JANE POWELL - THE GIRL MOST LOVELY

Jane Powell 'Luxury Liner'

2011-06-19T12:36:00.001-07:00

JANE POWELL 1950

2011-03-06T05:15:00.000-08:00

'THE GIRL MOST LIKELY' MOVIE POSTER

2011-03-06T04:57:00.000-08:00

One of the most underrated movies from the classic era. In one musical number Janie appears as a Squaw and gives one of her best performances along with a group of very young children.

Jane Powell in 'Three Daring Daughters'

2009-09-14T16:43:00.001-07:00

Jane Powell children's coloring book

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Engaged to three 'Fellas' at the same time in 'The Girl Most Likely'

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A tense moment in 'Three Daring Daughters'

2009-09-13T18:25:00.000-07:00

Nick Thomas on Jane Powell

2009-09-12T18:00:00.000-07:00

Wilton’s Jane Powell, 80 years young

By Nick Thomas

Still pretty, perky, and petite, long-time Wilton resident and veteran actress Jane Powell celebrated a milestone birthday this year.

“My husband and Robert Osborne gave me a beautiful 80th birthday,” Ms. Powell said from her Wilton home, which she and husband Dick Moore have owned for 24 years. “They took over a room at a New York hotel for 45 family and friends. It was fabulous.”

Best remembered for her roles in two giant MGM musicals in the 50s, Powell starred in just 18 other feature films between 1944 and 1958, though in later years she played more serious roles on TV and in theater to great acclaim.

On the big screen, she was a reliable actress who could also dance and sing with the best. In A Date with Judy (1948) she held her own against the brilliant Elizabeth Taylor, she matched Fred Astaire step for step in Royal Wedding (1951), and crooned alongside Debbie Reynolds in Hit the Deck (1955).

Standing just five feet tall and a slender 100 lbs her entire life, Ms. Powell was born Suzanne Burce, in Portland, Ore., where she performed on radio and in local theater.

“I started professional singing training when I was 10, and dancing when I was 2,” she said. But in reality, she had little interest in an entertainment career, though her mother had other ideas.

While vacationing with the family in Hollywood in 1943, she won a talent contest and signed a contract with Universal Studios the next day. She was just 14. “I didn’t particularly want to do it,” she says, but her parents “had this planned.”

Within months, she was preparing for her first film Song of the Open Road in which she played, quite prophetically, a child film star named “Jane Powell.” The character’s name appealed to the studio heads, and little Suzanne was re-christened Jane.

According to Robert Osborne, film historian and host for cable TV’s Turner Movie Classics (TMC), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Royal Wedding probably remain Ms. Powell’s best known movies.

Royal Wedding features two famous solos by Fred Astaire, dancing on a ceiling and with a coat rack. And in a charming six-minute vaudevillian-type skit, Powell and Astaire go head to head, matching witty banter, singing and dancing. Mr. Osborne says the sequence (online at: www.metacafe.com/watch/2850247/royal_wedding) perfectly showcases Powell’s on-screen energy, enthusiasm, and talent.

“We can also see her comic ability, in that number,” said Mr. Osborne, by phone from New York. “She’s hilarious — chewing gum, swinging her hips, and acting like a ‘tough broad.’ It’s too bad MGM didn’t capitalize more on her comedic side.”

Of Astaire, Ms. Powell says he was the consummate performer. “After you worked with Fred, you just didn’t want to work with anyone else,” said Ms. Powell.

But she did, including other greats such as Walter Pidgeon, Jeanette MacDonald, Ricardo Montalban, and Hedy Lamarr. Oscar-winner Cliff Robertson co-starred with Ms. Powell in the 1958 musical comedy, The Girl Most Likely.

“I’ve worked on over 100 films and remember Jane vividly,” said 85-year-old Robertson from his home in New York. “She had a natural joy and energy, with a very positive attitude and sound sense of values.”

However, life for stars in the 40s and 50s could be tough. The major studios dominated the film industry and their actors, especially child performers, had little say in selecting roles and were readily typecast. They could be “rented out” to other companies at the studio’s whim.

“The studios groomed young actors to be stars,” said Ms. Powell. “When I wasn’t working, I was studying in the MGM Studio School with the other kids like Margaret O’Brien, Roddy McDowall, and Dean Stockwell.”

As a result, Ms. Powell says she missed out on what many teenagers took for granted. “It was hard to make friends socially, we were all working so hard. I never had any ‘girls’ nights’ or sleepovers.”

Despite being pushed into a Hollywood career and the pressures of work, Ms. Powell’s troubles never showed in her performances, which were always bright and bubbly, making her a fan favorite.

