Jane Powell, a star of Hollywood’s golden age musicals, passed away at the age of 92. She performed with Howard Keel in “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” and Fred Astaire in “Royal Wedding.” Powell’s vocal talents were on full display in the film, contributing to the magic and charm of the beloved classic.
The song “Evry Night At Seven” features Astaire and Powell performing from the play within a Broadway musical that their characters are taking. Powell made her screen debut with W.C. Fields and danced with Fred Astaire in Royal Wedding. The film was loosely based on the real-life partnership of Fred Astaire and his sister, Adele Astaire. In real life, Adele Astaire married Lord Charles Cavendish, son of the Duke of Devonshire, just as Jane Powell, playing Fred’s sister, marries an English Lord at the end of the film.
Powell’s breakthrough film was 1951’s “Royal Wedding,” a Stanley Donen musical in which she starred opposite Fred Astaire. Powell was terrific in I Left My Hat in Haiti and was viewed as the wholesome girl next door. The dancing is superb and very creative, and the singing from both Jane Powell and Fred Astaire is wonderful.
📹 (HQ) How Could You Believe Me (Royal Wedding-1951)
Jane Powell & Fred Astaire perform “How Could You Believe Me” in the 1951 musical “Royal Wedding”.
How old was Fred Astaire when he did Royal Wedding?
52! From the movie Royal Wedding. #FredAstaire #Hollywood #Dance.
Were Jane Powell and Debbie Reynolds friends?
She learned to cook at 10.
They were friends. They shared the same birthday. They both celebrated their birthdays on April 1 every year. At 12, Jane Powell was Oregon Victory Girl. As of February 2006, she was singing on Norwegian Cruise Lines cruise ships in Roanoke.
Was Jane Powell friends with Debbie Reynolds?
They were close friends who shared a birthday. They both celebrated their birthdays on April 1 every year. She looked up to the actress Jeanette MacDonald. She was a bridesmaid for Elizabeth Taylor. Taylor was a bridesmaid at Powell’s first marriage. Her husband Patrick Nerney bought her a pair of diamond earrings. She was afraid of needles, so she had her ears pierced under anesthesia. When she found out she was pregnant with her last daughter, Lindsay, she told the doctor that he could only treat her if he pierced her ears while she was giving birth. He agreed, and she left the delivery room with a baby and two pierced ears. She sang at the Inaugural Ball for President Harry S. Truman on January 20, 1949.
At what age did Fred Astaire stop dancing?
At 70, Mr. Astaire kept his age in mind and was always aware of his own abilities. He stopped dancing professionally in 1970, when he was over 70.
US; World; Business; Arts; Lifestyle; Opinion; Audio; Games; Cooking; Wirecutter; The Athletic When we have access, the full article will load. Read the article from June 23, 1987.
Were Fred and Ginger lovers?
Rogers writes that Fred and he worked well together. We weren’t close off-screen. We were different people with different interests. We were just a couple on film. Over the years, people made up stories about my relationship with Fred Astaire. People thought he was a Svengali who made my career happen. Ginger Rogers wrote in her 1991 autobiography, Ginger Rogers: My Story. But the Oscar winner will always be linked to Fred Astaire, with whom she made ten musical comedy classics. In My Story, Rogers talks about her romances with Cary Grant, Howard Hughes, Jimmy Stewart, and her first husband, Lew Ayers. She was a Republican, teetotaling Christian Scientist who saw miracles and worked hard to be a top box office attraction.
How old was Debbie Reynolds in Two Weeks with Love?
Both female singers play their younger roles well. Powell and Reynolds share a birthday: April 1. They are three years apart. Powell was 21 when the film was made and plays a 17-year-old. Reynolds was 18 and plays a 15-year-old. They do a great job. The two actresses became close friends and made two more musicals together. They played sisters again in the 1954 movie, Athena, and were friends in the 1954 movie, Hit the Deck. When I first wrote this, both actresses were alive. Both had successful careers in film and on TV. Powell’s soprano roles ended by the end of the 1950s, and Reynolds’s singing roles ended in the 1960s. Both sang in some TV shows later. Reynolds had a fuller acting career, mostly in comedy. Powell’s musical comedies were great. Her biggest hit was Seven Brides for Seven Brothers in 1954. Reynolds had hits with Singin’ in the Rain in 1957, The Unsinkable Molly Brown in 1964, and The Singing Nun in 1967. She had her own TV show in 1969-70. Two Weeks with Love is a fun, warm, and funny movie for the whole family. Reynolds is great in her role, and the other actors are good too. Two great actors play the Robinson parents. Horatio and Katherine. Louis Calhern adds some comedy, and Ann Harding lets her daughter grow up.
