msladysoul Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 We all know the great dancers of screen Bessie Love, Marilyn Miller, Nancy Caroll, Patsy Kelly, Joan Crawford, Marion Davies, Ruby Keeler, Eleanor Powell, Ginger Rogers, Rita Hayworth, Betty Grable, Ann Miller, Vera-Ellen, Cyd Charisse. But what about the actresses who danced in films just as good as the above dancers I mentioned but were not trained, or professional or even started out as a dancer but danced just as good. Here are some actresses who danced well, but not considered great dancers. Clara Bow Jean Harlow did some fancy footwork in a few films. Barbara Stanwyck wowed me with her swing dancing in Lady of Burlesque Ann Sheridan danced beautifully in many films. Ann Sothern June Allyson danced divine many times. Judy Garland Lana Turner Martha Raye Doris Day Who are some more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venerados Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 Audrey Hepburn was certainly more than passable in Funny Face Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bggalaxy Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Hepburn, for what it is worth, started her career as a dancer. (ballet) Injury sent her in a different direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venerados Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Yep, Doris Day too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bansi4 Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Don't forget Debbie Reynolds who more than held her own with Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor in "Singin' in the Rain". That "Good Mornin'" number was just fantastic. James Cagney is another who surprised us with his tap dancing in "Yankee Doodle Dandy". And I consider Judy Garland more than just an adequate dancer especially in "Easter Parade" with Fred Astaire. In the "Alabam" number she goes one on one with the master and comes out smelling like a rose. Mongo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickdimeo Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Joan Crawford a great dancer? Maybe when it comes to flaunting her jazz-baby stuff on top of a table but did you ever get a glimpse of her in Dancing Lady? I love Joanie but she was a better actress than a dancer. I never saw Marion Davies dance so I'm also skeptical about her being a great dancer. In my opinion Ruby Keeler tapped like she was wearing big bulky combat boots on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrobella Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 I agree with the comment about Barbara Stanwyck's dancing in Lady of Burlesque. She does a cartwheel as well as some moves that resemble breakdancing. Film lore has it that when Stanwyck signed on to the role of Dixie (in what is definitely a B picture) her peers wondered if she had taken leave of her senses. At that time, she was a major star and was still being offered "respectable" roles. I've watched the film many times and it seems to me she is having a blast. She probably took the role for her own amusement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosinryanz Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 I have always thought Judy Garland was an overlooked dancer. I think Vera-Ellen is the best forgotten (outside of us) dancer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littletramplover Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Oh my goodness, rosinryanz, Vera Ellen was positivey *phenomenal*! Not only was she beautiful, but she was one seriously talented dancer! Since I was a little kid, I was always in awe of her, even in her early days in those Danny Kaye/Virginia Mayo movies-- the numbers she performed were simply out of this world! You're right, she's a gem, and definitely deserves more recognition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bggalaxy Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Cagney is another one who was a dancer first before he was a tough guy. In an interveiw I read sometime ago He stated that he was surprised that people were surprised that he could dance since that was one of his first loves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moviejoe79 Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Another great dancer who's unfortunately forgotten is Lucille Bremer. She held her own with Fred Astaire in "Ziegfeld Follies." She was also very beautiful and was excellent in the few memorable roles that she had - especially as Judy Garland's older sister in "Meet Me in St. Louis." And does anyone remember Clark Gable dancing in "Idiot's Delight?" In it he plays a vaudeville hoofer, and does a great job tap dancing with a line of beautiful chorus girls. The role was a real departure for him, since he usually played tough guys, but he is EXCELLENT in this movie. It also stars Norma Shearer, who hams it up as a Russian countess. TCM should play it more often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twtpark Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Yes, Doris Day should be included in the list of Great Dancers who aren't considered Great Dancers. Would have loved to see her hoof it with Astaire. No doubt about it, she would have held her own! She would have made a great partner with Gene Kelly too. The only reason she turned to singing in the first place was because of that auto accident that prevented her from making her first dream of becoming a great dancer come true..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bggalaxy Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 Vera Ellen has always been a favorite of mine. I first saw her in On the Town and feel in love with her. I just wish she had done more films. She and Donald O'Conner I feel deserve more props than they are given. