out — that people see him,” said Dena, a journalist and TV broadcaster. “You know, it’s one thing to be honoured at a dinner, but really, the point is for people to experience ( him).”
Kaye starred in 17 films, from comedies to musicals to dramas. Among them: The Kid from Brooklyn, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Five Pennies and The Court Jester.
When asked about her father’s gifts, Dena recounts his brilliance in many areas, such as his penchant for conducting. ( He once conducted The Flight of the Bumblebee using a fly swatter as a baton.) And she also notes his passion for helping others, becoming UNICEF’s first celebrity ambassador. Dena recalls her father as tender, warm, and the “least judgmental person in my life.”