YEP..I MET ELEANOR POWELL WHILE I WAS IN THE ARMY ON SPECIAL DUTY AT THE 1960 8TH WINTER OLYMPICS AT SQUAW VALLEY . MY BUDDIES & I WENT OVER TO RENO TO SEE ELEANOR IN A SHOW & SHE BROUGHT ME UP ON STAGE....SWEET LADY...JE..7/2020..WEHO
When asked by Dick Cavette who was the best dancer, Astaire or Kelly, the Nicholas Brothers said 'neither'. They agreed the best was Elanore Powell. That was ultimate compliment.
Fayard Nicholas and Eleanor were close friends. He was once asked if he and Harold minded not getting the breaks in movies that less talented white dancers got. Fayard replied: 'Well, we weren't more talented than Eleanor Powell. Nobody was.'
Thank God for films like this, a record for all time of the astounding talent and skill of performers like Ms Powell. We can, thanks to TH-cam, enjoy her performance anytime we want.
Shes on my top favorite list neck to neck with Micheal Jackson, James Brown, Nick Brothers, and Jackie Wilson. Eleanor Powell is my baby. she was Dangerous.
She's awesome, so was Ann Miller, and Ginger Rogers, for ladies. Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, and the Nicholas Brothers for men. The 1930's and 1940's seemed filled with talented song and dance people. Those studios' movies became legendary because of the vast number of exceptionally talented people available for hire at the time.
Eleanor Powell was not only a legend for her supreme talent, but she was also adored by casts and crews for her down to earth realness. No other star, except perhaps Stanwyck, was so beloved.
But Eleanor did have a life long feud with her costar Ann Soiuthern from the movie Lady Be Good. Apparently the feud had something to do with Eleanor Powell being cut out of the first half of the film Lady Be Good to favor giving Ann Southern a star build up and an additional song.
Eleanor Powell was Hollywood's most technically proficient dancer. She is able to control her explosive energy with a formidable technique. AND she was a beauty.
The novelties she brought to tap in movies were (a) spinning while tapping; (b) stopping dead during a routine and restarting without missing a beat (also an Astaire trademark); and (c) accelerating the spin, as at 4:17. Fred was not a spinner or back-bender because he had never had ballet tuition, although more than most popular-idiom dancers he kept a straight back and used his whole body.
She was not only the greatest dancer of all time but also one of the top 10 female athletes of all-time. Factor in her beauty and effortless grace and you have the perfect performer.
Tappers had been expected to emphasize movement of legs and feet, staying stiff above the waist. Ellie's ballet background gave equal importance to port de bras, and her overall lissomness made it look as if she was made of mercury. Others would tap as lightly and fast, but to combine it with such fast and repeated spinning was her unique forte. Vera-Ellen came close, but Ann Miller, who had never taken ballet, could not manage such dazzling turns. MGM chose to publicize Ellie as 'Queen of Taps', bc that style was the rage, but it was her melding of styles that truly raised her above the rest. Only Fred was as imaginatively versatile.
I'm speechless! There are not enough words in the dictionary to describe this heaven sent performance my Eleanor Powell. She was like a pixie. Pure magic, beauty, grace, rhythm and joy.Thank you for posting.
Alan Hickey I don't understand your meaning CF TV? What does that mean? Do you like the amazing choreography and performance by Eleanor Powell? I think it is remarkable! Sleeper
Bit of trivia: In the closing scene of BM1936, a prescient Robert Taylor reprises “You Are My Lucky Star,” singing to Eleanor Powell, “You are my Shearer, Crawford, Hepburn, Harlow, and my Garbo.” Taylor was the only actor who starred as the romantic leading man opposite all five of these legendary actresses.
This lady was born to dance and there will never be another like her. Boy, the days of great talent and beautiful songs written by say, Cole Porter with lovely lyrics and musicality is nowhere to be found today. It is wonderful to have these old videos to satisfy our longings for the good old days of old. 12/24/16
There are a lot of people these days that will tell us that "the good old days" were not that good, I am NOT one of those people. This channel in its own way shows much of the good old days.
I was truly delighted,awestruck,and nostalgic while watching the all-time best Lady Tapper Ms Eleanor Powell in her incredibly-vigorous and notable trademark of rapid-fire footwork and acrobatic-dancing style.In this famous and fascinating finale number in Broadway Melody of 1936 Ms Powell wearing her fabulous glittering cutaway tux & top hat had splendidly demonstrated her superior skill and her exhilarating performance in tap dance to the beautiful musical background of Broadway Rhythm.
In a video where she dances "When They Begin the Beguine" with Astaire, Sinatra's voice was heard before it started "Ya can sit around and wait a hundred years! Y'ain't gonna see anything like this again!" How woefully true his words were!
I download Everything they have of Elenor Powell hoofing it up. It’s absolutely astounding! And then she gave it all up to raise her son. Wow! She presented a tribute to Fred Astaire in I think abound 1986, and she was radiant! A year later she was dead from Cancer. RIP, and thanks for all the incredible dancing 💃!!!!
@Miraak It is quite a shock to watch a pas de deux by such as Nureyev and Fonteyn, or a solo in classical ballet on Russian or French lines. Compared with the syncopated vivacity and flow of an Astaire-Pan or Powell routine, to my eyes the best ballet looks stilted and ponderous: a string of stunts and poses inviting admiration but drained of exhilaration. Fred looked down on 'toe dancing' and guyed it in 'Shall We Dance'. Ellie insisted that ballet training and practice were the sine qua non for a hoofer, but she went way beyond it on film. Fred began to incorporate it when they collaborated on 'I Concentrate on You', and hit the heights with Cyd in 'Dancing in the Dark', but it was never the bedrock of his art. The truth is that the Hollywood musical snatched the baton of progress in dance from ballet and left it behind. Men such as Balanchine, Kelly and Robbins tried to reunite the styles, but with limited acceptance. Like opera, ballet became a coterie art- an expensive taste for cognixcenti and conspicuous consumers.
the spinning isn't quite what it seemed. had her head spun at the same rate as her body she WOULD have been dizzy as hell, but it wasn't. her head snapped around independent from the rest of her body. incredible feat to be sure but that's why she didn't end up dizzy.
BV Bill definitely a good argument for that. I don't recall any other dancer - male or female - putting such difficult balletic moves in a tap dance. And the spins! The only person of that era who could compete with her in spinning was Sonja Henie - and Sonja wore figure skates!
