Eleanor Powell

Born

Nov 21, 1912

Springfield Massachusetts

Eleanor Powell--The Queen of Tap Dancing

Period: Nov 21, 1912 to Feb 11, 1982

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T45iRSvxaVM

Dance Beginnings

Sep 1, 1919

Eleanor studied ballet and acrobatics at age 7.

Discovery

Jul 1, 1925

Gus Edwards noticed Eleanor dancing on the beach and offered a job at a nightclub performing three nights a week.

New York City

Jan 1, 1929

Eleanor headed to New York City. She met and danced with Bill Robinson at nightclubs and private parties

Broadway Auditions

Mar 1, 1929

Rejected for lack of tap skills

Tap Lessons

May 1, 1929

Attended Jack Donahue's dance school. Studied under Johnny Boyle. He made her wear a sandbag belt to keep her feet near the floor.

Follow Thru

Sep 1, 1929

First Broadway show.

Paramount Picture-- Queen HIgh

Aug 23, 1930

First movie appearance uncredited

Return to Broadway

Sep 1, 1930

Appeared in Fine and Dandy (1930), and Ziegfeld's Hot-Cha! (1932).

Broadway Melody of 1936

Sep 20, 1935

MGM film. Recognized for tap dancing skills. Offered a long term contract with MGM.

Born to Dance

Nov 27, 1936

MGM film. Stars as Nora Paige.

Broadway Melody 1938

Aug 20, 1937

MGM film. Stars as Sally Lee who is to be the leading lady in a broadway show, but first must win a horse race to provide money to produce it. (This is a show within a show).

Rosalie

Dec 24, 1937

Honolulu

Feb 3, 1939

MGM film.

Broadway Melody 1940

Feb 9, 1940

MGM film. Performed with Fred Astaire. The two were thought to be paired for other films, but they never happened.

Lady be Good

Nov 10, 1941

Returned to solo performance work in this film.

Ship Ahoy

May 1, 1942

I Dood It

Sep 1, 1943

Married

Oct 23, 1943

Eleanor married Glenn Ford.

Thousand Cheer

Jan 1, 1944

Minor role in the film

Sensations of 1945

Jun 30, 1944

Final film before retiring to raise her son.

Children

Feb 5, 1945

Eleanor's son, Peter Ford, was born. He was her only child.

Duchess of Idaho

Jul 14, 1950

Very last performance on the screen.

Divorce

Nov 23, 1959

Her marriage with Glenn Ford ended.

New Career

Jan 1, 1960

After her divorce, Eleanor began to dance at nightclubs again.

Giving Back

Jan 1, 1980

Eleanor devoted her later years to charities and religious work.

The Ellie Award

Nov 1, 1981

Eleanor received an award from the National Film Ceremony in her name.

Death

Feb 11, 1982

Eleanor died of cancer in Beverly Hills, CA. Her ashes reside at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.