She was one of the greatest dancers in Hollywood. Few could match her skill. I love her and still do.Sadly these wonderful talented people are gone, but live on in places like here where all of us can see them. Love You Vera.. .
There is no shame in having an illness you didn't asked for. I know. I have several, and believe me; it is admirable in being able to do what people have to do in spite of it. When a performer does their job and does it as well as Vera-Ellen did, I praise her. I have osteoarthritis and play guitar in spite of the pain, because I want to, and people what to hear me. How many actors and artists have had bipolar disorder, and no one knows, and have continued to work in spite of it? Praise them.
Wow! You did a GREAT job showcasing this talented and gifted dancer! She would have been proud of this one! The song selection was especially perfect!
I'm sick of every Vera-Ellen video being a forum for arguing about anorexia. Yes, it's a terrible thing. No can ever prove she had it. What we can prove is that she was a phenomenal dancer with very few real peers. Why don't we focus on that? Don't you think she'd prefer it?
Nice one BasilNelson. Details. The opening chorus is from "Skin Deep" written by Duke Ellington and/or Louie Bellson sounds like their version. Then it's "Opus One" written by Cy Oliver. Could be anyone but very much like Ted Heaths
version. Third part is "Let's Face the Music and Dance" written by Irving Berlin arranged and played by Nelson Riddle. Finally "Opus One" again with the countermelody in the background being "Cherokee" written by Ray Noble
The soundtrack is edited from several pieces of music. I have no composer details but titles are 'Skin Deep' 'Opus No 1' and 'Let's Face the Music and Dance'.
is vera also mitzy? this might sound stupid but im serious... ive been looking into some of her work and ive fallen IN LOVE with her dancing and all that :) but then i came across vera who... seems a lot like mitzy so im just curious :) please get back to me!
Vera-Ellen is my favorite female dancer. True, she's great in "On The Town" but she's even better in "Three Little Words", and "Happy Go Lovely." And if you want to see Gene Kelly keeping up with Vera-Ellen, you must see the classic number, "Slaughter On Tenth Avenue" in the film, "Words and Music". It is indeed her finest moment on film. Unfortunately most of Vera-Ellen's dance on stage where it could not be preserved by celluloid. She was indeed the best. Cheers!
@ Ubanga...You thought you she was in shape in white christmas. Yikes, her waist is probably the size of my thigh and im normal weight for my height and age. Her weight never looked bloated. Not evenly remotely. You must be ridiculously thin if you called Vera bloated at any point in her life.
By the by, I just read down and must agree about Powell. I once saw her tap in a movie, it seemed like twelve minutes nonstop, and most of the time spinning around in circles. Can't recall the name of the flick just now, but it was great. And still, there is only one Vera Ellen, and she will forever be my fav.:) This is a beatiful and deserved tribute to her. Thanks from me too, Basil!
I agree with niceguy. She was a great dancer and underated! It's nice that she's finally getting recognition that she so deserved. If it weren't for her dance scenes, I wouldn't even bother to watch "White Christmas." She upstaged everyone!
She was so beautiful and talented....and under-rated. It's so sad that she suffered from anorexia in her later film career. It makes me made that Hollywood actually thought she needed to watch her weight with the amount of dancing she did. And what wonderful dancing she did! Thank you for paying tribute to one of the best dancers, if not THE best dancers, to ever appear in films!
to julie101670 - isn't it unbelieveable that they felt she needed to watch her weight? she had the perfect dancer's body...completely toned & tight...no jiggle anywhere, yet she still had feminine curves. she was beautiful. why can't hollywood let women look like women? if we were meant to look like 12-yr-old boys, we'd never go through puberty!!! they ruined women's health back then, just like they do now!!!
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
You're probably fat and have a chip on your shoulder. She wasn't asked to look like a 12 year old boy, just asked to not turn into a tub of lard, that's all. Vera looks the most beautiful in White Christmas, when she was slim and in shape. When I see her in other pictures and movies and her weight is bloated, she looks bad, like a sack of lard. Slim, in shape women are not anorexic, they are simply healthy and in shape. Too bad women now are so fat. Instead of bashing slim women, try a diet.
1. i'm 5'10" and have always been on the slim side, so your first theory is wrong.