That's great complement by such impeccable dancer. I am not surprised. She is jaw dropping talent. Fred Astaire was intimated by her. Eleanor is such phenomenal talent. Here is his full quote: “Eleanor Powell was one of the very greatest, period, bar none,” said Fayard Nicholas of the Nicholas Brothers dance team, who understood greatness. “Not one of the greatest woman-one of the greatest, period.” Dynamic and versatile, Powell danced with a melodist’s sensitivity to the essential musicality of tap. “She was a musician,” Nicholas said, using the word tap dancers tend to reserve for their highest praise.
What most of you probably do not realize is that these movie clips we are watching, with all the glitz and glamour, were shot in the height of the 'Great Depression.' While much of the country was going hungry and maybe homeless, the movies were bringing in the bucks because even when broke, the public found a nickel or a dime to see a movie for escapism, and they wanted to see movies that for a while, made them forget their drab and dreary life. It was not until the depression was mostly over that movies like the Grapes of Wrath could be shown.
John Hand Have you ever done any research on this? Seen "I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang"? "Wild Boys of the Road"? Or is it "Boys of the Wild Road"? There were LOTS of movies about poor people and the Depression!
This just amazes me everytime I watch it. Her talent is astonishing, which is why it is so entertaining. She was Not vulgar nor provocative - she was just mesmerizing. We thank you Eleanor for sharing God’s gift with us. 🌹
Thank God for movies capturing Talented people so that 70 - 80 years later we can see the talent of these people. Dancing so gracefully, singing beautifully and acting so glamorous. The dance routines were practiced for weeks til they were perfect.
@Marianne Fitzgerald - I will say right up front that she's no Eleanor Powell, but this gal, Sutton Foster, is pretty darned good. This clip was filmed nine years ago, but you'll get an idea of her skill level - and this was a rehearsal!! th-cam.com/video/qcs09ZaskiM/w-d-xo.html
The most talented of all dancers (ask Fred Astaire ). She had the lot, great dancer, good actress and stunningly beautiful. Ford must have been crazy to cheat on this lady !
I never heard of her till coming across this video randomly. All I can say is it’s one of the greatest dancing performances ever. Is there anybody who can do stuff like this now?
This was only the start. She refined the spinning-plus-tap combination (her own idea) wearing male evening dress in the finale of 'Broadway Melody of 1938'. She took it into the stratosphere in her solo masterpiece, 'Fascinating Rhythm' from 'Lady Be Good'. In more ways than one, Ellie never stood still. Her games with male/female stereotyping and her magisterial attitude to the audience were decades ahead of their time. But it was done with such grace and good humor that few appreciated how subversive she was (and is). Moviegoers were left feeling up in the air, not down in the dumps.
There is a quote by the 16th century artist, art critic & art historian Giorgio Vasari on Leonardo Da Vinci. The gist of it was that his talent was so enormous that he distanced everyone else &, it seemed to many people, to be supernatural. A gift from God. I feel the same thing when I watch Eleanor Powell dance!.
I agree. She opened the door through which half a dozen great lady dancers followed her, but Eleanor was the only star soloist and author of her work. She stands alone: in her position in the industry as well as in skill, determination and beauty of movement.
It's one of the true failings of the Age of the Internet, a time where we can all experience the entire history of recorded music and moving pictures, and it's wasted on a generation that only likes explosions, overt sexuality, and mindless music. This should be a time when EVERYTHING has a place, a niche, and more people come to realize this is a level of talent you're not going to find these days. At best, who does a kid my age (a kid at 46) and younger remember from this era? Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly maybe, that's about it? I've been going back and forth between watching Miss Powell and the Nicholas Brothers most of tonight, and it just seems everything modern pop culture consists of in terms of dance is derivative of those three performers. EVERYTHING. Michael Jackson, James Brown, every hip-hop "artist", they all are descendants from this. And does anyone really think, after watching Miss Powell, that female acts like Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, or even Madonna can hold a candle to her? I mean it in all seriousness. There's almost nothing out there right now that can hold a candle to THIS.
Flag Coco 100% agree. That thinking also applies to movies and TV, a total wasteland for the last 30+ years. An old B&W movie or 50's TV show could convey more value entertainment than all of the computer generated rubbish ever created. Thank you for your comment and stopping by.
+Flag Coco Could it be a result of television? The Eleanor Powell generation didn't have TV. They got out there and developed their talents and interests which it is hard to do seated in front of a mindless TV screen for hours each day.
+Flag Coco, it's OK, don't worry. My kids who are 32, 16 and 15 know quite well the history of American dance and true talent. So do many of their friends. This is merely another day in age and there isn't one generation who ever thought differently than you. I am so glad I live in this day in age where we, through the ability of the internet can watch, enjoy and marvel at such talent like Miss Powell over and over again. How unfortunate for mankind we have no idea and extremely little knowledge of all the talent of music and dance going all the way back to prehistory. I wish I could go back and record it all. Before Miss Powell, a movie in 1928 called Broadway Melody, was the first sound film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture. It was also one of the first musicals to feature a Technicolor sequence. It fails to have most people's attention and liking. But there is a dance number in it: The Wedding of the Painted Doll which is so outstandingly superb. The entire dance number is pure genius. For me, it doesn't get better than that. But's that's just me. You won't find it on TH-cam. It was removed. Figures. But you can find it on TMC by googling the dance name and TMC. Have you ever heard of Anna Pavlova? Have you ever seen the videos of her dancing? It never did and is impossible to ever get better than that in ballet. There has and always will be incredible talent, with little appreciation within that generation. Crazy as it sounds Mozart is one such example. When the flappers came into being, many people were infuriated. When movies came out many were infuriated. When rock an roll came out many were infuriated. Our generation is no different than any other in that regard. And yet, I have no time or patience for people like madonna, lady gaga, britney spears, hannah montana, justin bieber and all the rest of their kind of epic fails. Just like my kids and their friends. We prefer true art. True talent. My youngest kid with her choir class will be giving a concert next month. One of the numbers is them all doing the Charleston dance. True talent. It's always been here and will always be as long as we are here. One just has to look for it in it's many different forms. Right now it is of course different than then what used to be because everything is always relative to time and place. An example of current talent and genius is a music piece: UNITED PIANOS - World's first 22 hands piano piece on TH-cam. It truly is a first and awesome piece. There is so much talent and pure genius in other countries which the American media prefers we not take any notice of. So most Americans have no iota about any of it. All one has to do is look for it and thanks to the internet we can find it. Indeed Bette Davis' words hold true when she said in the movie Now Voyager...'don't let's ask the moon. We have the stars.'