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msladysoul Posted March 18, 2004 Author Share Posted March 18, 2004 nickdimeo First off what I meant by great dancers was ones who appeared dancing often and started out as dancers, maybe they weren't greast as others but they were professional dancer first and started off. Joan Crawford and Marion Davies may not have been "great" by your standards, but their dancing was a product of their time and enjoyed by audiences then. I don't think Joan is all that great a actress either. What Ruby Keeler movies are you watching. Ruby is a fine dancer, she may not do that high class dancing, but she makes you wanna get up and dance, she's fun to watch. Ruby may not have had a chance to dance with Astaire but she danced with Cagney and they did a fine job. Cagney was a great dancer, he showed some smooth moves in a few films. I know he wanted to dance more but that didn't look good on a tough guy. I'm not a big fan of Astaire, I've seen dancers better then him, but since he was the first, he was looked at as great and was used more often then others. George Murphy was a fine dancer, I like him better then Astaire. Do you have to be considered great only if you dance with Astaire? I don't think so. When Crawford danced with Astaire in Dancing Lady, he seem to be thrown off a little by Joan because she was wild a little in the movie and Astaire graceful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickdimeo Posted March 19, 2004 Share Posted March 19, 2004 msladysoul, how can I possibly argue with you when you make ridiculous statements (like you have) about Fred Astaire? And what movies are "YOU" watching not to think that Joan Crawford is not a great actress? Sure, she's no Ethel Barrymore but neither is Bette Davis. As far as my statement about Ruby Keeler. I never stated I thought her dancing was substandard in anyway. When you put Ruby up against the grace and elegance of Cyd Charise, or Eleanor Powell she fails in comparison in every way. Ruby is just to clunky in her steps, this is an opinion shared with many a film scholar. Also can you please list a few films that Marion Davies has danced in, because for the life of me I can't think of any! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littletramplover Posted March 19, 2004 Share Posted March 19, 2004 (those are some nice points, nickidemo, or maybe I'm just biased because Cyd Charise, to me, is one of the absolute best. I think it's interesting to note that Joan was, in addition to being a fine actress, also the best dancer at the Hollywood dance spots in the 20s like the Montmartre Cafe and the Cocoanut Grove. She snagged most of the trophies up for grabs in those years...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickdimeo Posted March 19, 2004 Share Posted March 19, 2004 Yeah Cyd is without a doubt the greatest dancer of all-time. I rank them as follows: 1. Cyd Charisse 2. Eleanor Powell 3. Ginger Rodgers 4. Ann Miller 5. Vera-Ellen Honorable Mention: Buddy Ebson's sister Just One Man's Opinion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littletramplover Posted March 19, 2004 Share Posted March 19, 2004 " Also can you please list a few films that Marion Davies has danced in, because for the life of me I can't think of any!" The film Marianne-- her first talkie. She sings in it too. But since she was at one time a Ziegfield girl, I'm sure she was actually much better than what's shown in the film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moviejoe79 Posted March 19, 2004 Share Posted March 19, 2004 I think Marion Davies danced in "Going Hollywood" - but I'm not sure - its been a long time since I saw it, and TCM NEVER plays it, even though it stars both her and Bing Crosby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harlowkeatongirl Posted March 19, 2004 Share Posted March 19, 2004 Patrick Swayze is hands-down, absolutely my favorite dancer of all time in motion pictures. In my opinion, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, and Ginger Rogers don't hold a candle to him. At all. Just kidding But he was pretty good in "Dirty Dancing." lol... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msladysoul Posted March 19, 2004 Author Share Posted March 19, 2004 nickdimeo, you probably haven't even seen all her dancing films. Have you seen Colleen, Dames, Golddiggers, Sweetheart of the campus, and others. Cyd Charisse dancing is nothing about all that fancy stuff, I don't care about that, I like that hot rhythm, syncopation which Ruby Keeler, Ginger Rogers, Ann Miller, and Eleanor Powell had. That's what's wrong with these film scholars, they judge too close, instead of looking at the talent. I'm glad Ruby had her own way of dancing, Movies would of been boring if everyone danced a like. Ruby was never choreographed the way MGM did their dancing stars, had she been with MGM and danced with Fred Astaire you would of saw how great she was, and maybe an improvement. Astaire wished to dance with her, so that tells you something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickdimeo Posted March 20, 2004 Share Posted March 20, 2004 I've never seen Sweetheart of the Campus but have seen just about all her movies. Don't get me wrong I love Ruby Keeler! I think her bad acting, and unique style of dancing along with her being cute as a button set her apart from the giants of the day. You have a genuine point regarding (liking) her hot rythm style but when all is said and done she is not in the same league with Cyd, and Eleanor Powell, and the others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bggalaxy Posted March 20, 2004 Share Posted March 20, 2004 You so funny - harlowkeatongirl! lol We can't compare dancers and say one was the greatest or ones style is better than another. Sure we can prefer a dance style over another but that doesn't mean the other dancer or style is less in any way. We can just sit back and enjoy the art they we, ourselves, can't do (at least I can't). It's like comparing singers, you can't, and come up with the best. Every dancer/actor dancer listed here are a joy to watch time after time and be mesmerized. I for one can watch dancing (any form) all day long. I'm a frustrated dancer (I feel the rhythm but my body won't decipher). A good example is White Nights. Gregory Hines and Mikail Baryshnikov are at to different end of dance. They are both great at what they do but the styles and the background of their dance really comes through in this film. Hines' spontaneous inner self driven tap and all it's history to Baryshnikov's classical ballet and all it's elegance. You can't compare. just enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msladysoul Posted March 20, 2004 Author Share Posted March 20, 2004 your right bggalaxy. They all were wonderful. I can't compare. Even though I am a skilled dancer and singer and can do some of the things they do. I still think their wonderful. I can't put one over another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msladysoul Posted March 20, 2004 Author Share Posted March 20, 2004 nickdimeo let me see you dance, since your judging, you must think your better, you might dance like your wearing bulky combat boots on. I like to size you two up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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