Toni Basil
Toni Basil | |
|---|---|
 Basil in 2016 | |
| Born | Antonia Christina Basilotta September 22, 1943 Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,U.S. |
| Education | Las Vegas High School(graduate) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1964–present |
| Awards | American Choreography Award for Outstanding Achievement in Television |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | New wave[1] |
| Labels | |
| Website | tonibasil |
Antonia Christina Basilotta(born September 22, 1943),[2]better known by her stage nameToni Basil,is an American singer, choreographer, dancer, actress, and director. Her cover of the song "Mickey"topped the charts in the US, Canada and Australia and hit the top ten in several other countries.
Early life and education[edit]
Basil was born Antonia Christina Basilotta on September 22, 1943, inPhiladelphia.[3]Her father led an orchestra, and her mother performed in vaudeville.[4]Basil has Italian ancestry.[5]
She grew up inLas Vegas,where her father moved the family for his work when she was a child.[6]In 1961, Basil graduated fromLas Vegas High School,where she was a head cheerleader.[6]Already known by the nickname "Toni", she later incorporated her cheerleading experience into her dance career, including her choreography/performance of "Mickey".[7]The cheerleader uniform that she wore in the video was the one she wore in high school.[8]
Career[edit]
Dance career[edit]
Basil started dancing professionally in childhood, but her career started when she served as an assistant choreographer toDavid Wintersand as a dancer onShindig!,a breakthrough music variety show that premiered on theABCnetwork in 1964. She was a lead dancer in the 1964beach party filmPajama Party,and a dancer in the Elvis Presley movieViva Las Vegas.
Also in 1964, she assisted choreographer Winters forSteve Binder's concert filmT.A.M.I. Show.[9][10]T.A.M.I. Showwould go on to be deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the United StatesLibrary of Congressand selected for preservation in 2006 in theNational Film Registry.[11]Her 1960s film choreography work includesVillage of the Giants(1965),The Cool Ones(1967), andthe Monkees' 1968 filmHeadin which she is partnered on-screen withDavy Jonesduring "Daddy's Song".
In 1968, PrincessGrace Kelly's television specialMonte Carlo: C'est La Rosepremiered.[12]In it she accompanies lead dancer and choreographer Winters; he explained that he brought her and fellow dancerAnita Mannbecause they were his best students.[13]She is also credited as a choreographer for some episodes ofThe Carol Burnett Show.[citation needed]
In 1980, Basil choreographed, and co-directed withDavid Byrne,the music video for "Once in a Lifetime"byTalking Heads.She worked with Talking Heads again to direct and choreograph the video for the song "Crosseyed and Painless",taken from the same albumRemain in Light.She choreographedDavid Bowie'sDiamond Dogs Tourin 1974, hisGlass Spider Tourin 1987, and his video for "Time Will Crawl"(1987). She has worked withBette Midlerfor many years, including her 2008/2009Las VegasshowThe Showgirl Must Go On.She served as the associate director and choreographer of the worldwideTina!: 50th Anniversary Tourin 2008/2009. Her expertise as a choreographer led her to be invited to sit as a guest judge on seasons four and five ofFox Broadcasting Company'sSo You Think You Can Dance?In addition, she is credited with bringingstreet danceto prominence as a founding member and manager ofThe Lockers.[14]
Her film choreography through the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s includeAmerican Graffiti(1973),The Rose(1979),Peggy Sue Got Married(1986),Something to Talk About(1995),That Thing You Do(1996),My Best Friend's Wedding(1997),[15]Legally Blonde(2001),Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde(2003),Charlie Wilson's War(2007), andThe House Bunny(2008).
Basil is one of the seven originalLockers,the street dance group considered to be "the group that changed the face of dance".[third-party source needed]She is recognized as having been a seminal influence in bringing street dance to the attention of the American public. A 2012Dance Magazinearticle cited Basil as the pioneer in merging ballet with street dance for a piece she choreographed forSaturday Night Live,"Swan Lake" in 1978.[16]
The Lockers opened and toured withFrank Sinatra,including performances atCarnegie Hall.[17]They opened forFunkadelicatRadio City Music Halland many acts inLas Vegas;they appeared on many television shows including the third episode ofSaturday Night Live.