+LoveFlatfootin1 Perhaps. TV was notorious for creating the short attention span. I'd blame MTV more so than the invention of television. I mean, compare the architecture of a pop video featuring dancing, even from someone as praised as Michael Jackson. They're all spliced and diced, covered from every angle, the dance cuts away to the singer, then to some unrelated thing, then to another unrelated thing, then to the singer, then the dance, then the singer, and on and on for three minutes. Nearly random. Conversely, all these dance sequences we're praising were full takes, much less cutting, and if so, usually just to change to a different camera angle. As such, you'd watch 30 seconds straight of Eleanor Powell or Fred Astaire, even longer, so you'd get to watch the grace unfold, you'd watch the steps, you'd listen to the music and the dance would flow with it, as of now, it's 2 seconds here and there and there and there and the dancing is crammed in as nearly an afterthought. Don't misunderstand me, what Michael Jackson did in the early 80's was pure art, but one, everything that's come after in popular dance is almost entirely derivative of him, and two, Jackson would have been the first to tell you he learned his craft by watching the very people we're praising in this thread.
I actually showed this clip of Eleanor Powell to my 11th grade class when we were covering 1930's entertainment and culture. The class was actually amazed that anything this good ever existed of a female dancing star on film. Most of the class was not even aware that film musicals like this featuring strong female or even male dancers existed. The class wanted more!
The most amazing thing about her work, especially give the time, is that she could hold an entire number by herself, and it would look just as hard, if not harder, than anything a male dancer could have done. Something to be commended, given that women were NOT encouraged to be athletic. She doesn't just dance this number; she ATTACKS it. That is not something very many women did, much less did so superbly.
The only movie performer of that era with as much confidence was Al Jolson, but he shamelessly wallowed in his celebrity. There are moments when Eleanor Powell seems all-commanding, such as her big close-ups (which modest, worrying Fred did not go in for- he liked MCUs and two-shots). But any hint of arrogance is dispelled by the twinkle in her eye, that sweet smile and her obvious pleasure in sharing her gifts with the world. As she told Fred 'We're just hoofers.' I wrote elsewhere about the eternal riddle of these performances: that blend of regal skill and carefree exultation. To me it lifts her that little bit above all the wonderful women dancers who followed in her steps. She transcends talent, even dedication; she was touched by God.
The over-the-top, ruffled frou-frou of Ellie's gown at 0:27 rubs in the contrast with her masculinized attire when she goes into her dance. Those old studios never missed a trick.
Fred Astaire, the male Eleanor Powell. Thee four greatest dancers of all time, the two I just mentioned and the Nicholas Brothers. There can be no argument about it. Fred said he had to be at the top of his game when Eleanor was his partner.. If you were given just one thing to watch it would be Ms Powell. Absolutely in love with this woman
Those spins though, I expect it took a few moments for her eyeballs to stop spinning and return to their position when she finished! What a glorious dancer. Pure joy 💖
@@esmeephillips5888 She must have eaten her words after she retired from films after marrying film actor Glenn Ford. She only danced intermittently after marrying.
Notice that at the beginning the band is playing 'I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin'', which has already been danced by June Knight and Nick Long Jr. The reprise is to set up the revelation that Ellie was 'fooling' Bob Taylor by pretending to be La Belle Arlette, 'who won't be there'. Few things in musicals are an accident.
Eleanor Powell is to worship. She’s a well kept secret it appears. She’s actually known as the Queen of Tap. A rare human being as well as philanthropist. I could actually watch this all day. Mesmerizing
I enjoyed Eleanor Powells dancing and the solid music, but a got a big kick out of seeing Jack Benny in the opening activity. I met Jack back in 1966 and will always appreciate his humor and his timing.
To all Ellie fans please contact (if possible) Peter Ford, Eleanor's son and encourage him to make the effort to write his book about his mother. He said in his 2011 interview with Connie Martinson that he has the information. I recently emailed him asking if he still intended writing. He kindly replied as follows, "No Barrie, I am not although I would like to one day. I have all the information of what would be a terrific story but ... time is marching on and the older I get the less I can get done- Peter". She was such a lovely lady, I would love him to honour her by writing her story, "warts and all". Regards from the UK.
belinda Hi Belinda, Please try e-mailing Peter at pford@inreach.com That's how I made contact. If you haven't watched it already, you might consider watching 'Eleanor Powell at the Variety Arts Theatre'. It's on U tube in 9 (10minute) parts. One very special lady. Kindest regards from the UK.
+beaubarri If he doesn't want to write the book himself, he should at least turn over all the information he has to a biographer who will write it for him. Peter can act as a consultant/editor. Ellie deserves an extensive biography. Alice Levin did a coffee table biography called "First Lady Of Dance". A nice book with lots of pictures, but it only scratched the surface of Ellie's amazing talent and life.
When people talk about singers or dancers, the first names are always men, but dancing and singing are meaningless without women. This girl is brilliant she is great 👌💎
Madame Powell was quite the Dish as well other her dancing skills. She was one of the reasons why I took tap dancing but unfortunately my adopted father didn't want me to persue in it. That ending is breath taking.
First time I have ever seen Eleanor Powell dance and what a great show. People think doing the robot is dancing now.Not even close to what Hollywood used to do. Real pity.
Eleanor Powell helped to end the RKO era . Why have two dancers, when one can handle the task. Powell was about the best tap-dancer of recorded time. And, she was a woman. Great clip.
Gene Kelly reprised this dance number in Singin' in the Rain. The musical arrangement is almost iidentical, though Kelly's choreography is different, and it's in color. Borth numbers are pure musical film magic. It's hard to rate which is better. Kelly's is more narrative. Powell's dancing gets the edge in my estimation.
Powell was not the least bit interested in making movies. When MGM approached her, she gave them a price she was certain would make them go away. They agreed to it. She must not have realized how much money there was in Hollywood.
I think she was just playing hard to get. Who wouldn't want to be in the movies, especially during the golden era! She also said she was never interested in tap. Yet she made her career on tap.
I recall hearing a similar story when Elizabeth Taylor was asked to star in "Cleopatra" - over the telephone, Miss Taylor was asked for her rate to do the picture...she flippantly replied: "A Million Dollars!". The studio agreed! I don't think that the box office recouped the costs. I did hear ftom an insider that only the advent of VHS put the film 'in the black'.
