Eleanor Powell : born to dance / Paula Broussard, Lisa Royère.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Broussard, Paula, author.

Royère, Lisa, author.

Series:

Screen classics (Lexington, Ky.)

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Powell, Eleanor, 1912-1982.

Powell, Eleanor.

Dancers.

Motion picture actors and actresses.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (361 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Lexington, Kentucky : The University Press of Kentucky, [2023]

Summary:

When considering the best dancers in Hollywood's history, some obvious names come to mind-Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, and Bill Robinson. Yet often overlooked is one of the most gifted and creative dancers of all time, Eleanor Powell. Powell's effervescent style, unmatched technical prowess in tap, and free-flowing musicality led MGM to build top-rate musicals around her unique talents, including Born to Dance (1936) with James Stewart and Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940) with Fred Astaire, in which she became known as the only female tap dancer capable of challenging him. In a male-dominated industry, her fierce drive for perfection, sometimes to her detriment, earned her a place as one of the most accomplished performers in vaudeville, Broadway, and film. Powell's grace, precision, and power established her as one of the greatest American dancers. In 1943, she married actor Glenn Ford and largely stepped away from the spotlight for the duration of their tumultuous marriage. After their divorce, Powell made a courageous comeback, successfully performing in Las Vegas and on the nightclub circuit. Cancer claimed her life at the age of sixty-nine. Eleanor Powell: Born to Dance by Paula Broussard and Lisa Royère is an all-encompassing work following the American dance legend from her premature birth and upbringing by a single parent in Springfield, Massachusetts, to her first Broadway performance at age fifteen, through her days as a blazing icon in the world of Hollywood, and finally, to her inspiring comeback. With access to rare documents, letters, and production files, as well as insights drawn from their own personal relationships with Powell, Broussard and Royère offer a thoroughly researched, comprehensive, and fascinating look at an incredibly talented and unforgettable woman.

Contents:

Cover

Praise for Eleanor Powell: Born to Dance

Halftitle page

Title page

Copyright page

Dedication

Contents

Preface

Prologue

Overture (1912-1927)

1. First Steps

2. Atlantic City

Act One (1927-1935)

3. Broadway and the Joyful Noise

4. Gaining Traction

5. Traipsing the Boards

6. Westward Bound

Act Two (1935-1943)

7. Taming the Lion

8. Full Velocity

9. Born to Dance

10. "Feelin' Like a Million"

11. Fulfilling Dreams

Plates

12. King and Queen

13. Love and Disappointment

14. Hollywood at War

15. Disillusion and Hope

Act Three (1943-1959)

16. Mizpah

17. Back on the Boards

18. Walking through Fire

Finale (1959-1982)

19. The Phoenix

20. Winding Down

Epilogue

Acknowledgments

Notes

Bibliography

Index

Screen Classics.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

Other Format:

Print version: Broussard, Paula Eleanor Powell

ISBN:

9780813197890

OCLC:

1378095493