Basil choreographed theTV LandAwards salute toSoul Trainin 2005, as well as the TV Land Awards salute toSid and Marty Krofftin 2009. She choreographedQuentin Tarantino's 2019 filmOnce Upon a Time in Hollywoodat the age of 75, and appeared in an uncredited cameo, wearing her trademark fedora and dancing withMargot Robbieon thePan Amflight. Basil was surprised by Tarantino's detailed knowledge of both 1960s dances and her previous work, and said she personally knew two of the real-life people who are portrayed in the film:Sharon TateandJay Sebring,who were both killed in theTate-LaBianca murders.[18]
Music career[edit]
Basil's recording career began in 1966 with a single forA&M Records,which was the title song of the short filmBreakawayby artistBruce Conner.The B-side was "I'm 28"[19]written byGraham Gouldmanwho later co-founded10cc.Basil sang, solo, the swinging jazz number "Wham Rebop Boom Bam" in the first season ofSaturday Night Livefor the January 17, 1976, show with Buck Henry as host. Basil sold out solo shows atThe Roxyin Los Angeles in June 1976, and sang the song onThe Merv Griffin Show.She and The Lockers appeared onSaturday Night Liveduring the first season and also in later seasons of the show, as a singer and filmmaker, to perform in her urban styleSwan Lake.She was signed toWarner Bros. Recordsat some point in 1976, but never released any material for the label.[20]
In 1982, her single "Mickey" achieved international success. The song is a cover of "Kitty", a 1979 release by the UK bandRacey,written byNicky ChinnandMike Chapmanand produced by the latter. The original song did not include the "Oh Mickey, you're so fine" chant, which Basil added. The video was conceived, directed, and choreographed by Basil for the UK-based label Radialchoice, before the inception ofMTVin July 1981.[21]Issued onChrysalis Recordsin September 1982 in the US, the song knockedLionel Richiefrom No. 1 on theBillboardHot 100in December. It topped the chart in Canada where it was issued byVirgin Records.The45was quickly certifiedGoldand in early 1983 reached Platinum status for sales of over 2 million copies in the United States alone. The music video for "Mickey" was one of the most popular early MTV videos. In the video, Basil wore her head cheerleader uniform fromLas Vegas High Schoolfrom which she graduated.[21]During an interview onVH1's "100 Greatest Songs of The 80's", Basil said that she still owns the same cheerleader sweater she wore in the video. In 2009, VH1 ranked "Mickey" Number 6 on its list of the 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the '80s.[22]In 2017, she launched an unsuccessful lawsuit against the makers ofSouth Parkover their use of the song in parodyingBarack Obama's 2008 election win.[23][24]
For television, Basil has appeared as an actress and featured singer/dancer in many television shows and specials. She co-directed and choreographed twoBBCspecials with Alan Walsh and Ken Stephenson called "Toni Basil Tape 1" and "Toni Basil Tape 2".[25]
Basil's recording career consists of only two albums. Her first album, 1982'sWord of Mouth,included a second Hot 100 single "Shoppin' from A to Z", as well as three songs byDevo,with the group providing the backing track. The track "Space Girls" was a re-recording of a 1974 Devo demo titled "Space Girl Blues" that was later released on Devo's "Hardcore Devo: Volume One". Devo memberGerald Casaleand Basil were in a relationship at the time, and Basil had been an early supporter of the group.
Toni Basil(1983), her eponymous second album, yielded a third and final Hot 100 charting single, "Over My Head", which reached No. 4 on the U.S. Dance chart. Her song "Girls Night Out" appeared on the 1986 movie soundtrackModern Girls.To date, there have been five Toni Basilbest ofcollections released on CD. In 1999, DJ and producerJason Nevins's dance remix of "Mickey" was a club hit in Europe and Australia.
Basil contributed vocals for theDevosong "The Only One" in 1987, part of the soundtrack of the horror filmSlaughterhouse Rock,in which Basil starred. The song was not released until 2000, on the demo compilationRecombo DNA.
Acting career[edit]
Basil began her acting career by appearing in the filmsEasy RiderandFive Easy Pieces.She was in other films includingThe Last Movie(directed byDennis Hopper),Greaser's Palace(directed byRobert Downey, Sr.),Mother, Jugs & Speed,Village of the Giants,Rockula(with Thomas Dolby), andSlaughterhouse Rock.On television she appeared in episodes ofLaverne & Shirley(playing Mickie),Dark Justice,and inBaywatch Nightsas a fortune teller.
