Eleanor Powell - "No Contest!" - Vitaphone Short

Here's Eleanor Powell in a very small uncredited role in the 1934 short, "No Contest!". It's hard to understand why she would have accepted the part, when she was already "The Queen of Ra-Ta-Taps" and a Broadway star. Perhaps it was done as a screen test prior to her appearance in "George White's Scandals of 1935" (which was a reprisal of her tap routine from White's Broadway "Music Hall Varieties") . After her unhappy experiences filming "Scandals", she was eager to return to the New York stage, and had no further interest in movie work. MGM very much wanted her, however, and offered her a starring role and large salary for "Broadway Melody of 1936". For a number of months, she honored commitments in both Hollywood and New York, which led to an eventual collapse from exhaustion. After several weeks of recuperation, she returned to Hollywood and quickly became a star there too.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Eleanor
• Powell
• No
• Contest!
• entertainment
• tap
• dancing
• uncredited
• early
• films
• screen
• test
• 1934
• Vitaphone
• short
• chorus
• line

[JudithIN410]

Yes, that's my understanding - that all the Vitaphone shorts were shot at Bell Laboratories in Manhattan. Afraid I don't recognize anyone who looks or sounds like Lucille Ball. She has many early shorts listed at imdb.

[JudithIN410]

This short was almost certainly shot at Western Electric's Bell Laboratories in Manhattan, New York - before Powell went to Hollywood.  See wikipedia re: Vitaphone history and imdb for confirmation of EP's role in this film. She was a successful stage performer for years before she went to Hollywood..

[hebneh]

I'm glad to say that I was able to spot Eleanor, although with some uncertainty until I read the final title.

[nostalgiajunkie70]

One more thing to add about my question on Lucy. In the bio, it says that the Vitaphone shorts were made in New York City.

[nostalgiajunkie70]

Is it possible that the woman at 1:24 is Lucille Ball? Her voice is what got my attention and I read in one of her bios that she made 2 Vitaphone shorts before she started Kid Millions. Thoughts anyone?

[44032]

I'm surprized. I thought she was already a noted dancer when she went to Hollywood.

[yogidogiman]

Thank you thank you thank you for these great clips of the greatest female dancer ever in the movies.

[wwfgold8]

great post. Thanks

[hajune]

tHANKS JUDITH FOR POSTING THIS!

[Sargenet]

Love it!! Thanks so much for posting.