Elvis Presley, Audrey Hepburn, & Frank Sinatra: A Hollywood Dancer's Golden Age Secrets

John Cato sits down with the incredibly talented Christopher Riordan, Elvis's main male dancer in six films!. From starting out as a young dancer who initially turned his nose up at working with a rock star, to becoming the only male dancer on Elvis Presley's exclusive call list, Christopher’s Hollywood journey is nothing short of spectacular. We dive deep into his six-and-a-half-month stint on My Fair Lady, unexpected encounters with Hollywood royalty like James Dean, Montgomery Clift and Elizabeth Taylor, and the unfiltered truth behind some of classic television's most famous sets. In this episode, you will discover: The King's Humor: How treating Elvis like a regular guy—and teasing him on set—sparked a unique bond between the two. Behind the Lens: The hilarious story of Elvis trying to trick Christopher into a tight camera shot on the set of Spinout. The Colonel's Wrath: Why Colonel Tom Parker maliciously cut Christopher out of a promotional photo! Golden Age Gossip: First-hand accounts of Frank Sinatra’s cold demeanor, Paul Newman's intense focus, and Audrey Hepburn's profound, life-changing kindness. Classic TV Truths: The surprising realities of working on sets like The Monkees and The Andy Griffith Show, compared to the unmatched professionalism of Lucille Ball. Support That's Classic: 🌟 Join the That's Classic Membership for just $3.99/month! Click the "Join" button next to the subscribe button to get: Exclusive monthly live video chats discussing classic TV history Early access to upcoming celebrity interviews On-screen shoutouts in future episodes 🔔 Subscribe and tap the notification bell so you never miss an interview with the stars of classic television! Subscribe for free to That's Classic YouTube Channel:    / @thatsclassictv   Facebook: facebook.com/thatsclassictv Hosted by John Cato, actor, voiceover artist, and moderator for over 20 years for the television and movie industry. John's background brings a unique insight and passion to the podcast. 0:00 - Welcome Christopher Riordan to That's Classic 1:12 - Meeting Elvis: "I was a bit of a snob" 3:31 - Elvis discovers the kid in the back row 5:13 - Reunited with Elvis and Barbara Stanwyck 6:05 - How teasing Elvis bonded them together 8:44 - The ONLY male dancer on Elvis's call list 9:38 - The Viva Las Vegas set & Ann-Margret 10:40 - Spinout: Christopher's favorite Elvis movie 12:00 - "If I get any closer, I'm going to have to marry him!" 14:17 - Why Colonel Parker cut Christopher out of a photo 16:21 - The real Barbara Stanwyck 19:30 - David Janssen, The Fugitive, & Jack Daniels 23:17 - A brief encounter with Charlie Chaplin 27:34 - Frank Sinatra's cold demeanor & helicopter rides 31:46 - My Fair Lady, Hermes Pan, and a massive salary 34:45 - An unexpected audition with Fred Astaire 43:26 - The profound kindness of Audrey Hepburn 48:12 - Working on The Great Race & Damn Yankees 53:09 - Catching James Dean's eye on East of Eden 1:02:36 - Paul Newman's intensity on Somebody Up There Likes Me 1:08:15 - A cold Culver City morning with Elizabeth Taylor 1:11:39 - Bumping into Marilyn Monroe on the stairs 1:24:42 - Private dressing room chats with Judy Garland 1:33:10 - Living in Rudolph Valentino's Falcon Lair 1:38:47 - The Monkees, Lucy, and a miserable Andy Griffith set