Filmmaking and music videos[edit]
Basil directed short art films includingGame of the Week,A Dance Film,Out Trip,andThe Ping Pong Match.Predating music videos, these avant garde pieces found a new audience and were exhibited at theSanta Monica Museum of Art,theGetty Museum,andNew York University's Grey Art Gallery. The Los Angeles Times noted Basil's deft editing transformed an ordinary ping pong match into an energetic dance routine.[citation needed]
Basil'sWord of Mouthvideo album was nominated for both aGrammy Awardand anMTV Video Music Award.Her late 1960s8 mmand16 mm filmstoured the U.S. with the show "Semina Culture:Wallace Bermanand His Circle "in 2007.[26]
Aside from directing her own video for "Mickey", she directed and choreographed the video for Talking Heads' "Once in a Lifetime".The video features lead singer David Byrne against a white background in a style similar to" Mickey ".
Awards and accolades[edit]
Basil's awards include Hip Hop International's Living Legend Award, a Grammy nomination for Long Form Video ( "Word of Mouth" ) in 1983, an Emmy nomination and win for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography forThe Smothers Brothersin 1988,[27]two MTV Award nominations, American Choreography Awards: four nominations and two wins including Lifetime Achievement Innovator, and The Los Angeles Theater Ovation: Street Dance Award. Exhibitions include the Museum of Modern Art: Videos, and the Santa Monica Museum of Art: Short Films. She has received platinum and gold discs in the US, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Philippines, and France. Her single "Mickey" was installed in theRock and Roll Hall of Fameas one of the groundbreaking singles of the 1980s.[28]She was given a tribute atThe Carnival: Choreographer's Ball,Monsters of Hip-Hop Masters of Movement, and in Portraits of America's Great Choreographers. She was featured in the Museum of Modern Art Calendar of Artists and on the cover ofDance Magazine.
On January 25, 2012, Basil presentedThe Electric Boogalooswith a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 13th anniversary show ofThe Carnival: Choreographer's Ballfor their role in popularizing dance styles such aspoppingandelectric boogie.[29]
In 2023, Basil was inducted into theWomen Songwriters Hall of Fame.[30]
Filmography[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Viva Las Vegas | Dancer in Red Dress (What'd I Say) | Uncredited |
| Robin and the 7 Hoods | Flapper | ||
| Pajama Party | Pajama Girl No. 15 | ||
| T.A.M.I. Show | Herself – Go-Go Dancer | Documentary Uncredited | |
| 1965 | Village of the Giants | Red | |
| 1966 | Breakaway | Dancer | Short |
| 1968 | Head | Daddy's Song Dancer | Uncredited |
| 1969 | Sweet Charity | Dancer | |
| Easy Rider | Mary | ||
| 1970 | Myra Breckinridge | Cigarette Girl | Uncredited |
| Five Easy Pieces | Terry Grouse | ||
| 1971 | The Last Movie | Rose | |
| 1972 | Greaser's Palace | Indian Girl | |
| 1976 | Won Ton Ton, the Dog Who Saved Hollywood | Awards Ceremony Guest | Uncredited |
| Mother, Jugs & Speed | Addict | ||
| Citizen Soldier | |||
| 1988 | Slaughterhouse Rock | Sammy Mitchell | |
| Angel III: The Final Chapter | Hillary | ||
| Glass Spider | Choreographer | ||
| 1990 | Rockula | Phoebe | |
| Pacific Palisades | Désirée | ||
| Catchfire | Uncredited | ||
| Eating | Jackie |
Discography[edit]
Studio albums[edit]
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [31] |
AUS [32] |
CAN [33] |
NZ [34] |
UK [35] | |||
| Word of Mouth | 22 | 43 | 45 | 27 | 15 | ||
| Toni Basil |
|
— | — | — | — | — | |
Compilation albums[edit]
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| The Best of Toni Basil: Mickey & Other Love Songs[38] |
|
| The Best of Toni Basil[39][40] |
|
| The Best of Toni Basil: Mickey... And Other Greatest Hits[41] |
|
| Mickey!: The Best of Toni Basil[42][43] |
|
| The Very Best of Toni Basil[44] |
|
| Oh Mickey!'[45] |
|
Singles[edit]
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [46] |
US Dance [47] |
AUS [32] |
CAN [48] |
BEL (FL) [49] |
GER [50] |
IRE [51] |
NLD [52] |
NZ [34] |
UK [35] | ||||
| "Breakaway" | 1966 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Mickey" | 1982 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 39 | 69 | 3 | 39 | 2 | 2 | Word of Mouth | |
| "Nobody" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 52 | |||
| "Time After Time" / "You Gotta Problem" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Shoppin' from A to Z" | 1983 | 77 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Street Beat" | — | 63 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Toni Basil | ||
| "Over My Head" | 81 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Suspense" | 1984 | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Do You Wanna Dance" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||
Awards and nominations[edit]
| Year | Awards | Work | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | MTV Video Music Awards | Over My Head | Best Choreography | Nominated |
| 1984 | Grammy Awards | Word of Mouth | Best Video Album | Nominated |
Works cited[edit]
- Binder, Steve (1964).T.A.M.I. Show(DVD). Shout Factory. Barcode: 8 26664 11742 4.