2. if you thought she was her most beautiful in white christmas, that's your opinion, and you're entitled to it. i just happen to think she was her most beautiful in miss turnstiles, and naughty but nice. but just in case you weren't aware, it's a known fact that she was NOT healthy during the filming of white christmas because she was, in fact suffering from anorexia. it's people like you who contribute...
deeknits, I find it funny that you now try to change the meaning of your post. You blatantly complained that Hollywood doesn't let women look like women but rather, 12 year old boys. You even went as far as saying that Hollywood still continues to ruin women's health. But now you retreat and pretend that everyone is entitled to their opinion. While that is true, YOU volunteered your criticism of Vera by saying it was unbelievable she felt she had to watch her weight NOW..you try to act innocent
Furthermore, it is not a 'known fact' that Vera had anorexia during White Christmas. That is a blatant lie by you. God only knows your motivation but this usually comes from women who have a weight problem in order to smear women who are slim and attractive. It is a RUMOR that she had anorexia. Matter of fact, I've talked personally to three gaffers on White Christmas who told that Vera used to eat like a horse during breaks and go right back to dancing. She was an athlete - therefore, SLIM
YOU volunteered your criticism of Vera by saying it was unbelievable she felt she had to watch her weight NOW..you try to act innocent
if you go back and read my original comment, you'll see it said i thought it was unbelievable that THEY thought she needed to watch her weight. my criticism was NEVER aimed at vera. it was and still is aimed at hollywood for always pressuring women to be too SKINNY, not a normal weight. and with that, i'm done with this conversation.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
Ubanga will accept your departure as a surrender and accept the win. I hope this has taught you the lesson that just because you have a weight problem you shouldn't attack women who are attractive and slim and call them names and attack them personally. Work on your own weight issues and don't attract others.
...too women having eating disorders. at her NORMAL body weight, you say "...her weight is bloated, she looks bad, like a sack of lard." yet, when she's ill, visibly underweight, and her neck has gotten so skinny and drawn, they have to make all her costumes with a high neckline, you think she's her most beautiful. she was a beautiful dancer AND a beautiful woman who DIDN'T NEED TO LOSE AN OUNCE of weight.
Wonderful! The question as to who was Hollywood's greatest female dancer is a matter of taste. Eleanor Powell was the best tap-dancer [only Ann Miller gave her any competition], Cyd Charisse's style & grace reflected her balletic training, but my fav. is & always will be Vera-Ellen. She had an inimitable, light-footed movement & her legs were mesmerisingly beautiful as many of these photos testify. Thanks for posting this one, basilnelson.
Thank you for your reply basilnelson & i look forward to seeing your Eleanor Powell tribute. I would have to say that her tap-dance routine to "Fascinating Rhythm" is still the greatest piece of work i have ever seen by a solo female dancer. The skill & artistry she displayed was extraordinary. She danced from head to toe where none of the movements in the routine appear to be repeated. The only other tap-dancer in her league was male, the legendary Bojangles.
Fantastic! Thanks. To see Vera-Ellen and Gene Kelly, being this the best male dancer ever, dancing together is an absolute splendour only as marvelous as him and Cyd Charisse and possibly Ann Miller (not sure if they danced together) and gracious Mitzi Gaynor
Lovely Vera-Ellen Possibly one of the best ballerinas, with Cyd Charisse and a few others, of the fifties. Great tributes you pay to so many fantastic actresses of the past My congratulations to you
Lovely and good work, really nice.
miakaal 1 month ago
you do such great work!....I love your tributes...THANX!!!
deanofranksammy 2 months ago
@deanofranksammy Thank you! Check out the new 2012 season of 'Movie Legends'beginning January 4th.
basilnelson 2 months ago
Thank you for this great tribute to Miss Ellen..and the great tunes.
.
tallpaul521 2 months ago
She was one of the greatest dancers in Hollywood. Few could match her skill. I love her and still do.Sadly these wonderful talented people are gone, but live on in places like here where all of us can see them. Love You Vera.. .
Rtmax45 2 months ago
There is no shame in having an illness you didn't asked for. I know. I have several, and believe me; it is admirable in being able to do what people have to do in spite of it. When a performer does their job and does it as well as Vera-Ellen did, I praise her. I have osteoarthritis and play guitar in spite of the pain, because I want to, and people what to hear me. How many actors and artists have had bipolar disorder, and no one knows, and have continued to work in spite of it? Praise them.
Rtmax45 2 months ago
In some moment, she really looks like Doris Day....
cross7THHOUSE 6 months ago
Amusingly beautiful, incredibly sassy, lightning fast with wonderful grace...ahh Vera you're all of that....you have no peers.
twilson11208 1 year ago
The BEST EVER.
stophit1 1 year ago
Wow! You did a GREAT job showcasing this talented and gifted dancer! She would have been proud of this one! The song selection was especially perfect!
