In the late 1930s, Ann Miller (April 12, 1923 – January 22, 2004) was a teenage prodigy who jump-started her Hollywood career by pretending to be several years older than she actually was. Born in 1923, she was barely 13 or 14 years old during her initial breakthrough but successfully convinced studios she was 18 to bypass child labor laws.
In 1936, while Miller was dancing at the Bal Tabarin (or Black Cat Club) in San Francisco, she was discovered by Lucille Ball and talent scout Benny Rubin. This meeting led to her first major contract with RKO Pictures. To sign with RKO in 1937, Miller used a fake birth certificate provided by her father. It claimed she was born in 1919 rather than 1923, making her appear 18 instead of 14. Her first significant film role was as Ginger Rogers’ dancing partner in Stage Door (1937). Despite her sophisticated appearance, she was only 14 at the time.
By 1939, Miller was already a seasoned veteran of the screen despite being only 16 years old. She would soon leave RKO for Columbia Pictures, and eventually MGM, where her career would hit its legendary stride.
Miller quickly became known for her phenomenal tap speed, which studio publicists claimed reached 500 taps per minute. This signature “machine-gun” tapping style, combined with her long legs and “brassy” persona, made her a standout supporting actress in musical comedies before she eventually transitioned to MGM in the 1940s.
0 comments:
Post a Comment