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Eleanor Powell Has No Time For Dates,
Doesn't Like Company Of Young Men
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""V. & ' ;j-JJt'' ?Sm5S June Stewart and Eleanor Powell
V V jul C' take a stroll between scenes of their
! al. sj Ci Jhtf L-ifi new film, "Born To Dance." Others
Jmmmm V r-'tlVV. - 1 2" iftlL in the cast are Virginia Bruce, Buddy
jX'Mf Ebsen "nd Un MetkeL
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j T . Miss Powell, the 1 I
l :mu-'Jfr world's finest feminine . II 1
) , jfT tap dancer, will wear II V
jT, out fifty pair of danc- XI . Jj
V I tng shoes in the max- j"- I
Jr ng of her latest X
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Eleanor Powell figures out some new
routines for her latest musical picture,
"Born To Dance" by having mental
figures of herself go through the
motions.
I'M free, white and 21.
I can cook.
I can sew.
I'm agreeable, I hope.
My face and figure are average.
I have my own income.
And yet I have never married. '
I have never been engaged.
A g'ance at the list of tappers in America
shows that I am one of the few who have never
said the sacred vows. Fred Astaire, Ruby Heel
er, Ray Bolger, Bill Robinson, Charles Collins
and Ginger Rogers have all been married, and
with the exception of the latter, they are still
married.
But I remain bottoms In marYiage, even
though I'd like to be married.
I've been too busy for love, and before that
I was too bashful.
The first 12 years of my life, I was too bash
ful to even glance at a boy.
My mother decided to send me to dancing
school in Springfield, Mass., when 1 was six
years old, so I could lose that bashfulness, and
be able to meet people, knowing that it would
be a very lonesome life for me without male
companionship.
So, frightened to death, I took my dancing
ahoea to the school and under the tutelage of
Ralph MrKeman, learned my first "heel and
toe" steps.
Days, weeka and months passed, and I lost
my bashfulness, but I also lost my interest in
other people. That must have been the turn
ing point in my life when I decided that I loved
dancing more than almost anything else in the
world.
BACK in school, the other girls .were going to
partiea with their boy friends, but I was at
McKernan's school wearing out shoe leather.
Even when I was 12, my daily schedule was
overflowing, I helped with the housework In
the morning, making beds, putting up lunch and
generally aiding mother.
At school I was busy with my lessons and
sports. After school came three hours of danc
ing, then home to help with dinner and later to
my room to study.
Boys called at my home, but I was just too
busy to accept their attentions.
At 13, I went to Atlantic City to visit my
grand-parents, Mr. and Mrs. S. T. Torrey, and
it waa there that I met my first fellow. But
the romance only lasted three days, for one day
a producer, Gus rjjdwards, noticed me dsncing
on the sand.
He finally talked mother Into allowing me to
make a nightly dancing appearance at the Rits
Cafe. And thus ended my first romance, even
before It actually got started. All summer, I
practised on the beach and danced at the club
during the night
Returning to Springfield for school I still
couldn't find time for boys.
For the next two summers, I returned to At
lantic City to dance at the cafe.
Then I finished high school. The big question
In the mind of the Powell family waa my fu
ture. Should I go to college or go to New York
and take up a dancing career In earnest T Danc
ing won, so at the age of 16, mother and I
started off to New York.
No datea in New York during the first months,
for I was too busy trying to see producers in
order to get a Job. And I couldn't accept In
vitations because I didn't have enough money to
keep a full wardrobe.
IN fact, mother and I were living on such a
alim budget that we had to cut down on our
food in order to take out $20 so that I could take
10 tap lessons.
Finally I waa given a principal role in the
Al SOUK
musical, "Follow Thru". Now I had enough
just enough, money to buy the clothes I would
need for social life in New York. But now that
the clothes were in sight, I was too busy to find
time to use them.
This still seems to hold true. When I re
turned from New York recently, I brought a lot
of new clothes, but I have been so busy working
In "Born to Dance," that I haven't taken them
out of the closet
Then I went on the road. Living out of a
suitcase, making one-night stands, always on the
go, I found it impossible to make the kind of
social contacts that I would enjoy.
Back to New York again I passed most of
my waking hours in front of the footlights and
In rehearsal halls. I appeared In "Fine and
Dandy," with Joe Cook; Ziegfeld's "Hot-Cha's
"The Varieties", as the lesd opposite Bert Lahr
and Harry Richman; in George White's "Scan
dals" and In "Crasy Quilt"
By thia time. I was in love with dancing and
nothing else. Men had stopped trying to get
"dates" with me because the answer was always
the same; "I've got to practise new routine
tonight"
Then I came to Hollywood to appear In the
motion picture version of the "Scandals" for
Fox. This was just small part, but it was
my first motion picture and I wal ao busy get
ting used to camera technique that I didnt
even get a chance to visit the beaches, much
less to go to any of the Hollywood night spots
in the company of the men of the film city.
