November 21
Born Today:
Eleanor Powell
Tap dancer Eleanor Powell (1912-1982) is best known for her roles in Hollywood musicals of the 1930s and 1940s. Although she appeared in Broadway musicals, she had better luck in film, debuting in George White’s Scandals of 1935. Powell went on to star in Born to Dance (1936) and Rosalie (1937), created specifically for her talents - incredible turns. This lady could spin like a top and ended many of her dances with a dizzying array of turns, stopping suddenly and flashing that megawatt smile. In the movie Broadway Melody of 1940, she danced with Fred Astaire (1899-1987) on a floor buffed to a mirrored sheen to Cole Porter’s song, Begin the Beguine. Powell held her own as a worthy partner in their one movie together.