Is Jane Powell singing in Royal Wedding?
If you like feel-good movies, this one is for you. The dancing and singing are great. Jane Powell is great in her role. Fred Astaire is great too. The only bad thing about this movie is the boring love interests. They don’t have chemistry. They’re bad and could have been cast better. Some of the songs are boring, but I loved “Too Late Now” and “How Could I Believe You.” Clever. Great dancing, great stars, beautiful costumes, great acting, and lovely songs! I enjoyed this movie. 12 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Typically enjoyable Fred Astaire vehicle from the 50s. Not on a par with The Bandwagon, but still great. Vibrant colours, fine cinematography, and Astaire’s superb dancing. He’s too old to be Jane Powell’s brother, and the plot is thin. His dancing is good, though. He dances solo, including the famous “Dancing on the Ceiling” scene. He also dances with gym equipment and room furniture. He shines when he dances with Powell. She can dance. The songs didn’t connect with me, except for “How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Loved You When You Know I’ve Been a Liar All My Life,” which is a great country and western song title. Fred’s voice isn’t the best, and Powell’s operatic warblings don’t move me much either. In the minor parts, Peter Lawford plays an English lord, and Sarah Churchill, niece of the great war leader, is plain. The humor is forced, but Donen handles it well. From the wedding invitation titles to the shot of London at the end, everything looks stylish. A pleasant, underrated musical comedy to watch in the afternoon or evening.
Did Jane Powell sing in 7 Brides?
Powell was a singer and actress who appeared in many films, TV shows, and on stage. She was known for her beautiful voice and girl-next-door image. She starred in several musicals, including A Date with Judy, Royal Wedding, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and Hit the Deck. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers; A Date with Judy; Royal Wedding; Hit the Deck. Jane Powell (born Suzanne Lorraine Burce; April 1, 1929 – September 16, 2021) was an American actress, singer, and dancer who appeared in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musicals in the 1940s and 50s. Powell appeared in films, TV, and on stage, singing in musicals like A Date with Judy, Royal Wedding, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and Hit the Deck. She also starred in The Female Animal and Enchanted Island. She appeared on stage in My Fair Lady and The Sound of Music and on TV in The Love Boat and Growing Pains. She was a Hollywood veteran.
How old was Jane Powell in Royal Wedding?
Powell was 21 when she got the role; Astaire was 50.
Who did Debbie Reynolds leave her money to?
Carrie, who was frank about her struggles with addiction and bipolar disorder, died in December 2016 at 60 after going into cardiac arrest on a plane with cocaine, morphine, and ecstasy in her system. Her mother died the next day. Debbie left most of her $70 million estate to her children with Eddie Fisher, Carrie, Todd, and her granddaughter, Billie. The 84-year-old didn’t think her daughter Carrie would die before her and died so suddenly she couldn’t change her will. But some family members, including Todd, thought Billie shouldn’t get her grandmother’s inheritance because her mother died first. The unexpected tragedies led to a dispute over their estates, worth an estimated $95 million, according to Radar Online.
Who sang for Jane Powell in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers?
Her singing voice was dubbed by Norma Zimmer. Albert Hackett; Frances Goodrich; Dorothy Kingsley; Jane Powell; Howard Keel; Jeff Richards; Russ Tamblyn; Tommy Rall; July 15, 1954 (Houston, Texas); July 22, 1954 (New York); December 20, 1954 (United States).
Did Jane Powell do her own singing?
Howard Keel and Jane Powell sang in this musical. The brothers and brides sometimes had their voices dubbed. This link shows the cast and who sang.
📹 (HQ) Open Your Eyes (Royal Wedding-1951)
Jane Powell & Fred Astaire perform “Open Your Eyes” in the 1951 musical “Royal Wedding”.