“She bravely struggled through difficult times in her life,” e-mailed long-time fan Tony Makara of Manchester, England, who created the Jane Powell web site, janepowell.blogspot.com. “The site was my way of saying ‘thank you Janie’ for the joy she has given so many down the decades.”

As the 50s drew to a close, so too did the era of lavish Hollywood musicals. “They were expensive to make and the studio system dissolved,” said Ms. Powell. “Audiences became more sophisticated and wanted more of a story plot.”

Nevertheless, TV channels like TMC are popular today with older audiences who like to reminisce, as well as younger viewers who are fascinated by the early Hollywood era.

“People still love to watch the old musicals,” said Ms. Powell.

Jane Powell June 2009

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Jane Powell and Dickie Moore at the Pratt Institute

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Dick Moore and Jane Powell celebrate the Pratt Institute establishment of the Marc Rosen 'Distinguished Visiting Chair in Design'

Three Sailors and a Girl

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Three Sailors and a Girl

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Three Sailors and a Girl

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Three hungry daughters, Mary Eleanor Donahue, Jane Powell and Ann E Todd tuck into a quick meal on the set of 'Three Daring Daughters'

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Breaking down in 'The Female Animal'

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Anger and fear in 'The Female Animal'

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Toying with George Nader 'The Female Animal'

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Making an impression in 'The Female Animal'

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Still from 'Three Sailors and a Girl' 1953

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'Luxury Liner' 1948 finale with Lauritz Melchior

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Three Daring Daughters 1948

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The Oceana Roll number from 'Two weeks with love'

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Discovering the truth in 'Rich young and pretty' 1951

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Rehearsing the 'All the colors of the rainbow' number 1957

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Jane on set with Cliff Robertson 1957

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Magical Janie from 1950

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Janie as Judy Foster

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A Date with Judy

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A Date with Judy

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A Date with Judy

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A Date with Judy

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A Date with Judy

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A Date with Judy

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A Date with Judy

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Janie's spectacular performance of 'The Peanut Vendor'

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So beautiful in 'A date with Judy'

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Livening up the kitchen 'Luxury Liner'

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Full of delight in 'Holiday in Mexico'

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Furious in 'Growing pains'

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Janie with Debbie Reynolds and Ann Miller 'Hit the deck'

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Playing a boy 'Luxury Liner'

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Resigned to sadness 'Song of the open road'

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A tired little girl 'Song of the open road'

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Tears after being hurt 'Song of the open road'

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Janie perplexed by love 'Song of the open road'

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Janie gives advice 'Song of the open road'

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Janie thinks of her mother 'Song of the open road'

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Janie Sees a kitten 'Song of the open road'

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A lonely star 'Song of the open road'

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'Magic is the moment' from 'Nancy goes to Rio'

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Jane Powell-Fight Back with Fitness

2009-07-28T14:27:00.000-07:00

Here is the New York Times review for Janie's fitness video.

"Jane Powell's exercize video is excellent because Jane has a varied routine of exercize that are suitable to all persons, no matter what their physical limitations. Jane Powell explains everything clearly and her wonderful personality shines throughout the entire video. I recommend this video completely. This is the best exercize video that I have ever seen. Jane Powell's 'Fight back with fitness' is superb."

'Spring came back to Vienna' from 'Luxury Liner'

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'Spring came back to Vienna' from 'Luxury Liner'

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'Spring came back to Vienna' from 'Luxury Liner'

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'Here it is Monday' the finale from 'Song of the open road'

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Janie gets philosophical in 'Song of the open road'

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'I'm having fun in the sun' number from 'Song of the open road'

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Janie is shocked by mother's words in 'Song of the open road'

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Janie and Vic Damone

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Holiday in Mexico

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Song of the open road

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Jane Powell TV section updated

2009-05-14T16:43:00.000-07:00

Wikipedia has updated its section on Janie's TV career with some very useful info for collectors of Jane Powell TV shows. One of my favourite Janie TV moments is the 'Passion Impossible' sketch on the Jimmy Durante show in which Janie plays a flirtatious young woman looking for love on a TV dating show, the prize catches are Jimmy Durante and Don Knotts! The sketch is great fun throughout and really shows Janie's natural feel for comedy. There is more on Janie's TV career in the wikipedia article below.

