Vera-Ellen
Known For
Acting
Born
1921-02-16 in Norwood, Ohio, USA
Died
1981-08-30
Biography
Vera-Ellen (February 16, 1921 - August 30, 1981) was an American dancer and actress. She began dancing at the age of 10, and a few years later became one of the youngest Rockettes. She appeared in several Broadway musicals until she was spotted by film producer Samuel Goldwyn in 1945. She was only 24 years old when Goldwyn cast her opposite Danny Kaye in Wonder Man (1945). She danced with Fred Astaire in Three Little Words (1950) and with Gene Kelly in On the Town (1949). Blonde, slim of build, and a dancing sensation, she appeared in a string of light-hearted but successful films. Vera-Ellen retired from acting in the late 1950s. Vera's career died down in the late 1950s once filmed musicals lost their fashion. It was later discovered that, due to the dancer's compulsive dieting obsession, she had silently battled anorexia throughout much of the 50s before anyone was even aware or doctors had even coined the term or devised treatments. Moreover, she had developed severe arthritis which forced an early retirement. In order to combat it, she reverted back to taking dance lessons again. The worst blows suffered, however, was in her personal life. On top of of two two failed marriages, she lost her only child, Victoria Ellen Rothschild, to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in 1963. With one unhappy and tragic event compounded by another, she became a virtual recluse. Little was heard for decades until it was discovered that she had died on August 30, 1981, at age 60 following a long bout with cancer at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. She was buried at Glen Haven Memorial Park in Sylmar, California. Perhaps less remembered today compared to several of the big stars that shared the stage with her, Vera-Ellen was a lithe and lovely presence who deserved a better personal life than she got. Nevertheless, she has provided true film lovers with a lasting legacy and can easily be considered one of Hollywood's finest dancing legends.
Most Known For
The Colgate Comedy Hour
as Self
The Ed Sullivan Show
as Self
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
as Self
White Christmas
as Judy Haynes
Love Happy
as Maggie Phillips
Big Leaguer
as Christy
Killer Sally
as Self - Actress & Dancer, White Christmas (archive footage)
On the Town
as Ivy Smith
That's Dancing!
Words and Music
as Vera-Ellen
Happy Go Lovely
as Janet Jones
That's Entertainment! III
as (archive footage)
Wonder Man
as Midge Mallon
Three Little Words
as Jessie Brown Kalmar
Call Me Madam
as Princess Maria
A Star Is Born World Premiere
as Self
The Kid from Brooklyn
as Susie Sullivan
Bing Crosby: Rediscovered
as Self (archive footage)
'White Christmas': A Look Back with Rosemary Clooney
as Judy Haynes (archive footage) (uncredited)
Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer
as Self (archive footage)