There was definitely a lot of money in Hollywood. MGM could produce a full picture in 9 days. MGM wanted her anyway. In the eyes of MGM, actors and actresses were money making employees. Sure some were talented like Powell, but she was never an actress, she was a dancer and could only be cast in musicals. The funny part about that is, she couldn’t sing either. When they first signed her it was only for one film, so she wouldn’t be a financial burden. Obviously the public fell in love with her and wanted to see more. MGM manufactured stars and sold them. But there’s still something so authentic about it. Such a beautiful period in film.
@@jackanthony976 Louis B Mayer was anxious to get dancing talent that could gross like Astaire and Rogers. He was vexed that RKO, an upstart outfit, had found a motherlode neglected by MGM. Their competition was great for fans, because Metro never did anything small: in time LB had three separate units, headed by Arthur Freed, Joe Pasternak and Ellie's producer Jack Cummings, pumping out musical films. Ellie's success was the catalyst; by the late 1930s, in the second Thirties slump, she was helping keep MGM afloat. You could argue that we owe the golden era, which endured for ten years after her retirement, to her breakthrough- the only star solo dancer in big-time film-making- as much as to Fred and Ginger. Did any other short career have so lasting an influence? Btw, Jack Cummings was Jerome Kern's son-in-law and Mr Mayer's nephew, which gave Eleanor Powell better protection against interference by lesser lights at Culver City. She had extraordinary contractual entitlements in creating and executing of her numbers. Even Busby Berkeley on 'Lady Be Good' did not have the last word, not that he sought it.
Eleanor was the only one who could make tap dancing graceful and pretty. You'll never see anyone with her caliber of talent again. She was the best. It is rumored that she had to "dumb down" the dance sequence of Begin the Beguine so Fred Astaire could keep up! Thank god these golden films are being preserved and thanks to all of those who love them and post them here for the rest of us to enjoy.
He always said she was a better tap dancer than he was. His strongest point wasn't his tap, but the style he brought to it, which was unique. There were several black tap dancers who were better than he was and with whom he studied; Ann Miller took the classes and then taught him because he wasn't a quick learner. But he was star on Broadway long before he got to Hollywood; he didn't have to take a back seat to anyone.
@@MrCrowebobby In the era for which we have a fairly full record, i.e. since sound on film, it is clear how important Bill Robinson was. He stepped lightly, kept close to the floor and made tapping smooth and elegant, like the equivalent of the 'persistence of vision'' phenomenon in cinema: his feet moved so fast that the eye could not detect the breaks. Eleanor Powell was his protege. Their example made the heavier, high-stepping manner of Ruby Keeler and others outmoded. Staying low down suited women and more lightly built men such as Astaire. Both Ellie and Fred filmed tribute dances to Bojangles.
Omg. 😮How could she stand after that spinning???? Out of this world.❤️❤️❤️
YEP..I MET ELEANOR POWELL WHILE I WAS IN THE ARMY ON SPECIAL DUTY AT THE 1960 8TH WINTER OLYMPICS AT SQUAW VALLEY . MY BUDDIES & I WENT OVER TO RENO TO SEE ELEANOR IN A SHOW & SHE BROUGHT ME UP ON STAGE....SWEET LADY...JE..7/2020..WEHO
When asked by Dick Cavette who was the best dancer, Astaire or Kelly, the Nicholas Brothers said 'neither'. They agreed the best was Elanore Powell. That was ultimate compliment.
Fayard Nicholas and Eleanor were close friends. He was once asked if he and Harold minded not getting the breaks in movies that less talented white dancers got. Fayard replied: 'Well, we weren't more talented than Eleanor Powell. Nobody was.'
We will never see the likes of this again. Perfection ❤️
Thank God for films like this, a record for all time of the astounding talent and skill of performers like Ms Powell.
We can, thanks to TH-cam, enjoy her performance anytime we want.
I'm addicted to watching Eleanor Powell. I have simply never seen a better dancer, ever.
Shes on my top favorite list neck to neck with Micheal Jackson, James Brown, Nick Brothers, and Jackie Wilson. Eleanor Powell is my baby. she was Dangerous.
¡¡ME TOO!!
Ann Miller was good too. They just don't make tap dancing pictures like they used to. God, I sound old.
Me too. So glad when I'm stressed by current events I can be transported by an Eleanor Powell dance number.
She's awesome, so was Ann Miller, and Ginger Rogers, for ladies. Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, and the Nicholas Brothers for men. The 1930's and 1940's seemed filled with talented song and dance people. Those studios' movies became legendary because of the vast number of exceptionally talented people available for hire at the time.
Eleanor Powell was not only a legend for her supreme talent, but she was also adored by casts and crews for her down to earth realness. No other star, except perhaps Stanwyck, was so beloved.
What an honour to see the greatest tap dancer of all time!
But Eleanor did have a life long feud with her costar Ann Soiuthern from the movie Lady Be Good. Apparently the feud had something to do with Eleanor Powell being cut out of the first half of the film Lady Be Good to favor giving Ann Southern a star build up and an additional song.
Eleanor Powell was Hollywood's most technically proficient dancer. She is able to control her explosive energy with a formidable technique. AND she was a beauty.
Hell yeah she was!
@@Mike-yg8ig
Those spins at the end are astounding.
The novelties she brought to tap in movies were (a) spinning while tapping; (b) stopping dead during a routine and restarting without missing a beat (also an Astaire trademark); and (c) accelerating the spin, as at 4:17. Fred was not a spinner or back-bender because he had never had ballet tuition, although more than most popular-idiom dancers he kept a straight back and used his whole body.
She was not only the greatest dancer of all time but also one of the top 10 female athletes of all-time. Factor in her beauty and effortless grace and you have the perfect performer.
Her spins are just so, can’t even describe it… she’s definitely one of my dance inspirations!
Tappers had been expected to emphasize movement of legs and feet, staying stiff above the waist. Ellie's ballet background gave equal importance to port de bras, and her overall lissomness made it look as if she was made of mercury. Others would tap as lightly and fast, but to combine it with such fast and repeated spinning was her unique forte. Vera-Ellen came close, but Ann Miller, who had never taken ballet, could not manage such dazzling turns.
MGM chose to publicize Ellie as 'Queen of Taps', bc that style was the rage, but it was her melding of styles that truly raised her above the rest. Only Fred was as imaginatively versatile.
Young people watching this might think those spins are CGI-generated because they're so incredible!
I'm speechless! There are not enough words in the dictionary to describe this heaven sent performance my Eleanor Powell. She was like a pixie. Pure magic, beauty, grace, rhythm and joy.Thank you for posting.