Bravo!!
nuzzi7 1 year ago
way ahead of her time
santino240 1 year ago
I'm sick of every Vera-Ellen video being a forum for arguing about anorexia. Yes, it's a terrible thing. No can ever prove she had it. What we can prove is that she was a phenomenal dancer with very few real peers. Why don't we focus on that? Don't you think she'd prefer it?
jsharp1701 1 year ago 9
Nice one BasilNelson. Details. The opening chorus is from "Skin Deep" written by Duke Ellington and/or Louie Bellson sounds like their version. Then it's "Opus One" written by Cy Oliver. Could be anyone but very much like Ted Heaths
version. Third part is "Let's Face the Music and Dance" written by Irving Berlin arranged and played by Nelson Riddle. Finally "Opus One" again with the countermelody in the background being "Cherokee" written by Ray Noble
loujug1 2 years ago
Could ypou please tell me the name of the song and the composer please.
mykoreanclass 2 years ago
The soundtrack is edited from several pieces of music. I have no composer details but titles are 'Skin Deep' 'Opus No 1' and 'Let's Face the Music and Dance'.
basilnelson 2 years ago
is vera also mitzy? this might sound stupid but im serious... ive been looking into some of her work and ive fallen IN LOVE with her dancing and all that :) but then i came across vera who... seems a lot like mitzy so im just curious :) please get back to me!
MahinaSinger 2 years ago
no they are two different people, but they are both german.
sunking1616 2 years ago
@sunking1616 They were both born in America. That makes them Americans, :)
chaoscleaner 1 year ago
Vera-Ellen is my favorite female dancer. True, she's great in "On The Town" but she's even better in "Three Little Words", and "Happy Go Lovely." And if you want to see Gene Kelly keeping up with Vera-Ellen, you must see the classic number, "Slaughter On Tenth Avenue" in the film, "Words and Music". It is indeed her finest moment on film. Unfortunately most of Vera-Ellen's dance on stage where it could not be preserved by celluloid. She was indeed the best. Cheers!
delehanty1969 2 years ago 4
An Excellent Video..Profesionally Produced, Vera-Ellen was my Faforite Dancer & Actress..I had a Crush on her.
vagliobene 2 years ago
@ Ubanga...You thought you she was in shape in white christmas. Yikes, her waist is probably the size of my thigh and im normal weight for my height and age. Her weight never looked bloated. Not evenly remotely. You must be ridiculously thin if you called Vera bloated at any point in her life.
GuppyLove314 2 years ago 5
slim is not always pretty. she had a beautiful body and danced so much she probably didn't need watch her weight that much
Arlease37 3 years ago 2
Hollywood and the publc Loved Vera! She was and is one of the greatest EVER! Rest in peace Vera!
rodneyhackenflash 3 years ago 3
My all time favorite actress/dancer--hooray! Thank you for this wonderful slideshow and tribute. I like the music too!
shirine 3 years ago 3
One question: Does anyone know if Astaire ever commented on dancing with Ellen? Just curious. Thnkx.
summertime11111 3 years ago
By the by, I just read down and must agree about Powell. I once saw her tap in a movie, it seemed like twelve minutes nonstop, and most of the time spinning around in circles. Can't recall the name of the flick just now, but it was great. And still, there is only one Vera Ellen, and she will forever be my fav.:) This is a beatiful and deserved tribute to her. Thanks from me too, Basil!
summertime11111 3 years ago
I agree with niceguy. She was a great dancer and underated! It's nice that she's finally getting recognition that she so deserved. If it weren't for her dance scenes, I wouldn't even bother to watch "White Christmas." She upstaged everyone!
summertime11111 3 years ago
to summertime11111 - i agree...her dance numbers are the only reason i watch white christmas, too.
deeknits 3 years ago
She is someone you never really hear about and it's a shame. Vera-Ellen was in many musicals and was a great dancer!
niceguy63073 3 years ago
She was so beautiful and talented....and under-rated. It's so sad that she suffered from anorexia in her later film career. It makes me made that Hollywood actually thought she needed to watch her weight with the amount of dancing she did. And what wonderful dancing she did! Thank you for paying tribute to one of the best dancers, if not THE best dancers, to ever appear in films!
Julie101670 3 years ago
to julie101670 - isn't it unbelieveable that they felt she needed to watch her weight? she had the perfect dancer's body...completely toned & tight...no jiggle anywhere, yet she still had feminine curves. she was beautiful. why can't hollywood let women look like women? if we were meant to look like 12-yr-old boys, we'd never go through puberty!!! they ruined women's health back then, just like they do now!!!
deeknits 3 years ago 2
This comment has received too many negative votes show
You're probably fat and have a chip on your shoulder. She wasn't asked to look like a 12 year old boy, just asked to not turn into a tub of lard, that's all. Vera looks the most beautiful in White Christmas, when she was slim and in shape. When I see her in other pictures and movies and her weight is bloated, she looks bad, like a sack of lard. Slim, in shape women are not anorexic, they are simply healthy and in shape. Too bad women now are so fat. Instead of bashing slim women, try a diet.
