April 27: White Christmas

White Christmas, the box-office smash hit of 1954, premiered at Radio City Music Hall in New York on this date. Its music was by Irving Berlin (Israel Baline); its director was Michael Curtiz (Kertész Kaminer Manó), a Hungarian Jew who also directed Casablanca, Mildred Pierce, Yankee Doodle Dandy and many other classic films; its co-star was Danny Kaye (David Kaminsky); and it was written by three Jewish screenwriters, Norman Krasna, Norman Panama, and Melvin Frank.

“I’m dreaming of a White Christmas, just like the ones I used to know . . .” —Irving Berlin