Sleeper CF TV
Alan Hickey I don't understand your meaning
CF TV? What does that mean?
Do you like the amazing choreography and performance by Eleanor Powell? I think it is remarkable!
Sleeper
Couldn't possibly say it better than you did.
Bit of trivia: In the closing scene of BM1936, a prescient Robert Taylor reprises “You Are My Lucky Star,” singing to Eleanor Powell, “You are my Shearer, Crawford, Hepburn, Harlow, and my Garbo.” Taylor was the only actor who starred as the romantic leading man opposite all five of these legendary actresses.
Robert Taylor himself, was one of the most beautiful men I'd ever seen so like good for everyone 😂.
I’m also addicted to greatness, thank you for sharing.
This lady was born to dance and there will never be another like her. Boy, the days of great talent and beautiful songs written by say, Cole Porter with lovely lyrics and musicality is nowhere to be found today. It is wonderful to have these old videos to satisfy our longings for the good old days of old. 12/24/16
There are a lot of people these days that will tell us that "the good old days" were not that good, I am NOT one of those people. This channel in its own way shows much of the good old days.
I was truly delighted,awestruck,and nostalgic while watching the all-time best Lady Tapper Ms Eleanor Powell in her incredibly-vigorous and notable trademark of rapid-fire footwork and acrobatic-dancing style.In this famous and fascinating finale number in Broadway Melody of 1936 Ms Powell wearing her fabulous glittering cutaway tux & top hat had splendidly demonstrated her superior skill and her exhilarating performance in tap dance to the beautiful musical background of Broadway Rhythm.
In a video where she dances "When They Begin the Beguine" with Astaire, Sinatra's voice was heard before it started "Ya can sit around and wait a hundred years! Y'ain't gonna see anything like this again!"
How woefully true his words were!
Peerless and in.a class of her own...what a breathtaking performance.
Amazing woman there will never be another one like her rest in peace
Simply amazing! They don't call it the Golden Age of Hollywood for no reason.
Eleanor Powell Was Such A Gifted Dancer. She Had Star Quality Written All Over Her. That Era Was "Priceless "😂❤❤❤
Eleanor is jaw dropping phenomenal talent.
😅
The world will not see such dancing talent again....
I download Everything they have of Elenor Powell hoofing it up. It’s absolutely astounding! And then she gave it all up to raise her son. Wow! She presented a tribute to Fred Astaire in I think abound 1986, and she was radiant! A year later she was dead from Cancer. RIP, and thanks for all the incredible dancing 💃!!!!
The American Film Institute tribute was in 1981. She died in 1982.
@@esmeephillips5888 Thanks for clarifying that!
I didn't know it was humanly possible to spin that much without falling down.
Incredible.
You haven't been to a ballet have you?
Or seen Ice skating at the Olympics...:-)
@Miraak It is quite a shock to watch a pas de deux by such as Nureyev and Fonteyn, or a solo in classical ballet on Russian or French lines. Compared with the syncopated vivacity and flow of an Astaire-Pan or Powell routine, to my eyes the best ballet looks stilted and ponderous: a string of stunts and poses inviting admiration but drained of exhilaration.
Fred looked down on 'toe dancing' and guyed it in 'Shall We Dance'. Ellie insisted that ballet training and practice were the sine qua non for a hoofer, but she went way beyond it on film. Fred began to incorporate it when they collaborated on 'I Concentrate on You', and hit the heights with Cyd in 'Dancing in the Dark', but it was never the bedrock of his art.
The truth is that the Hollywood musical snatched the baton of progress in dance from ballet and left it behind. Men such as Balanchine, Kelly and Robbins tried to reunite the styles, but with limited acceptance. Like opera, ballet became a coterie art- an expensive taste for cognixcenti and conspicuous consumers.
the spinning isn't quite what it seemed. had her head spun at the same rate as her body she WOULD have been dizzy as hell, but it wasn't. her head snapped around independent from the rest of her body. incredible feat to be sure but that's why she didn't end up dizzy.
Spotting
Amazing performance with high speed and perfect balance..without loosing the spot where you start to spin......
Best dancer who ever lived! She had style. Beautiful co-ordination .
And such energy!
Just, wow! I grew up watching her "old" movies as a kid and watching again...boy, was she incredible!
"I don't regard Eleanor Powell as the greatest female dancer; I regard her as the greatest dancer, period."
- Fayard Nicholas
BV Bill definitely a good argument for that. I don't recall any other dancer - male or female - putting such difficult balletic moves in a tap dance. And the spins! The only person of that era who could compete with her in spinning was Sonja Henie - and Sonja wore figure skates!
Agreed. Watching her do those, especially in the Hula dance clips, is like being transported to an alternate universe.
That's great complement by such impeccable dancer. I am not surprised. She is jaw dropping talent. Fred Astaire was intimated by her. Eleanor is such phenomenal talent. Here is his full quote: “Eleanor Powell was one of the very greatest, period, bar none,” said Fayard Nicholas of the Nicholas Brothers dance team, who understood greatness. “Not one of the greatest woman-one of the greatest, period.” Dynamic and versatile, Powell danced with a melodist’s sensitivity to the essential musicality of tap. “She was a musician,” Nicholas said, using the word tap dancers tend to reserve for their highest praise.
@@agnesobelfan8855 I love watching her face. She seems to enjoy dancing. Maybe that is what made her great.
@@agnesobelfan8855 Do you mean that Fred Astaire was "intimidated* by her? That he was afraid of her?
What most of you probably do not realize is that these movie clips we are watching, with all the glitz and glamour, were shot in the height of the 'Great Depression.' While much of the country was going hungry and maybe homeless, the movies were bringing in the bucks because even when broke, the public found a nickel or a dime to see a movie for escapism, and they wanted to see movies that for a while, made them forget their drab and dreary life. It was not until the depression was mostly over that movies like the Grapes of Wrath could be shown.
John Hand Have you ever done any research on this? Seen "I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang"? "Wild Boys of the Road"? Or is it "Boys of the Wild Road"? There were LOTS of movies about poor people and the Depression!
I'm thinking 'live &l et live'. Most of my life i've been depressed. I am grateful to be able to get a lift from works of art.
John Hand Thank you Karl....
Do you consider “escapism” a fault? I think it high art. Like the power of “The Wizard of Oz” to take us to another world.
Ohhh the Grapes movie was so good, helped me learn stuff
A genuine talent. Truly an amazing dancer.
