Tuesday, April 01, 2014

Dancer Marc Platt Dies at 100

Dancer Marc Platt, who played Daniel in SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (1954), has passed away at the age of 100.

Platt hit the century mark last December 2nd. He passed on last Saturday, March 29th.


The Platt stills in this post are all scans of stills from my personal SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS collection. Click any image to enlarge for a closer look.

Platt's Broadway career included creating the role of "Dream Curly" in the original cast of OKLAHOMA! in 1943. It would be interesting to know if Platt was the last surviving original cast member from that ground-breaking Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. He would go on to appear as a dancer in the 1955 film version, with James Mitchell taking over the role of Dream Curly in the movie.


Platt's most notable film role other than SEVEN BRIDES was nearly a decade earlier, in another of my all-time favorite films, TONIGHT AND EVERY NIGHT (1945). Platt costarred with Rita Hayworth and Janet Blair as members of a West End theatrical troupe which kept performing during the darkest days of the London Blitz.

Below, with Norma Doggett (Martha) in a publicity photo for SEVEN BRIDES:


Platt has a fantastic solo dance routine to a radio in TONIGHT AND EVERY NIGHT, a scene which can currently be viewed on YouTube.

Platt reunited with Hayworth a couple of years later for the musical fantasy DOWN TO EARTH (1947), a loose sequel to HERE COMES MR. JORDAN (1947).

Platt is joined in the "Goin' Co'tin'" photo below by Russ Tamblyn, Tommy Rall, and Jane Powell, all of whom are still with us. Today is Jane Powell's 85th birthday!


Mr. Platt's work brought me great joy. A long life, well lived.

Previous obituary tributes to SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS dancers: Virginia Gibson (May 28, 2013), Matt Mattox (February 22, 2013), and Betty Carr (November 14, 2008).

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