Eleanor Powell

Eleanor Powell

Dancer, actress (1912–1982)

Eleanor Torrey Powell was an American dancer and actress. Best remembered for her tap dance numbers in musical films in the 1930s and 1940s, she was one of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's top dancing stars during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Powell appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and most prominently, in a series of movie musical vehicles tailored especially to showcase her dance talents, including Born to Dance (1936), Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937), Rosalie (1937), and Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940). She retired from films in the mid-1940s but resurfaced for the occasional specialty dance scene in films such as Thousands Cheer. In the 1950s she hosted a Christian children's TV show and eventually headlined a successful nightclub act in Las Vegas. She died from cancer at 69. Powell is known as one of the most versatile and athletic female dancers of the Hollywood studio era.

Filmography in the catalog

Credited on 7 films (1936–1943) — matched by name in the Creator or Credits field. Also mentioned in 8 other records (descriptions, transcriptions, copyright notes).

Year ▲ Title CreatorLengthFormatColorSound
1936 BORN TO DANCE. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp. 11 reels. B&W
1939 Honolulu. Loew's Inc. 9 reels 16mm B&W sound
1941 Lady Be Good. Norman Z. McLeod 12 reels B&W sound
1942 I DOOD IT R C M Productions 102 min 16mm B&W sound
1942 Ship Ahoy! Fox Film Corporation 95 min 16mm B&W sound
1942 Ship Ahoy. Edward Buzzell 10 reels B&W sound
1943 I Dood It. Vincente Minnelli 10 reels B&W sound