Ann Miller: Difference between revisions
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==Early life== |
==Early life== |
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Miller was born in [[Chireno, Texas]] to Clara Emma (née Birdwell) and John Alfred Collier, a criminal [[lawyer]] who represented [[Bonnie and Clyde|the Barrow Gang]], [[Machine Gun Kelly]], and [[Baby Face Nelson]], among others.<ref name="nytimes"> |
Miller was born in [[Chireno, Texas]] to Clara Emma (née Birdwell) and John Alfred Collier, a criminal [[lawyer]] who represented [[Bonnie and Clyde|the Barrow Gang]], [[Machine Gun Kelly]], and [[Baby Face Nelson]], among others.<ref name="nytimes">{{cite news| url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D03EFDB1139F930A15752C0A9629C8B63| title=Ann Miller, Tap-Dancer Starring in Musicals, Dies| work=New York Times| author=Richard Serero| publisher=NYTimes.com| date=23 January 2004| accessdate=2011-04-12}}</ref><ref name="filmreference">{{cite web| url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/67/Ann-Miller.html| title= Ann Miller Biography| publisher=FilmReference.com| date=| accessdate=2011-04-12}}</ref> Miller's maternal grandmother was [[Cherokee]].<ref name="nytimes"/> Miller's father insisted on the name Johnnie because he had wanted a boy, but she was often called Annie.<ref name="nytimes"/> She took up dancing to exercise her legs to help her [[rickets]]. She was considered a child dance [[child prodigy|prodigy]]. In an interview featured in a "behind the scenes" documentary on the making of the compilation film ''[[That's Entertainment!|That's Entertainment III]]'', she said that [[Eleanor Powell]] was an early inspiration.<ref name="independent">{{cite news| title=Obituaries—Ann Miller-Dancing Star and 'Queen of the Bs'| date= 24 January 2004| work=The Independent| url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/ann-miller-755491.html| accessdate=2011-04-12}}</ref> |
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==Career== |
==Career== |
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[[File:Miller.JPG|right|thumb|250px|The handprints of Ann Miller in front of [[The Great Movie Ride]] at [[Walt Disney World]]'s [[Disney's Hollywood Studios]] theme park.]] |
[[File:Miller.JPG|right|thumb|250px|The handprints of Ann Miller in front of [[The Great Movie Ride]] at [[Walt Disney World]]'s [[Disney's Hollywood Studios]] theme park.]] |
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At the age of 13 Miller had been hired as a dancer in the "Black Cat Club" in San Francisco (she reportedly told them she was 18). |
At the age of 13 Miller had been hired as a dancer in the "Black Cat Club" in San Francisco (she reportedly told them she was 18). It was there she was discovered by [[Lucille Ball]] and talent scout/comic [[Benny Rubin]]. This led Miller to be given a contract with [[RKO]] in 1936 at the age of 13 (she had also told them she was 18) and she remained there until 1940.<ref name="reel">{{cite web| title=Ann Miller| url=http://www.reelclassics.com/Actresses/Ann_Miller/annmiller2.htm| publisher=Reel Classics| date=10 March 2011| accessdate=2011-04-12}}</ref> The following year, Miller was offered a contract at [[Columbia Pictures]]. She finally hit her mark (starting in the late 1940s and Early 1950s ) in her roles in [[MGM]] musicals such as ''[[Kiss Me Kate (film)|Kiss Me Kate]]'', ''[[Easter Parade (1948 film)|Easter Parade]]'', and ''[[On the Town (film)|On the Town]]''. |
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Miller popularized [[pantyhose]] in the 1940s as a solution to the problem of continual torn stockings during the filming of dance production numbers. The common practice had been to sew hosiery to briefs worn by Miller. |
Miller popularized [[pantyhose]] in the 1940s as a solution to the problem of continual torn stockings during the filming of dance production numbers. The common practice had been to sew hosiery to briefs worn by Miller. If torn, the entire garment had to be removed and resewn with a new pair. At Miller's request, hosiery was manufactured for her as a single pantyhose.<ref name="osbourne">{{cite web| url=http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/72685%7C0/Private-Screenings-Ann-Miller.html| title=Private Screenings: Ann Miller| date=1997| publisher=tcm.com| accessdate=2011-04-12}}</ref> |