She was so athletic and at the same time so graceful and beautiful....she must've been an elf...
This just amazes me everytime I watch it. Her talent is astonishing, which is why it is so entertaining. She was Not vulgar nor provocative - she was just mesmerizing.
We thank you Eleanor for sharing God’s gift with us. 🌹
The fabulous thirties, wish I was 25 back then. Now Im in my 70s enjoy those numbers.
thank you for this treasure! unless we, the lover's of this music, keep it alive, the young generation will never know about it.
Thank God for movies capturing Talented people so that 70 - 80 years later we can see the talent of these people. Dancing so gracefully, singing beautifully and acting so glamorous. The dance routines were practiced for weeks til they were perfect.
That was incredible! I love this era of films.
A talent and energy unparalleled!!❤
Wow just wow. I have never seen anyone dance like this before. She was awesome!💖💖💖
Wow! Thanks for the great clip! What an amazing presence!
Absolutely flawless, never the likes of will be seen again.
Most young people today wouldn't understand what we just saw.
They say that everything that comes around, goes around, but I agree... this will never be seen again.
Jayne torvill
@Marianne Fitzgerald - I will say right up front that she's no Eleanor Powell, but this gal, Sutton Foster, is pretty darned good. This clip was filmed nine years ago, but you'll get an idea of her skill level - and this was a rehearsal!! th-cam.com/video/qcs09ZaskiM/w-d-xo.html
@@RustySax1949 Thanks for this link, enjoyed it enormously, Sutton Foster is fabulous. I was breathing for her at the end
It's absolutely insane how fast and consistent her spins are at 4:06. And the routine itself as a whole is super too, a lot of energy and fun.
And at 4:16 she accelerates in mid-spin. I doubt one dancer in a thousand could do that.
Yes, she makes magic right there.
Girl was a phenomenon.
She was absolutely the best tap dancer in Hollywood.
The most talented of all dancers (ask Fred Astaire ). She had the lot, great dancer, good actress and stunningly beautiful. Ford must have been crazy to cheat on this lady !
He couldn't face his own lack....or more honestly, didn't own his own choices..
Astaire once confessed he was actually intimidated by her.
There was something wrong with her marriage. Glenn Ford was definitely not the right choice.
@@juttaschoner4302 he was an alcoholic and it ruined their relationship.
I don’t know what she ever saw in hom
I never heard of her till coming across this video randomly. All I can say is it’s one of the greatest dancing performances ever. Is there anybody who can do stuff like this now?
This was only the start. She refined the spinning-plus-tap combination (her own idea) wearing male evening dress in the finale of 'Broadway Melody of 1938'. She took it into the stratosphere in her solo masterpiece, 'Fascinating Rhythm' from 'Lady Be Good'.
In more ways than one, Ellie never stood still. Her games with male/female stereotyping and her magisterial attitude to the audience were decades ahead of their time. But it was done with such grace and good humor that few appreciated how subversive she was (and is). Moviegoers were left feeling up in the air, not down in the dumps.
the answer is yes. there are ALWAYS outstanding talents rom every generation.
Wow! Doesn't seem to be that kind of talent today, does it? And Eleanor Powell and Robert Taylor were such beautiful people.
there IS that kind of talent today. they're just doing different things. with very small exceptions, nobody 'tap dances' today.
There is a quote by the 16th century artist, art critic & art historian Giorgio Vasari on Leonardo Da Vinci. The gist of it was that his talent was so enormous that he distanced everyone else &, it seemed to many people, to be supernatural. A gift from God. I feel the same thing when I watch Eleanor Powell dance!.
I agree. She opened the door through which half a dozen great lady dancers followed her, but Eleanor was the only star soloist and author of her work. She stands alone: in her position in the industry as well as in skill, determination and beauty of movement.
Damn, the spinning at the end caught me off guard and just blew me away.
I'm presuming that was one shot - it was awesome!
My goodness, she's incredible!
It's one of the true failings of the Age of the Internet, a time where we can all experience the entire history of recorded music and moving pictures, and it's wasted on a generation that only likes explosions, overt sexuality, and mindless music. This should be a time when EVERYTHING has a place, a niche, and more people come to realize this is a level of talent you're not going to find these days. At best, who does a kid my age (a kid at 46) and younger remember from this era? Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly maybe, that's about it?
I've been going back and forth between watching Miss Powell and the Nicholas Brothers most of tonight, and it just seems everything modern pop culture consists of in terms of dance is derivative of those three performers. EVERYTHING. Michael Jackson, James Brown, every hip-hop "artist", they all are descendants from this. And does anyone really think, after watching Miss Powell, that female acts like Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, or even Madonna can hold a candle to her?
I mean it in all seriousness. There's almost nothing out there right now that can hold a candle to THIS.
Flag Coco 100% agree. That thinking also applies to movies and TV, a total wasteland for the last 30+ years. An old B&W movie or 50's TV show could convey more value entertainment than all of the computer generated rubbish ever created.
Thank you for your comment and stopping by.
+Flag Coco Could it be a result of television? The Eleanor Powell generation didn't have TV. They got out there and developed their talents and interests which it is hard to do seated in front of a mindless TV screen for hours each day.
+Flag Coco, it's OK, don't worry. My kids who are 32, 16 and 15 know quite well the history of American dance and true talent. So do many of their friends. This is merely another day in age and there isn't one generation who ever thought differently than you. I am so glad I live in this day in age where we, through the ability of the internet can watch, enjoy and marvel at such talent like Miss Powell over and over again. How unfortunate for mankind we have no idea and extremely little knowledge of all the talent of music and dance going all the way back to prehistory. I wish I could go back and record it all.
Before Miss Powell, a movie in 1928 called Broadway Melody, was the first sound film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture. It was also one of the first musicals to feature a Technicolor sequence. It fails to have most people's attention and liking. But there is a dance number in it: The Wedding of the Painted Doll which is so outstandingly superb. The entire dance number is pure genius. For me, it doesn't get better than that. But's that's just me. You won't find it on TH-cam. It was removed. Figures. But you can find it on TMC by googling the dance name and TMC.
Have you ever heard of Anna Pavlova? Have you ever seen the videos of her dancing? It never did and is impossible to ever get better than that in ballet.
There has and always will be incredible talent, with little appreciation within that generation. Crazy as it sounds Mozart is one such example. When the flappers came into being, many people were infuriated. When movies came out many were infuriated. When rock an roll came out many were infuriated. Our generation is no different than any other in that regard.
