“ In between the premieres , Berlin began to work on a new script in 1949 , entitled White Christmas . Berlin originally intended for the film to star Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire , paired with two women that they met as a sister act in Florida . In an early version , the two girls that Crosby and Astaire meet wanted to go home to Connecticut for the holidays . Fred Astaire eventually bowed out and was replaced by Donald O ’ Connor . When O ’ Connor fell ill , Danny Kaye was rushed in to replace him , much to the benefit of the film .”
Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye on the set of White Christmas
In the months that followed the initial revision , Berlin made the decision to change the setting of the film from Connecticut to Vermont . “ Berlin realized that he wanted to build the story around the fact that snow was the livelihood of Vermont ’ s tourist economy ,” says Fricke . “ Vermont was chosen because it was widely regarded as a winter wonderland that skiers flocked to during the holiday season . While Connecticut is certainly snowy during the winter season , it didn ’ t have the same inherent cultural connection to the snow that Vermont did .” In one version of the script , the sisters that accompanied Crosby were native Vermonters . In the final version , they
Write and Shine Vermont .
If you ’ re an aspiring or accomplished writer in Vermont , now ’ s your time to shine . It ’ s the Vermont Magazine and Green Mountain Power Vermont Writers ’ Prize – honoring the literary legacy of Ralph Nading Hill , Jr ., writer , historian and longtime member of Green Mountain Power ’ s Board of Directors .
This year , there are two categories : prose and poetry , each with a $ 1,250 prize . To enter , write an essay , short story , play or poem about Vermont - its people , places , values or history in 1,500 words or less .
The deadline to enter is January 1 , 2022 . Enter today at vermontwritersprize . submittable . com / submit / 86155 / vermont-writers-prize
For details , visit greenmountainpower . com , vermontmagazine . com or call ( 888 ) 835-4672 .
Entries must be unpublished . Must be a Vermont resident . Previous winners and employees of GMP and Vermont Magazine cannot enter .
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