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Miller was famed for her speed in [[tap dancing]]. Studio publicists concocted press releases claiming she could tap 500 times per minute, but in truth, the sound of ultra-fast "500" taps was looped in later. Because the stage floors were slick and slippery, she actually danced in shoes with rubber soles. Later she would loop the sound of the taps while watching the film and actually dancing on a "tap board" to match her steps in the film.<ref name="osbourne"/> |
Miller was famed for her speed in [[tap dancing]]. Studio publicists concocted press releases claiming she could tap 500 times per minute, but in truth, the sound of ultra-fast "500" taps was looped in later. Because the stage floors were slick and slippery, she actually danced in shoes with rubber soles. Later she would loop the sound of the taps while watching the film and actually dancing on a "tap board" to match her steps in the film.<ref name="osbourne"/> |
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In 1970, satirist [[Stan Freberg]], father of the funny commercial, used Miller and her tap-dancing skills in a television commercial for "Great American Soups." Miller initially plays a housewife asked by her "husband" ([[Dave Willock]]) what she's prepared for dinner. She throws off her house frock to reveal a sequined dance outfit, and the kitchen set splits open to reveal a huge Hollywood stage, showcasing a giant can of soup, atop which Miller sings and dances, accompanied by a double chorus line. At the end of the commercial, she returns to the kitchen set, where the husband character exclaims, ''"Why do you have to make such a big 'production' out of everything?"'' According to Freberg, the commercial cost so much to produce that little money was left in the advertising budget to purchase airtime for it. The commercial can be seen on the video accompanying Freberg's boxed set release, "The Tip of the Freberg". {{citation needed|date=April 2010}} |
In 1970, satirist [[Stan Freberg]], father of the funny commercial, used Miller and her tap-dancing skills in a television commercial for "Great American Soups." Miller initially plays a housewife asked by her "husband" ([[Dave Willock]]) what she's prepared for dinner. She throws off her house frock to reveal a sequined dance outfit, and the kitchen set splits open to reveal a huge Hollywood stage, showcasing a giant can of soup, atop which Miller sings and dances, accompanied by a double chorus line. At the end of the commercial, she returns to the kitchen set, where the husband character exclaims, ''"Why do you have to make such a big 'production' out of everything?"'' According to Freberg, the commercial cost so much to produce that little money was left in the advertising budget to purchase airtime for it. The commercial can be seen on the video accompanying Freberg's boxed set release, "The Tip of the Freberg". {{citation needed|date=April 2010}} |
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She was known, especially later in her career, for her distinctive appearance, which reflected a studio-era ideal of glamor: massive black bouffant hair, heavy makeup with a slash of crimson lipstick, and fashions that emphasized her lithe figure and long dancer's legs. Her film career effectively ended in 1956 as the studio system lost steam to television, but she remained active in the theatre and on television. She starred on Broadway in the musical "[[Mame (musical)|Mame]]" in 1969, in which she wowed the audience in a tap number created just for her. In 1979 she astounded audiences in the [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] show ''[[Sugar Babies]]'' with fellow MGM veteran [[Mickey Rooney]], which toured the United States extensively after its Broadway run. In 1983 she won the [[Sarah Siddons Award]] for her work in [[Chicago theatre]]. |
She was known, especially later in her career, for her distinctive appearance, which reflected a studio-era ideal of glamor: massive black bouffant hair, heavy makeup with a slash of crimson lipstick, and fashions that emphasized her lithe figure and long dancer's legs. Her film career effectively ended in 1956 as the studio system lost steam to television, but she remained active in the theatre and on television. She starred on Broadway in the musical "[[Mame (musical)|Mame]]" in 1969, in which she wowed the audience in a tap number created just for her. In 1979 she astounded audiences in the [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] show ''[[Sugar Babies]]'' with fellow MGM veteran [[Mickey Rooney]], which toured the United States extensively after its Broadway run. In 1983, she won the [[Sarah Siddons Award]] for her work in [[Chicago theatre]]. |
