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Vera-Ellen‌

Gender

Female

Birthday

calendar1921-02-16

Popularity

star3.5

Vera-Ellen

Norwood, Ohio, USA

Vera-Ellen

Norwood, Ohio, USA

Gender

Female

Birthday

calendar1921-02-16

Popularity

star3.5

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.

Movie Credits

On the Town

On the Town‌
star7.0
calendar 1949

Love Happy

Love Happy‌
star5.7
calendar 1949

White Christmas

White Christmas‌
star7.2
calendar 1954

Three Little Words

Three Little Words‌
star5.9
calendar 1950

The Belle of New York

The Belle of New York‌
star5.6
calendar 1952

Call Me Madam

Call Me Madam‌
star6.3
calendar 1953

Christmas Unwrapped: The History of Christmas

Christmas Unwrapped: The History of Christmas‌
star6.3
calendar 1997

Big Leaguer

Big Leaguer‌
star6.2
calendar 1953

The Kid from Brooklyn

The Kid from Brooklyn‌
star6.2
calendar 1946

Happy Go Lovely

Happy Go Lovely‌
star5.9
calendar 1951

Let's Be Happy

Let's Be Happy‌
star4.8
calendar 1957

Three Little Girls in Blue

Three Little Girls in Blue‌
star6.5
calendar 1946

Carnival in Costa Rica

Carnival in Costa Rica‌
star6.0
calendar 1947

Wonder Man

Wonder Man‌
star6.6
calendar 1945

Words and Music

Words and Music‌
star5.8
calendar 1948

Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer

Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer‌
star7.7
calendar 2002

That's Entertainment! III

That's Entertainment! III‌
star6.9
calendar 1994

A Star Is Born World Premiere

A Star Is Born World Premiere‌
star8.0
calendar 1954

'White Christmas': A Look Back with Rosemary Clooney

'White Christmas': A Look Back with Rosemary Clooney‌
star5.0
calendar 2000

Bing Crosby: Rediscovered

Bing Crosby: Rediscovered‌
star7.0
calendar 2014

That's Dancing!

That's Dancing!‌
star7.0
calendar 1985

Tv Credits

The Colgate Comedy Hour

The Colgate Comedy Hour‌
star7.0
calendar 1950

The Ed Sullivan Show

The Ed Sullivan Show‌
star6.5
calendar 1948

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show‌
star4.0
calendar 1956