And yet, I have no time or patience for people like madonna, lady gaga, britney spears, hannah montana, justin bieber and all the rest of their kind of epic fails. Just like my kids and their friends. We prefer true art. True talent. My youngest kid with her choir class will be giving a concert next month. One of the numbers is them all doing the Charleston dance.
True talent. It's always been here and will always be as long as we are here. One just has to look for it in it's many different forms. Right now it is of course different than then what used to be because everything is always relative to time and place. An example of current talent and genius is a music piece: UNITED PIANOS - World's first 22 hands piano piece on TH-cam. It truly is a first and awesome piece.
There is so much talent and pure genius in other countries which the American media prefers we not take any notice of. So most Americans have no iota about any of it. All one has to do is look for it and thanks to the internet we can find it.
Indeed Bette Davis' words hold true when she said in the movie Now Voyager...'don't let's ask the moon. We have the stars.'
+LoveFlatfootin1 Perhaps. TV was notorious for creating the short attention span. I'd blame MTV more so than the invention of television. I mean, compare the architecture of a pop video featuring dancing, even from someone as praised as Michael Jackson. They're all spliced and diced, covered from every angle, the dance cuts away to the singer, then to some unrelated thing, then to another unrelated thing, then to the singer, then the dance, then the singer, and on and on for three minutes. Nearly random. Conversely, all these dance sequences we're praising were full takes, much less cutting, and if so, usually just to change to a different camera angle. As such, you'd watch 30 seconds straight of Eleanor Powell or Fred Astaire, even longer, so you'd get to watch the grace unfold, you'd watch the steps, you'd listen to the music and the dance would flow with it, as of now, it's 2 seconds here and there and there and there and the dancing is crammed in as nearly an afterthought. Don't misunderstand me, what Michael Jackson did in the early 80's was pure art, but one, everything that's come after in popular dance is almost entirely derivative of him, and two, Jackson would have been the first to tell you he learned his craft by watching the very people we're praising in this thread.
I actually showed this clip of Eleanor Powell to my 11th grade class when we were covering 1930's entertainment and culture. The class was actually amazed that anything this good ever existed of a female dancing star on film. Most of the class was not even aware that film musicals like this featuring strong female or even male dancers existed. The class wanted more!
Damn , I could watch this fantastic talent dance for hours ! 😎👍
The most amazing thing about her work, especially give the time, is that she could hold an entire number by herself, and it would look just as hard, if not harder, than anything a male dancer could have done. Something to be commended, given that women were NOT encouraged to be athletic. She doesn't just dance this number; she ATTACKS it. That is not something very many women did, much less did so superbly.
The only movie performer of that era with as much confidence was Al Jolson, but he shamelessly wallowed in his celebrity. There are moments when Eleanor Powell seems all-commanding, such as her big close-ups (which modest, worrying Fred did not go in for- he liked MCUs and two-shots). But any hint of arrogance is dispelled by the twinkle in her eye, that sweet smile and her obvious pleasure in sharing her gifts with the world. As she told Fred 'We're just hoofers.'
I wrote elsewhere about the eternal riddle of these performances: that blend of regal skill and carefree exultation. To me it lifts her that little bit above all the wonderful women dancers who followed in her steps. She transcends talent, even dedication; she was touched by God.
and not just tap dancer, DANCER. period.
I don't know how I stumbled across this video but this was beautiful😊...truly amazing😁
Karma
3:09. I love that teasing close up! Can you imagine her face taking up the entire screen in a movie theater?
The over-the-top, ruffled frou-frou of Ellie's gown at 0:27 rubs in the contrast with her masculinized attire when she goes into her dance. Those old studios never missed a trick.
Eleanor Powell and Fred Astair were the very best!!!
Fred Astaire no less described Eleanor Powell as the greatest dancer. better than himself. Now I see and understand why, magic.
Mr Marvellous Physically, she’s like a model too,
@@leonpse More than a model, Leon Powe.
¡¡IS TRUE!! ¡¡INDISPUTABLE!!
¡¡ELEANOR IS WONDERFUL!!
The beautiful talented and athletic Eleanor Powell truly one of America's National Resources and one of Hollywood's true Superstars.
Beautiful Eleanor Powell, the best dancer of all times...
Great work ! Wonderful to watch !!
Such a grand scene. Brilliant!
Fred Astaire, the male Eleanor Powell. Thee four greatest dancers of all time, the two I just mentioned and the Nicholas Brothers. There can be no argument about it. Fred said he had to be at the top of his game when Eleanor was his partner.. If you were given just one thing to watch it would be Ms Powell. Absolutely in love with this woman
Yes, the Nicholas Brothers must be included in the Mount Rushmore of Dancers...
Yep. The greatest dancer, period. And easy on the eyes.
Those spins though, I expect it took a few moments for her eyeballs to stop spinning and return to their position when she finished! What a glorious dancer. Pure joy 💖
'I'd rather dance than eat.' (Eleanor Powell)
@@esmeephillips5888 She must have eaten her words after she retired from films after marrying film actor Glenn Ford. She only danced intermittently after marrying.
Notice that at the beginning the band is playing 'I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin'', which has already been danced by June Knight and Nick Long Jr. The reprise is to set up the revelation that Ellie was 'fooling' Bob Taylor by pretending to be La Belle Arlette, 'who won't be there'. Few things in musicals are an accident.
Eleanor Powell is to worship. She’s a well kept secret it appears. She’s actually known as the Queen of Tap. A rare human being as well as philanthropist. I could actually watch this all day. Mesmerizing
That ending gave me goosebumps!
I enjoyed Eleanor Powells dancing and the solid music, but a got a big kick out of seeing Jack Benny in the opening activity. I met Jack back in 1966 and will always appreciate his humor and his timing.
Simplemente, brillante!
She sure could move, class, style and grace.
To all Ellie fans please contact (if possible) Peter Ford, Eleanor's son and encourage him to make the effort to write his book about his mother. He said in his 2011 interview with Connie Martinson that he has the information.
I recently emailed him asking if he still intended writing. He kindly replied as follows, "No Barrie, I am not although I would like to one day. I have all the information of what would be a terrific story but ... time is marching on and the older I get the less I can get done- Peter".
She was such a lovely lady, I would love him to honour her by writing her story, "warts and all".
Regards from the UK.
how do I contact Peter Ford? where does he live?
belinda
Hi Belinda,
Please try e-mailing Peter at pford@inreach.com
That's how I made contact.