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She appeared in a special 1982 episode of ''[[The Love Boat]]'', joined by fellow showbiz legends [[Ethel Merman]], [[Carol Channing]], [[Della Reese]], [[Van Johnson]], and [[Cab Calloway]] in a storyline that cast them as older relatives of the show's regular characters. In 2001 she took her last role, playing Coco in auteur director [[David Lynch]]'s critically acclaimed ''[[Mulholland Drive (film)|Mulholland Drive]]''. Her last stage performance was a 1998 production of [[Stephen Sondheim]]'s ''[[Follies]]'', in which she played the hardboiled survivor Carlotta Campion and received rave reviews for her rendition of the song, "I'm Still Here". {{ |
She appeared in a special 1982 episode of ''[[The Love Boat]]'', joined by fellow showbiz legends [[Ethel Merman]], [[Carol Channing]], [[Della Reese]], [[Van Johnson]], and [[Cab Calloway]] in a storyline that cast them as older relatives of the show's regular characters. In 2001 she took her last role, playing Coco in auteur director [[David Lynch]]'s critically acclaimed ''[[Mulholland Drive (film)|Mulholland Drive]]''. Her last stage performance was a 1998 production of [[Stephen Sondheim]]'s ''[[Follies]]'', in which she played the hardboiled survivor Carlotta Campion and received rave reviews for her rendition of the song, "I'm Still Here". <ref name="follies">{{cite news| title=Beguiled by the Past| author=Ben Brantley| url=http://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/08/movies/theater-review-beguiled-by-the-past.html?ref=annmiller| work=New York Times| publisher=NYTimes.com| date=08 May 1998| accessdate=2011-04-12}}</ref> |
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[[File:Betty Garrett, Ann Miller and Vera-Ellen in On The Town trailer.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Miller with [[Betty Garrett]] (left) and [[Vera-Ellen]] (right) in ''[[On the Town (film)|On the Town]]'' (1949)]] |
[[File:Betty Garrett, Ann Miller and Vera-Ellen in On The Town trailer.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Miller with [[Betty Garrett]] (left) and [[Vera-Ellen]] (right) in ''[[On the Town (film)|On the Town]]'' (1949)]] |
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Revision as of 15:13, 12 April 2011
Ann Miller | |
|---|---|
 in Small Town Girl (1953) | |
| Born | Johnnie Lucille Collier April 12, 1923 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | January 22, 2004 (aged 80) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Years active | 1934 - 2001 |
| Spouse(s) | Reese Milner (1946-1947) Bill Moss (1958-1961) Arthur Cameron (1961-1962) |
Johnnie Lucille Collier, better known as Ann Miller (April 12, 1923[1] – January 22, 2004) was an American singer, dancer and actress.
Early life
Miller was born in Chireno, Texas to Clara Emma (née Birdwell) and John Alfred Collier, a criminal lawyer who represented the Barrow Gang, Machine Gun Kelly, and Baby Face Nelson, among others.[2][3] Miller's maternal grandmother was Cherokee.[2] Miller's father insisted on the name Johnnie because he had wanted a boy, but she was often called Annie.[2] She took up dancing to exercise her legs to help her rickets. She was considered a child dance prodigy. In an interview featured in a "behind the scenes" documentary on the making of the compilation film That's Entertainment III, she said that Eleanor Powell was an early inspiration.[4]
Career
At the age of 13 Miller had been hired as a dancer in the "Black Cat Club" in San Francisco (she reportedly told them she was 18). It was there she was discovered by Lucille Ball and talent scout/comic Benny Rubin. This led Miller to be given a contract with RKO in 1936 at the age of 13 (she had also told them she was 18) and she remained there until 1940.[5] The following year, Miller was offered a contract at Columbia Pictures. She finally hit her mark (starting in the late 1940s and Early 1950s ) in her roles in MGM musicals such as Kiss Me Kate, Easter Parade, and On the Town.