- Winters, David (2018).Tough guys do dance.Pensacola, Florida: Indigo River Publishing.ISBN978-1-948080-27-9.
References[edit]
- ^Huey, Steve."Toni Basil by Steve Huey".AllMusic.
- ^"Birthdays".The Modesto Bee.The Associated Press.September 22, 2022. p. 2A.
Dancer/choreographer/singer Toni Basil is 79.
- ^"Toni Basil Biography".Turner Classic Movies.Archived from the original on June 19, 2022.RetrievedJune 19,2022.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^"Toni Basil News & Biography".Toni Basil The Authorized Site. 2012.Archivedfrom the original on September 30, 2007.RetrievedAugust 26,2012.
- ^Connell, William J.; Pugliese, Stanislao G. (2017).The Routledge History of Italian Americans.New York: Routledge. p. 430.ISBN978-1-135-04670-5.
- ^abVarietyStaff (July 21, 2008)."Las Vegas who make the show go on".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on June 19, 2022.
- ^Willman, Chris (September 20, 2013)."Toni Basil at 70: Thirty Years Past Singing, But Still Cutting a Rug".Yahoo! Music.Archivedfrom the original on December 16, 2013.
- ^Sunday Morning (February 9, 2020)."Dance, dance, dance! Toni Basil has all the right moves".CBS News.RetrievedFebruary 10,2020.
- ^"AFI|Catalog".catalog.afi.RetrievedApril 20,2019.
- ^Binder, Steve (1964).T.A.M.I. Show(DVD). Shout Factory. 8 26664 11742 4.
- ^"Librarian of Congress Adds Home Movie, Silent Films and Hollywood Classics to Film Preservation List".Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA.Archived fromthe originalon July 13, 2023.RetrievedJuly 13,2023.
- ^"Princess Grace to offer musical tour of Monaco".Dayton Daily News.Vol. 91. January 20, 1968. p. 3-A.
- ^Winters, David (2018).Tough guys do dance.Pensacola, Florida: Indigo River Publishing. pp. 2196–6071.ISBN978-1-948080-27-9.
- ^Banes, Sally(1994).Writing Dancing in the Age of Postmodernism.Wesleyan University Press.ISBN0819562688.
- ^My Best Friend's Wedding (1997)at IMDb
- ^Sommer, Sally (January 2012)."Balletic Breakin'".Dance Magazine.Archived fromthe originalon October 16, 2012.RetrievedAugust 31,2012.
- ^"The Lockers History".The Lockers. 2012.RetrievedAugust 31,2012.
- ^Levine, Debra (August 6, 2019)."Quentin Tarantino's Goddess of Go-Go".The New York Times.RetrievedAugust 6,2019.
- ^"'Breakaway/I'm 28' single ".No Mickey Taking Here!. June 18, 2010.
- ^"200 Artists to 3 Labels"(PDF).Billboard.August 28, 1976. p. 18.
- ^ab"Mickey by Toni Basil".Songfacts.
- ^Macnie, Jim (April 1, 2009)."100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s: Read the List".VH1. Archived fromthe originalon July 14, 2009.RetrievedApril 22,2022.
- ^Allegretti, Aubrey (September 1, 2017)."'Mickey' singer Toni Basil sues South Park ".London, England: Sky News.RetrievedSeptember 1,2017.
- ^Vogt, RJ (February 15, 2018)."Disney, Others Beat 'Mickey' Singer Toni Basil's TM Claims".RetrievedJuly 23,2022.
- ^"Choreographer/Director Toni Basil".McDonald / Selznick Associates. 2012. Archived fromthe originalon June 9, 2013.RetrievedAugust 31,2012.
- ^"Semina Culture: Wallace Berman and His Circle".NYU Grey Art Gallery. 2007.RetrievedAugust 26,2012.