If you haven't watched it already, you might consider watching 'Eleanor Powell at the Variety Arts Theatre'. It's on U tube in 9 (10minute) parts. One very special lady.
Kindest regards from the UK.
+beaubarri If he doesn't want to write the book himself, he should at least turn over all the information he has to a biographer who will write it for him. Peter can act as a consultant/editor. Ellie deserves an extensive biography. Alice Levin did a coffee table biography called "First Lady Of Dance". A nice book with lots of pictures, but it only scratched the surface of Ellie's amazing talent and life.
Excellent suggestion.I hope you passed it on to Peter Ford.
Hi, just to let you know, someone else is now at work on an extensive biography on her :)
When people talk about singers or dancers, the first names are always men, but dancing and singing are meaningless without women. This girl is brilliant she is great 👌💎
The greatest female dancer ever . I liked ruby keeler too. From Michael from Yorkshire and proud of it .
Madame Powell was quite the Dish as well other her dancing skills. She was one of the reasons why I took tap dancing but unfortunately my adopted father didn't want me to persue in it. That ending is breath taking.
What for a perfection and harmony between dance and music !
She had an amazing ability to twirl and spin.
How awesome was that!! simply the best!
First time I have ever seen Eleanor Powell dance and what a great show. People think doing the robot is dancing now.Not even close to what Hollywood used to do. Real pity.
@pscar1 Yes it is on DVD along with Broadway Melody of 1938 as a package deal over at Amazon.
Eleanor Powell helped to end the RKO era . Why have two dancers, when one can handle the task. Powell was about the best tap-dancer of recorded time. And, she was a woman. Great clip.
Really She was a Woman !
Thanks for the update on the obvious 👍
She really was a wow! Amazing!
Simply wonderful
That's Nacio Herb Brown and the great Roger Edens at the pianos.
Eleanor Powell wa asked in interview many years later "Why did't you marry Fred Astaire?
Her reply was "He never asked me."
That would have never worked. Astaire had to be the star, and Eleanor was every bit as good and in some ways better.
Dang her turns are Amazing!!!!!
One Amazing Lady.
I'm still trying to figure out how she kept that hat on. Marvelous!!!!
Gene Kelly reprised this dance number in Singin' in the Rain. The musical arrangement is almost iidentical, though Kelly's choreography is different, and it's in color. Borth numbers are pure musical film magic. It's hard to rate which is better. Kelly's is more narrative. Powell's dancing gets the edge in my estimation.
esto es inolvidable no se puede creer de tan maravilloso
What a stunningly talented dancer
Goodness gracious ..the smooth grace ....
She's sunlight sparkling on water - scintillating!
Seems to defy the Laws of Physics rather regularly (!) She has a Grace that is just mesmerizing.
Powell was not the least bit interested in making movies. When MGM approached her, she gave them a price she was certain would make them go away. They agreed to it. She must not have realized how much money there was in Hollywood.
I think she was just playing hard to get. Who wouldn't want to be in the movies, especially during the golden era! She also said she was never interested in tap. Yet she made her career on tap.
I recall hearing a similar story when Elizabeth Taylor was asked to star in "Cleopatra" - over the telephone, Miss Taylor was asked for her rate to do the picture...she flippantly replied: "A Million Dollars!". The studio agreed! I don't think that the box office recouped the costs. I did hear ftom an insider that only the advent of VHS put the film 'in the black'.
There was definitely a lot of money in Hollywood. MGM could produce a full picture in 9 days. MGM wanted her anyway. In the eyes of MGM, actors and actresses were money making employees. Sure some were talented like Powell, but she was never an actress, she was a dancer and could only be cast in musicals. The funny part about that is, she couldn’t sing either. When they first signed her it was only for one film, so she wouldn’t be a financial burden. Obviously the public fell in love with her and wanted to see more. MGM manufactured stars and sold them. But there’s still something so authentic about it. Such a beautiful period in film.
@@jackanthony976 Louis B Mayer was anxious to get dancing talent that could gross like Astaire and Rogers. He was vexed that RKO, an upstart outfit, had found a motherlode neglected by MGM. Their competition was great for fans, because Metro never did anything small: in time LB had three separate units, headed by Arthur Freed, Joe Pasternak and Ellie's producer Jack Cummings, pumping out musical films.
Ellie's success was the catalyst; by the late 1930s, in the second Thirties slump, she was helping keep MGM afloat. You could argue that we owe the golden era, which endured for ten years after her retirement, to her breakthrough- the only star solo dancer in big-time film-making- as much as to Fred and Ginger. Did any other short career have so lasting an influence?
Btw, Jack Cummings was Jerome Kern's son-in-law and Mr Mayer's nephew, which gave Eleanor Powell better protection against interference by lesser lights at Culver City. She had extraordinary contractual entitlements in creating and executing of her numbers. Even Busby Berkeley on 'Lady Be Good' did not have the last word, not that he sought it.
hawgood91 You clearly missed my point. I’m not attacking Powell or calling her untalented. Please get YOUR facts straight
thank you so much! love Ellie and love Robert Taylor too. :D
Encroyable!
she is simply the best dancer I have ever seen
Eleanor was the only one who could make tap dancing graceful and pretty. You'll never see anyone with her caliber of talent again. She was the best. It is rumored that she had to "dumb down" the dance sequence of Begin the Beguine so Fred Astaire could keep up! Thank god these golden films are being preserved and thanks to all of those who love them and post them here for the rest of us to enjoy.
He always said she was a better tap dancer than he was. His strongest point wasn't his tap, but the style he brought to it, which was unique. There were several black tap dancers who were better than he was and with whom he studied; Ann Miller took the classes and then taught him because he wasn't a quick learner. But he was star on Broadway long before he got to Hollywood; he didn't have to take a back seat to anyone.
@@MrCrowebobby In the era for which we have a fairly full record, i.e. since sound on film, it is clear how important Bill Robinson was. He stepped lightly, kept close to the floor and made tapping smooth and elegant, like the equivalent of the 'persistence of vision'' phenomenon in cinema: his feet moved so fast that the eye could not detect the breaks.
Eleanor Powell was his protege. Their example made the heavier, high-stepping manner of Ruby Keeler and others outmoded. Staying low down suited women and more lightly built men such as Astaire. Both Ellie and Fred filmed tribute dances to Bojangles.
Most of the Beguine stuff was beneath her. Poor Fred. He found out he wasn’t the best and his ego took a hit.
Yeah but Ellie did her own choreography not him