For a time, Bobby Banas was everywhere.
West Side Story. Mary Poppins. Bye Bye Birdie. One of the most prolific dancers on film — though you may not have known his name.
That changed when a 1964 TV clip of him performing “The Nitty Gritty” suddenly went viral decades later. The internet wanted to know: Who is this dancer!?
In this episode of The Rest of the Story (Hey, Dancer! podcast), we trace Bobby (Robert or Bob, depending) Banas’s journey from small-town beginnings to Broadway, from uncredited film roles to one unforgettable moment on The Judy Garland Show. We look at the discipline, luck, and sheer force of personality that helped him carve out a lasting place in dance history.
This is the story of a dancer who spent decades in the background… until the world finally caught up.
Conceived, starring, written, and researched by: Miller Daurey
Please like, and share the podcast!
Don't forget to subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVffUUDYYun-pkFKi4jKpJw?sub_confirmation=
And follow my Instagram for daily dance inspo: https://www.instagram.com/backtogreat/
Thank you so much for supporting my journey! 💫❤️🙏🏼
All credit for the clips used in the video (names are YouTube handles):
2:24 min: SwingNick2
3:58 min: badtweed2087
4:29 min: Jetdub
5:36 min: johnlong3359
6:15 min: MK-if3yx
6:18 min: Jetdub
6:27 min: Jetdub
6:35 min: yo_matty
9:31 min: Jetdub
This video complies with Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, allowing limited use of copyrighted material for purposes such as criticism, commentary, education, and research. All clips are used transformatively with original narration, analysis, and historical context. I do not claim ownership of third-party content; inclusion is strictly for educational commentary and archival documentation.
Films and television programs with clips:
Peter Pan (1955, NBC Producers' Showcase)
Rock Around the Clock (1956, Columbia Pictures)
Let’s Make Love (1960, 20th Century Fox)
West Side Story (1961, United Artists)
The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964, MGM)
Mary Poppins (1964, Walt Disney Productions)
Get Smart (1966, NBC/United Artists Television)
The Judy Garland Show (1964, CBS Television)
Made in Paris (1966, MGM)
Clips are brief, selectively edited, and used under Fair Use for educational storytelling and dance history analysis.
West Side Story. Mary Poppins. Bye Bye Birdie. One of the most prolific dancers on film — though you may not have known his name.
That changed when a 1964 TV clip of him performing “The Nitty Gritty” suddenly went viral decades later. The internet wanted to know: Who is this dancer!?
In this episode of The Rest of the Story (Hey, Dancer! podcast), we trace Bobby (Robert or Bob, depending) Banas’s journey from small-town beginnings to Broadway, from uncredited film roles to one unforgettable moment on The Judy Garland Show. We look at the discipline, luck, and sheer force of personality that helped him carve out a lasting place in dance history.
This is the story of a dancer who spent decades in the background… until the world finally caught up.
Conceived, starring, written, and researched by: Miller Daurey
Please like, and share the podcast!
Don't forget to subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVffUUDYYun-pkFKi4jKpJw?sub_confirmation=
And follow my Instagram for daily dance inspo: https://www.instagram.com/backtogreat/
Thank you so much for supporting my journey! 💫❤️🙏🏼
All credit for the clips used in the video (names are YouTube handles):
2:24 min: SwingNick2
3:58 min: badtweed2087
4:29 min: Jetdub
5:36 min: johnlong3359
6:15 min: MK-if3yx
6:18 min: Jetdub
6:27 min: Jetdub
6:35 min: yo_matty
9:31 min: Jetdub
This video complies with Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, allowing limited use of copyrighted material for purposes such as criticism, commentary, education, and research. All clips are used transformatively with original narration, analysis, and historical context. I do not claim ownership of third-party content; inclusion is strictly for educational commentary and archival documentation.
Films and television programs with clips:
Peter Pan (1955, NBC Producers' Showcase)
Rock Around the Clock (1956, Columbia Pictures)
Let’s Make Love (1960, 20th Century Fox)
West Side Story (1961, United Artists)
The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964, MGM)
Mary Poppins (1964, Walt Disney Productions)
Get Smart (1966, NBC/United Artists Television)
The Judy Garland Show (1964, CBS Television)
Made in Paris (1966, MGM)
Clips are brief, selectively edited, and used under Fair Use for educational storytelling and dance history analysis.