JANE POWELL IN TELEVISION:

During the 1950s and 1960s Powell appeared regularly on television. These credits included guest spots on nearly all the major variety shows of the period such as perry como, The Andy Williams Show, The Kraft Music Hall, frank sinatra, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Hollywood Palace, The Red Skelton Show, eddie fisher , The Dinah Shore Show, The Dean Martin Show, the smoothers bothers , alan king , This Is Tom Jones, The Garry Moore Show, The Jerry Lewis Show, The Judy Garland Show, gordon Macrae and The Bell Telephone Hour. She did a stint as one of the What's My Line? Mystery Guests on the popular Sunday night CBS-TV program. She also appeared as guest panelist on the same show. TV specials included "Meet Me in St. Louis", "young at heart", "Feathertop", " anniversary standard oil show in 1957", "danny thomas show 1967" , "victor borge show", "Ruggles of Red Gap" on Producers' Showcase and "Hooray for Love". She also hosted on a one-off basis versions of the chevy and bell telephone shows. Dramatic guest spots included both The Dick Powell Show and The June Allyson Show. She also had a failed TV pilot for a sitcom called "The Jane Powell Show." Powell was also a regular guest on TV variety shows in Australia when she visited there to perform her nightclub act. She also had a one-off TV special in that country in 1964.

In the 1970s she appeared in 3 TV movies Wheeler and Murdoch, The Letters and Mayday at 40,000 Feet!. She also guested in a TV musical version of the story of Jesus Christ called "the Cruxifixtion". Guests spots on TV anthology programs included The Love Boat and Fantasy Island.

In the 1980's she again guested on the love boat and fantasy island. Another guest spot was On "murder she wrote". She also spent 9 months in 1985-6 playing generally unsympathetic character on the daytime soap Loving, which she said she thoroughly enjoyed^[2].

At the end of the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s she also had a regular guest spot on Growing Pains (playing Alan Thicke's mother).

She was a temporary replacement on As The World Turns for Eileen Fulton as Lisa Grimaldi in 1991, 1993, and 1994.

In 2000 she appeared in two TV movies in supporting roles in The Sandy Bottom Orchestra and Perfect Murder, Perfect Town.

Her last major TV appearance was a guest spot on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 2002.

Like nearly every star in show business she has also appeared on numerous TV Talk shows to promote her latest project. Her most significant effort here would be a week's co-hosting The Mike Douglas Show in 1970 where she talked openly for the first time about her son's drug addition problems.

Amy Rabinovitz on Jane Powell

2009-05-14T15:46:00.000-07:00

The following is an article from the highly respected fitness expert Amy Rabinovitz.

It first appeared in the San Jose Fitness Examiner.

JANE POWELL TURNS EIGHTY

HOLLYWOOD STAR IS ALSO FITNESS ADVOCATE

Movie diva Jane Powell turns 80 today. In addition to an impressive roster of movies, television, Vegas acts and stage, she is known - albeit to a smaller degree -- as a speaker on the health care circuit and an advocate for women's and senior fitness.

An accomplished dancer, the divine Miss Powell didn't slow down over the years. In 1987, then 58 years old, she showed that not all Hollywood stars wanted to remain 20 years old forever.

She made a fitness video, "Fight Back with Fitness," which was designed to help people with arthritis in conjunction with The Arthritis Foundation.

According to a New York Times review,

"Jane Powell explains everything clearly and her wonderful personality shines throughout the entire video."

Though her claim to fame is still her starring roles in 20 major MGM musicals, including the classics "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" and "Royal Wedding," Hollywood is only part of what she covers on the lecture circuit. She also speaks on fitness, renewal and growth in the "golden years."

Ms. Powell - you still make me want to get up and dance around the room. Thank you.

A dance and a song with Gordon MacRae

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Janie and Howard Keel

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Janie poses with a very stylish automobile

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Janie and Ricardo Montalban

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Janie and Earle Hyman

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A wonderful portrait of Jane Powell

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Janie high-kicks her way into 1956

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The beauty of Jane Powell

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Janie fronts a Dutch magazine

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Janie enjoys a game of photo-studio golf with two of her children 'G.A' and 'Sissy'

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Janie can often be seen at the piano in many of her movies

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A simply fantastic picture of Janie from around 1951

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Janie makes a point

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Puttin' on a show...with rehersals in a New York garage!...Janie with Gordon MacRae, Gene Nelson and Sam Levene in 'Three Sailors and a Girl' 1953

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As this picture shows Janie has a waistline to envy and admire!

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Fascinating Janie close-up

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Janie poses for a movie still 1948

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Lovely Janie portrait

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A candid picture of Janie...I find this photo particularly lovely!

