Danny Kaye hilariously conducts the National Symphony Orchestra (1962) | The Kennedy Center

Following words from President John F. Kennedy, actor Danny Kaye took to the podium and led the National Symphony Orchestra in an act that has been described as a satire of great conductors.

From of "An American Pageant of the Arts," on November 29, 1962. The purpose of the event was to raise funds for the National Cultural Center, begun under Eisenhower's administration and encouraged under Kennedy's.

Two months after President Kennedy's assassination in November 1963, Congress passed and President Johnson signed into law legislation renaming the National Cultural Center as a "living memorial" to John F. Kennedy.

Watch the full pageant with Bob Newhart, Harry Belafonte, Yo-Yo Ma, Marian Anderson, Robert Frost, Maria Tallchief, Andre Previn, and many more:
https://youtu.be/pCIg6fTPA5U

Learn more about the Kennedy Center's history:
https://www.kennedy-center.org/our-story/history/

Danny Kaye was an American actor, singer, dancer, comedian, musician, and philanthropist. His performances featured physical comedy, idiosyncratic pantomimes, and rapid-fire novelty songs. Kaye starred in 17 movies, notably Wonder Man (1945), The Kid from Brooklyn (1946), The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947), The Inspector General (1949), Hans Christian Andersen (1952), White Christmas (1954), and The Court Jester (1956). His films were popular, especially for his performances of patter songs and favorites such as "Inchworm" and "The Ugly Duckling." He was the first ambassador-at-large of UNICEF in 1954 and received the French Legion of Honour in 1986 for his years of work with the organization.

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