Miller popularized pantyhose in the 1940s as a solution to the problem of continual torn stockings during the filming of dance production numbers. The common practice had been to sew hosiery to briefs worn by Miller. If torn, the entire garment had to be removed and resewn with a new pair. At Miller's request, hosiery was manufactured for her as a single pantyhose.[6]
Miller was famed for her speed in tap dancing. Studio publicists concocted press releases claiming she could tap 500 times per minute, but in truth, the sound of ultra-fast "500" taps was looped in later. Because the stage floors were slick and slippery, she actually danced in shoes with rubber soles. Later she would loop the sound of the taps while watching the film and actually dancing on a "tap board" to match her steps in the film.[6]
In 1970, satirist Stan Freberg, father of the funny commercial, used Miller and her tap-dancing skills in a television commercial for "Great American Soups." Miller initially plays a housewife asked by her "husband" (Dave Willock) what she's prepared for dinner. She throws off her house frock to reveal a sequined dance outfit, and the kitchen set splits open to reveal a huge Hollywood stage, showcasing a giant can of soup, atop which Miller sings and dances, accompanied by a double chorus line. At the end of the commercial, she returns to the kitchen set, where the husband character exclaims, "Why do you have to make such a big 'production' out of everything?" According to Freberg, the commercial cost so much to produce that little money was left in the advertising budget to purchase airtime for it. The commercial can be seen on the video accompanying Freberg's boxed set release, "The Tip of the Freberg". [citation needed]
She was known, especially later in her career, for her distinctive appearance, which reflected a studio-era ideal of glamor: massive black bouffant hair, heavy makeup with a slash of crimson lipstick, and fashions that emphasized her lithe figure and long dancer's legs. Her film career effectively ended in 1956 as the studio system lost steam to television, but she remained active in the theatre and on television. She starred on Broadway in the musical "Mame" in 1969, in which she wowed the audience in a tap number created just for her. In 1979 she astounded audiences in the Broadway show Sugar Babies with fellow MGM veteran Mickey Rooney, which toured the United States extensively after its Broadway run. In 1983, she won the Sarah Siddons Award for her work in Chicago theatre.
She appeared in a special 1982 episode of The Love Boat, joined by fellow showbiz legends Ethel Merman, Carol Channing, Della Reese, Van Johnson, and Cab Calloway in a storyline that cast them as older relatives of the show's regular characters. In 2001 she took her last role, playing Coco in auteur director David Lynch's critically acclaimed Mulholland Drive. Her last stage performance was a 1998 production of Stephen Sondheim's Follies, in which she played the hardboiled survivor Carlotta Campion and received rave reviews for her rendition of the song, "I'm Still Here". [7]
Miller also performed a guest appearance on Home Improvement as a dance instructor to Tim and Jill. For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Ann Miller has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6914 Hollywood Blvd.
Miller was parodied on Saturday Night Live by Molly Shannon.
She died, aged 80, from cancer, which had metastasized to her lungs, and was interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.
Filmography
Features
| 1934 |
The Devil on Horseback New Faces of 1937 Radio City Revels Too Many Girls Time Out for Rhythm True to the Army Reveille with Beverly Jam Session Carolina Blues |
1945 |
Eadie Was a Lady The Thrill of Brazil Easter Parade Watch the Birdie Texas Carnival Small Town Girl The Opposite Sex Won Ton Ton Goodnight, We Love You ♦ |
- ♦ Documentary
Short subjects
| 1941 |
Meet the Stars #8: Series 21, No. 1 |
1949 |
Some of the Best New York's Wonder City' |
References
- ^ U.S. Census, April 1, 1930. State of Texas, County of Harris, enumeration district 71, page 2A, family 86.
- ^ a b c Richard Serero (23 January 2004). "Ann Miller, Tap-Dancer Starring in Musicals, Dies". New York Times. NYTimes.com. Retrieved 2011-04-12.
- ^ "Ann Miller Biography". FilmReference.com. Retrieved 2011-04-12.
- ^ "Obituaries—Ann Miller-Dancing Star and 'Queen of the Bs'". The Independent. 24 January 2004. Retrieved 2011-04-12.
- ^ "Ann Miller". Reel Classics. 10 March 2011. Retrieved 2011-04-12.
- ^ a b "Private Screenings: Ann Miller". tcm.com. 1997. Retrieved 2011-04-12.
- ^ Ben Brantley (08 May 1998). "Beguiled by the Past". New York Times. NYTimes.com. Retrieved 2011-04-12.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)
Further reading
- Miller, Ann, Miller's High Life. Doubleday, 1972. ISBN #0-385-03440-7.
- Oderman, Stuart, Talking to the Piano Player 2. BearManor Media, 2009. ISBN #1-59393-320-7.
External links
- Ann Miller at IMDb
- Please use a more specific IBDB template. See the documentation for available templates.
- Profile @ Turner Classic Movies
- BBC obituary
- "Ann Miller". Find a Grave. Retrieved August 9, 2010.
- Photographs and literature
- Great American Soup Commercial at YouTube