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Janie is not amused after Scotty Beckett wakes up the whole neighborhood while singing her a love song late at night in 'A date with Judy' 1948

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Janie with Jessica Tandy, Helen Hayes and Hume Cronyn

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Janie with Noel Coward and Zaza Gabor

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Janie with Noel Coward

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April 1st...Happy Birthday Janie!

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Seven Brides cast set for reunion

2009-03-22T10:01:00.000-07:00

Dancers Over 40 will present Michael Kidd Rides Again!, hosted by Valerie Harper, to be held at the St. Luke's Theater, on April 6 at 8pm.

The event will honor the late director/choreographer Michael Kidd, and include a panel discussion moderated by Grover Dale, with Shelah Hackett Kidd on hand to talk about her Broadway and movie years with her late husband. Rare footage and clips from Kidd's shows will also be shown.

The event will include a mini-reunion of several cast members of the 1954 movie version of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, including JANE POWELL, Jacques d'Amboise, Norma Doggett Bezwick, Virginia Gibson, Fred Curt, and others.

In addition, several dancers from Kidd's Broadway shows will discuss their experiences, including Judy Dunford, Carolyn Kirsch, Teak Lewis, Shirley Nelson Holst, Dick Korthaze, and Iva Withers.For more information, visit http://http://www.dancersover40.org/.

A magical smile from a wonderful star

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Janie models the breathtaking outfit worn during the 'My Hero' dream sequence in 'Two weeks with Love' 1950

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Recording of the spectacular 'Love is like this' finale from 'Nancy goes to Rio' 1950

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Poster from 'Royal Wedding' 1951

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Janie and Peter Lawford in the unused dance number from 'Royal Wedding' 1951

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'Two weeks with love' A review by Mr Karl Hess

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Producer Jack Cummings gives us a nostalgic look at early America with its traditional mannerisms and unique dress in this turn of the century musical. While vacationing in a Catskills resort, Patti (Jane Powell) and her younger sister, Melba, (Debbie Reynolds) are determined to turn their two-week family get-a-way into two weeks with love. Patti sets her eye on a dashing older guest, Ricardo Montalban, while Melba stalks the hotel owner's son, Carleton Carpenter. Patti believes that if she were only permitted to wear a corset, like the other young women, that her romantic woes would be over. She is reminded by Mama and Papa (delightfully played by Ann Harding and Louis Calhern) that she is only eighteen and that the answer is no. Phyllis Kirk, a fellow vacationer, doesn't help any by spreading word that Patti doesn't wear a corset. She, also, has her sights set on Mr. Montalban. Needless to say, misadventure and comedy abound. Busby Berkeley, renowned for his spectacular choreography and 'people moving', staged all the numbers for this bright period musical set in the early 1900's.

The musical sequences are dazzling. They begin with a lilting waltz, the movie's untitled theme, which I call the LOVE WALTZ, conducted by Louis Calhern for his Sunday concert in the park. Jane Powell adds her talent to the concert with a vibrant A HEART THAT'S FREE. At the resort, Debbie Reynolds and Carleton Carpenter entertain the guests with a lively THAT'S HOW I NEED YOU. Jane follows with a robust OCEANA ROLL. Debbie and Carleton next give us the rousing ABA DABA HONEYMOON which gave them a smash-hit record. While rowing on the lake, Mama and Papa, Ricardo and Phyllis, and Jane (alone in her own little boat) sing the romantic BY THE LIGHT OF THE SILVERY MOON. Jane ends up IN the lake. At a resort dance, we hear a beautiful refrain of the LOVE WALTZ. Jane then gets her wish for a corset in an elaborate dream sequence in which she appears in the hotel courtyard with all guests assembled in their finest attire. Jane enters wearing a dazzling corset and a wide brimmed hat accessorized by a shade umbrella over her shoulder. All eyes are on Jane and her beautiful corset, not to mention her beautiful legs, as the crowd sings BEAUTIFUL LADY. She rewards their admiration with the revered Oscar Straus favorite MY HERO as her own hero, Ricardo, waltzes her around the garden. The dream ending and the film drawing to a close, Debbie and Carleton encore with ROW, ROW, ROW in a resort entertainment and Jane and Ricardo follow with a lively Latin dance, FLAMENCO. The music and movie conclude with the haunting LOVE WALTZ.

Of all of her movies, this is Jane Powell's favorite. It's one of my favorites, also. The entire cast seems to be having a rousing, good time. I think you will, too.

Janie with Edward Arnold 1948

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Lovely Janie close-up

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Janie magazine cover

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Janie photo from around 1944

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Sweet Janie!

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Keeping an eye on Wallace Beery and Carmen Miranda in 'A date with Judy' 1948

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