As any fan of “The Music Man” can tell you, seeing a boy buckle his knickerbockers below the knee, well, that spells trouble, my friends.

But watching the classic 1962 movie musical on Christmas morning at the Michigan Theater? That doesn’t sound like trouble to me. That just sounds like fun.

Temple Beth Emeth — which sponsors a Christmas morning film each year at the Michigan — hosts the screening, and offers bagels and kosher hot dogs, as well as popcorn and candy, for purchase. Doors open at 10 a.m. (the movie screens at 10:30) and tickets are $7. If you wish to pre-order tickets, visit the Temple’s site.

Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man” began life as a Broadway show in 1957, with a long-running, celebrated production that told the story of Harold Hill — a shady traveling salesman who tries to sell a small, skeptical Iowa town on the idea of a boys’ band, only to fall in love with the librarian in the process.

Robert Preston and the musical both earned Tony Awards (beating out “West Side Story” — something my husband may never get over). And although Preston hadn’t been in a musical before — or even sung publicly — he became so synonymous with the role that when Cary Grant was offered the part of Harold Hill in the film version, he reportedly said, “Not only will I not play the part, but if Robert Preston doesn't play it, I won't go see the movie!” (Frank Sinatra, meanwhile, was another Warner Bros. choice for Harold Hill, but Willson made it clear that Preston’s involvement in the film was a dealbreaker.)

For more “Music Man” trivia, read on.

• Preston’s co-star, Shirley Jones, was pregnant with her son Patrick Cassidy during the filming, but director/producer Morton DaCosta had asked her not to tell anyone. The costume department had to keep adjusting her dresses, though, and Robert Preston figured out her secret when the two actors were filming the romantic footbridge scene, and Preston leaned in for a kiss and felt the baby kicking.

• To film the final parade scene, Jack L. Warner used marching band members from the University of California and the University of Southern California, as well as many SoCal junior high school students.

• All of the musical instruments were made for the film by the Olds Instrument Company in Fullerton, California, then refurbished and sold by Olds with no indication they were used in the film. (Oh, those innocent days before eBay…)

• The indie pop group The Shins named themselves after the Shinn family.

• The two Paroo children, Marian and Winthrop, were named after towns in Eastern Iowa.

• In one episode of the TV series “Happy Days,” Marion Cunningham remarks that the little boy in “The Music Man” looked "so much like Richie when he was little." This was an inside joke, of course, since Ron Howard played both Richie Cunningham and, years earlier, Winthrop Paroo.

• Just before "Lida Rose," Harold mentions a bassoon player named Madame Rini, and Rini was Meredith Willson’s wife’s name.

• The songs "76 Trombones" and "Goodnight My Someone" are the same tune arranged in different time signatures.


• “The Music Man” was the first film to be sold for over $1 million for a television broadcast.

• During the "Lida Rose"/"Will I Ever Tell You" duet, both Mrs. Paroo and the lead singer of the barbershop quartet — a famous, celebrated real-life quartet called The Buffalo Bills (obviously, no affiliation with the NFL team that appeared two years earlier, in 1960) — synchronize the movement of their rocking chairs throughout the song. This is only visible in the movie’s wide screen version, so those attending the Michigan Theater screening should get a clear view; but for those who can't wait, check out this clip:

Jenn McKee is the entertainment digital journalist for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jennmckee@annarbor.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.