Ubanga33 3 years ago
1. i'm 5'10" and have always been on the slim side, so your first theory is wrong.
2. if you thought she was her most beautiful in white christmas, that's your opinion, and you're entitled to it. i just happen to think she was her most beautiful in miss turnstiles, and naughty but nice. but just in case you weren't aware, it's a known fact that she was NOT healthy during the filming of white christmas because she was, in fact suffering from anorexia. it's people like you who contribute...
deeknits 3 years ago 6
deeknits, I find it funny that you now try to change the meaning of your post. You blatantly complained that Hollywood doesn't let women look like women but rather, 12 year old boys. You even went as far as saying that Hollywood still continues to ruin women's health. But now you retreat and pretend that everyone is entitled to their opinion. While that is true, YOU volunteered your criticism of Vera by saying it was unbelievable she felt she had to watch her weight NOW..you try to act innocent
Ubanga33 3 years ago
Furthermore, it is not a 'known fact' that Vera had anorexia during White Christmas. That is a blatant lie by you. God only knows your motivation but this usually comes from women who have a weight problem in order to smear women who are slim and attractive. It is a RUMOR that she had anorexia. Matter of fact, I've talked personally to three gaffers on White Christmas who told that Vera used to eat like a horse during breaks and go right back to dancing. She was an athlete - therefore, SLIM
Ubanga33 3 years ago
YOU volunteered your criticism of Vera by saying it was unbelievable she felt she had to watch her weight NOW..you try to act innocent
if you go back and read my original comment, you'll see it said i thought it was unbelievable that THEY thought she needed to watch her weight. my criticism was NEVER aimed at vera. it was and still is aimed at hollywood for always pressuring women to be too SKINNY, not a normal weight. and with that, i'm done with this conversation.
deeknits 3 years ago 3
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Ubanga will accept your departure as a surrender and accept the win. I hope this has taught you the lesson that just because you have a weight problem you shouldn't attack women who are attractive and slim and call them names and attack them personally. Work on your own weight issues and don't attract others.
Ubanga33 2 years ago
...too women having eating disorders. at her NORMAL body weight, you say "...her weight is bloated, she looks bad, like a sack of lard." yet, when she's ill, visibly underweight, and her neck has gotten so skinny and drawn, they have to make all her costumes with a high neckline, you think she's her most beautiful. she was a beautiful dancer AND a beautiful woman who DIDN'T NEED TO LOSE AN OUNCE of weight.
deeknits 3 years ago 6
Wonderful! The question as to who was Hollywood's greatest female dancer is a matter of taste. Eleanor Powell was the best tap-dancer [only Ann Miller gave her any competition], Cyd Charisse's style & grace reflected her balletic training, but my fav. is & always will be Vera-Ellen. She had an inimitable, light-footed movement & her legs were mesmerisingly beautiful as many of these photos testify. Thanks for posting this one, basilnelson.
hotwok19 3 years ago 4
Thank you Frank. Another legend, 'Queen of the Rap-tap-taps' Eleanor Powell will be showcased in my Movie Legends series in the near future.
basilnelson 3 years ago
Thank you for your reply basilnelson & i look forward to seeing your Eleanor Powell tribute. I would have to say that her tap-dance routine to "Fascinating Rhythm" is still the greatest piece of work i have ever seen by a solo female dancer. The skill & artistry she displayed was extraordinary. She danced from head to toe where none of the movements in the routine appear to be repeated. The only other tap-dancer in her league was male, the legendary Bojangles.
hotwok19 3 years ago
Fantastic! Thanks. To see Vera-Ellen and Gene Kelly, being this the best male dancer ever, dancing together is an absolute splendour only as marvelous as him and Cyd Charisse and possibly Ann Miller (not sure if they danced together) and gracious Mitzi Gaynor
pianist527 3 years ago
I am glad you mentioned Mitzi Gaynor. She is on the MOVIE LEGENDS list of future releases, so keep watching! Thank you.
basilnelson 3 years ago
Lovely Vera-Ellen Possibly one of the best ballerinas, with Cyd Charisse and a few others, of the fifties. Great tributes you pay to so many fantastic actresses of the past My congratulations to you
pianist527 3 years ago
Sex Appeal!...i made a error on my first comment. Excellent
globehunter2 3 years ago
Leg,s...Style...Sex Appea and stage presence!
she had it all, what a figure and facial features to admire. Colorful presentation):
fashion statement well made. I love the
back ground music and photo editing.
Thanks again Baz
PIERRE
globehunter2 3 years ago
One of the greatest dancers ever in movies. Watch how she keeps up with Gene Kelly in "On the Town." Thanks for posting.
lakewalker11 3 years ago