VERA ELLEN - ANOTHER QUESTION FOR YOU

[onceadancer2]

Posted: 9/30/03 at 9:00am

There was a rush of Vera Ellen questions recently so my friend Roberta, who danced with Vera Ellen on Broadway, came up with this for you:

In what show did Vera Ellen make her debut? In this show she scored a big round of applause performing in a dance that required her to do what? Due to Max Gordon's idiosyncracies, this dance number was sometimes listed in the playbill, and sometimes not. What was the name of the number, when it was listed!

The girls have also come up with more questions that will stupify you. Would you like to see them? Let me know and then I'll post them.

Miriam

[MasterLcZ]

Posted: 9/30/03 at 9:09am

Wow, Miriam, that's a toughie. I checked and V-E worked at Billy Rose' Casa Manana and was a dancer in the chorus in VERY WARM FOR MAY, HIGHER & HIGHER & PANAMA HATTIE. She was very briefly a Rockette, but got axed because she kept kicking higher than the other girls!

She had a specalty in BY JUPITER, but I can't find out what exactly it was!

[QueenS]

Posted: 9/30/03 at 11:35am

Where's Daisy? I'll bet she knows!

[rlbgbc]

Posted: 9/30/03 at 2:34pm

I bet the speciality that VE did was nerve taps.

[ShineOn]

Posted: 9/30/03 at 11:52pm

Oooo... the pressure!!! I know the first show she did was "Very Warm For May"...when she was eighteen years old. I'm not sure about the dance specialty, though. I could find out...

I DO know that V-E was actually older than the press stated, however. They claimed she was born in 1926, but in fact, she was born in 1921. Is that impressive (not really, huh)? *trying to pull useless V-E trivia out of her ass* She died at the young age of 60 from cancer... so horrible. It makes me misty eyed every time I think of it. It really upsets me that I never had the privilege of meeting this talented woman whom I grew up admiring. I've heard through the grapevine she was one of the sweetest women you'd ever meet, too. Very gracious, warm, down to earth.

WAS it the nerve tap? I mean, she obviously was well known for that. I don't know if it was as well developed back in the day as it was by "White Christmas" though.


Hmm... she was EXTREMELY flexible and I know that her physical prowess impressed audiences. The strength in her legs was incredible. She could carry her leg up beside her head, without the support of her hand, she had THAT much strength in her leg muscles. She was QUITE the accomplished dancer.

Miriam, could you please enlighten me? I'd love to learn more about this woman! As much information as I can obtain... she fascinates me. There's not much "out there" about her life, because she didn't live it very publicly. Not to mention, she only made 12 movies throughout her career... so, she's not remembered well amongst todays generation, which is sad, because she was truly gifted. Anything you can tell me about V-E, please do share! I'd really appreciate it!

You're so fabulous -- I love all your stories!


--daisy, who was clearly born into the wrong era.

[jo]

Posted: 10/1/03 at 7:45am

Sorry to say that I only remember Vera Ellen as a movie star. I didn't know about her Broadway background.

I watch WHITE CHRISTMAS every year -- and I am always amazed by her dancing.

[onceadancer2]

Posted: 10/1/03 at 8:59am

Vera-Ellen made her Broadway debut in VERY WARM FOR MAY!!!

Her big moment came in a dance sequence when she jumped out of an ice cream truck and began to dance. It was called Boogie Woogie Vanilla.

Miriam

Updated On: 10/1/03 at 08:59 AM

[ShineOn]

Posted: 10/1/03 at 2:00pm

Yay, I got the show right! :)

Oh, I actually heard about the ice cream truck... but I wasn't certain what show it was from. That's so cute... I love V-E! *goes to turn on Three Little Words*