When the ladies of Silver Scenes Classics announced this blogathon honoring MGM, I was ecstatic. MGM was the premier studio for decades of Hollywood’s history for many, many reasons. These reasons are precisely what made it so difficult to narrow down the topic of my post. There were so many options to focus on, so many things worth writing about, not the least of which is my long-term fascination with Irving Thalberg.
As I dithered about undecided, I finally had one of those a-ha! moments. Having discovered a new-found love for Eleanor Powell in the past year, I felt she was a great choice as she perfectly encapsulates for me the joy of watching MGM films; their history of producing top notch musical pictures as well as their propensity for collecting and developing talented performers, not to mention their gorgeous sets and costumes (which is another topic I seriously considered covering.)
In a career spanning two decades and only fifteen film credits, Eleanor Powell certainly made a lasting impression. Though she would never win any acting awards, her undisputed talent for dance more than made up for anything she might have lacked.
In the annals of dancing actors, others may still remain more popular, but few if any could match or exceed her skill and joie de vivre on the screen. Even Fred Astaire has been quoted as saying, “Eleanor Powell, one of our greatest talents, is a bit too powerful for me.” Continue reading “MGM Blogathon – Six Fun Eleanor Powell Dancing Numbers”