- ^"Primetime Emmy Award Database".Emmys. 2012.RetrievedAugust 26,2012.
- ^Karger, Dave (November 1, 1996)."What Ever Happened To...?".Entertainment Weekly.Archived fromthe originalon April 27, 2009.RetrievedAugust 31,2012.
Her picture may be hanging in Cleveland as one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's 14 exemplaryOne Hit Wonders,but don't mention that three-word curse around Toni Basil.
- ^Perry, Aliya."Carnival Celebrates Its 13th Anniversary".TIV Awards.
- ^"3RD Annual Women Songwriters Hall Of Fame Awards Celebrates Icons - Jan Daley Angela Bofill Ann Hampton Callaway".Ein Presswire.April 18, 2023.
- ^"Toni Basil Chart History: Billboard 200".Billboard.RetrievedSeptember 1,2019.
- ^abKent, David(1993).Australian Chart Book 1970–1992(Illustrated ed.). St. Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 27.ISBN0-646-11917-6.
- ^"RPM – Top Albums/CDs – Volume 37, No. 21, January 22, 1983".RetrievedFebruary 16,2013.
- ^ab"Toni Basil in New Zealand Charts".charts.nz.RetrievedFebruary 15,2013.
- ^ab"Official Charts > Toni Basil".The Official UK Charts Company.RetrievedJune 10,2016.
- ^ab"RIAA – Gold & Platinum: Toni Basil".Recording Industry Association of America.RetrievedFebruary 15,2013.
- ^ab"Music Canada – Gold & Platinum Search: Toni Basil".Music Canada.RetrievedFebruary 16,2013.[permanent dead link]
- ^The Best Of Toni Basil: Mickey And Other Love Songs(CD back cover). Toni Basil. Razor & Tie. 1994. RE 2057.
{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^The Best Of Toni Basil(CD back cover). Toni Basil. Tring International PLC. 1994. JHD135.
{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^The Best Of Toni Basil(Cassette tape back cover). Toni Basil. Tring International PLC. 1994. MCJHD135.
{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^The Best of Toni Basil: Mickey... And Other Greatest Hits(CD back cover). Toni Basil. Form Records. 1994. JHD135.
{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^Mickey!: The Best of Toni Basil(CD back cover). Toni Basil. Hallmark Records. 1994. 301642.
{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^Mickey!: The Best of Toni Basil(Cassette back cover). Toni Basil. Hallmark Records. 1994. 301644.
{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^The Very Best Of Toni Basil(CD back cover). Toni Basil. Emporio. 1997. EMPRCD 752.
{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^Oh Mickey!(CD back cover). Toni Basil. Snapper Music. 2000. SMD CD 462.
{{cite AV media notes}}:CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^"Toni Basil Chart History: Hot 100".Billboard.RetrievedSeptember 1,2019.
- ^"Toni Basil Chart History: Dance Club Songs".Billboard.RetrievedSeptember 1,2019.
- ^"RPM Top 50 Singles - December 25, 1982"(PDF).
- ^"Ultratop Vlaanderen > Zoeken naar: Toni Basil"(in Dutch). Hung Medien.RetrievedJune 10,2016.
- ^"Offizielle Deutsche Charts > Toni Basil – Mickey (single)"(in German).RetrievedJune 10,2016.
- ^"The Irish Charts: All there is to know > Search results for Toni Basil (from irishcharts.ie)".Imgur (original source published by Fireball Media).RetrievedJune 10,2016.
- ^"dutchcharts.nl > Toni Basil in Dutch Charts"(in Dutch).RetrievedFebruary 15,2013.
- ^"Kent Music Report No 453 – 28 February 1983 > Platinum and Gold Singles 1982".Imgur (original document published byKent Music Report).RetrievedAugust 4,2018.
- ^BPI – Certified AwardsArchivedJuly 10, 2017, at theWayback MachineType "Toni Basil" in search box
External links[edit]
- Official website
- Toni BasilatAllMovie
- Toni BasilatIMDb
- Toni Basildiscography atDiscogs
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Artists | |
| People | |
- Living people
- 20th-century American actresses
- 20th-century American singers
- Actresses from Philadelphia
- American film actresses
- American music video directors
- American new wave musicians
- American people of Italian descent
- American television actresses
- American women choreographers
- American choreographers
- Chrysalis Records artists
- Female music video directors
- American women new wave singers
- Singers from Philadelphia
- 20th-century American women singers
- Las Vegas High School alumni
- 21st-century American women
- 1943 births