IMMEDIATELY after I finished this role, I
was tested by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. They
liked my work so I was given the leading role
in "Broadway Melody of 1936." Acting and
singing as well as dancing made it imperative
that I almost live at the studio. Again I had no
time for social life.
Returning to New York to fulfill my con
tract to do a leading role In the stage musical,
"At Home Abroad," I must have surprised my
friends by having "dates." 1 was seen here end
there with the orchestra leader, Abe Lyman. For
me to have a data was almost the same as an
nouncing that I was engaged, at least that's the
way the papers felt about it But both Abe and
I agree that It was just a friendship that had
been going on for many years.
Back to Hollywood I came to play in the
musical extravaganta, "Born to Dance." Still
unmarried, still unengaged. .
Then my name began to be linked with, James
Stewart, who ia also in the new musical. We
had a few dancing dates, but we are just friends.
I will scon be bark In New York, and for the
first time in my life It will be for a vacation.
I'm wondering what will happen.
Now that I have signed with M-G-M. have my
home in Qeverly Hills and am moving my grand-
Swinging Into the spectacular fi
nale routine for the "Swinging
The Jinx Away" number in the
musical "Born To Dance." Miss
Powell starred in several broad
way musical shows before going
to Hollywood.
parents to the Pacific Coast, I have been think
ing about marriage.
I FEEL that a career and marriage can be
mixed if the couple have the correct person
alities for such a combination. But I think it's
better if msrriage is made the only and most
important career of the woman.
I've decided one thing, and that is age. 1
want to marry an older man. I enjoy their
company more because years seem to have made
them more considerate than the younger men.
If I were to marry a young man and continue
with my screen career, I'm not sure that it
would work out successfully. Young men are
not inclined to realise that a woman can be just
as tired at night from her work as a man from
his.
During the few "datea" I've had, I've found
that older men were better company. They
seem to realize more clearly that there is more
to life than always being on the "go."
I really have never tried to avoid love or get
ting engaged, but It seems that I have been too
busy.
, I could set a million rules as to when, where,
whom and why I will marry, but I think I'm wise
enough to let my heart rule my head. Only time
. will reveal the outcome.
Five Star Critic Appends
Powell Story
By Linda Lane
'HE. World's Greatest Feminine Tap Danc-
it by winning the championship award of the
Dancing Masters of America. Bill Robinson
won the male award.
Miss Powell first came to Hollywood to ap
pear in a small dancing role. She was prepar
ing to return to Broadway when she was offered
a screen test for a dancing bit in M-G-M's
"Broadway Melody of 1936."
Until then, no leading woman had been chos
en. Many screen tests had been made, but final
decision had not been made. Louis B. Mayer,
the studio head, was viewing the many screen
testa when a new face and figure leaped upon
the screen.
Mayer asked her Identity. He was told she
was Eleanor Powell whose only screen experi
ence had been one small dancing part
"That is our leading woman!" Mayer ex
claimed. Miss Powell was called In. Mayer advised
how to improve her make-up, how to change
her hairdress. He instructed the building of
sets to fit her personality, how to photograph
her and gown her and Eleanor Powell emerged
a full-fleilged star overnight
She has always been a great lover of sports.
Her favorite was horseback riding, but her
mother realized that this was too risky for her
talented daughter, so Eleanor took up awim
ming and has become a champion, having won
several medals in races.
ELEANOR is a very jany, modern dance
queen on the stage but at home ahe'a the
opposite. She likes to make hook rugs and work
in her garden.
After rehearsing definite routines all day,
sl finishes by doing a half hour of her "favor
te steps for her own amusement. She is tire
less, having been known to make many a veter
an piano accompanist cry "quit."
Joan Crawford is her favorite personality.
And like the noted actress she nsmes gardenias
as her favorite flower. Blue is her favorite
color. She could eat roast beef and ice cream
every day of the year, she says.
She sleeps eight hours but sdmite that she
needs ten because of the energy she uses during
the day.
Lovea to read. Her favorite modern authoi
ia Louis Bromfield, and Noel Coward gets thst
sward in the modern playwright class. Enjoys
reading about Henry.the Eighth, and likea Mc
Clelland Barclay's drawings.
She doesn't smoke or drink. Believes In good
luck pieces and carries a solid gold elephant
Eleanor won't have to do her Up dancing
routines at home by herself any more, for the
other day she purchased a German ahepherd
police dog that can actually do a Up dance.
Eleven months old. the dog waa being trained
for show purposes when the star visited his ken
nels, not to buy a dog, but to get some equip
ment Seeing the police dog, she could not resist
buying it after It did a Up dance to music
Eleanor ia going to have canine Up shoes
ov . '. " cl,CK,ng can be heard
- , - " fl er friends call
"Sweleanor."
her