JANE POWELL IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF WASTED TALENT…MGM ALWAYS TYPED HER AS A TEENAGER…EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS BORN IN 1929…HER BEST FILM WORK BESIDES THIS NUMBER FROM “ROYAL WEDDING” WAS “7 BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS” AND A FILM SHE DID IN 1957 AT RKO CALLED “THE GIRL MOST LIKELY”…OF COURSE JANE WENT ON TO STAGE WORK, RECORDINGS, NIGHT CLUBS, ETC…BEEN A FAN OF HER SINCE I WAS SEVEN AND I TURN 80 IN NOVEMBER AND STILL LOVE TO WATCH HER FILMS…SINCE DEBBIE REYNOLDS HAS PASSED, JANE IS THE LAST OF THAT GROUP STILL AROUND…LOVE YOU JANE…
A pianist and a drummer were available for rehearsals — the orchestrator was brought in later to score the accents for instruments — the crazy “out of control” moments, for example, were created later. Meticulous rehearsals and choreography design, however — it’s simply a marvel to watch still today. Just a delight!
You just don’t get this kind of entertainment any more. So much to the imagination the style is wow and the creativity is beyond amazing the dancing acting singing is the best we will ever see again. Loved how they rounded the ending up with her stomping on his hat had him on the floor singing what a lier he is. From beginning to the very end they completely had my attention.
Fred Astaire, the perfect gentleman, he treated Jane Powell, non dancer, better than Gene Kelly treated Debbie Reynolds,non dancer, did in Singing in the Rain!!! In fact, it was Fred Astaire who found Debbie crying and gave 😂 some tips and encouraged her to keep going!!! He was not only a great dancer but, a true gentleman!!! R.I.P. both Fred and Jane 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
When I was a young girl in the early 60s, I found a beach ball at the park, which my friend wanted, so much so, she asked to swop it for her old record player! Her mum had bought a new one, so I got her old one, plus a few 78s one of which was this song. Loved the funny lyrics as a child, and only just seen this clever routine. Brilliant.
I can’t imagine anyone else in this role except her or June Allyson…or maybe Debbie Reynolds. I love Judy, and I think she would have been her usual stunning self, but I think the slightness in Jane Powell’s frame-particularly in this routine-is exactly what was needed. She’s like this little rough-and-tumble Betty Boop. and juxtaposed against Astaire’s height and build, makes it even more comical. Then later on we get to hear that sweet soprano voice. Yep. Loved her in this role.
this is so amazing, such a catchy tune, and the dance and movement is astonishing. They are both in synch, every move seems to be perfect too. Most of this, too seems to be filmed in one continuous take, it would seem that at some point someone might misstep, or not get the complicated moves and footwork, and they would need to restart. There seems to be minimal editing here too. I recently watched this movie, and found the story somewhat dull and uninteresting, but the dancing (and Fred’s dancing on the walls and ceiling, and with a hat rack too) and the catchy tunes (words by Alan Jay Lerner who later wrote Gigi, My Fair Lady, and composer Burton Lane who wrote Finian’s Rainbow and On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, to name 2) and Jane Powell’s lovely voice, make up for the rest.
Part of the reason this number works is the incredible orchestration. I’ve tried to look up who did the orchestration for this movie, but have been unable to locate the name. It sounds as if it may be Ray Heindorf (A Star Is Born, 1954) In any case, the sound quality and the professionalism of the MGM orchestra is at its peak of artistry and possesses that mid-century zeitgeist that is so recognizable to those of us who lived through it. It’s a little sad to listen to this type of musical number from classic Hollywood, however, because it’s a painful reminder of all the people that are no longer with us (both celebrities, personal friends and family members).
I loved the really cute and different by Fred Astaire, I think Jane Powell did an amazing dance with Fred, even tho she had not met him yet. I heard first choice for this was June Allyson and second choice, Judy Garland, I really think Jane Powell did a knock out number dancing and chewing gum at the same time and all the funny gestures. LOVED IT! Thank you Mister BN for posting this. Saw the movie and played this same dance over about twelve times first time I saw it, I can not see anyone doing this number but JANE POWELL, although I absolutely love JUDY GARLAND, SHE WAS THE BEST SINGER OF ALL IN HER TIME. BAR NONE……………………
The routine is actually old 1920s burlesque, but they did a bang-up job of it. Astaire had a flair for comedy and Powell stayed right with him, as young as she was. Her effort was epic, when we remember that she had to drop her natural voice two octaves to sing in character with her mouth full of gum, and stay with the master of dancing. The routine knocks me out, because it’s so darned funny, and so well performed.
Absolutely superb. Can’t see how the number could possibly have been done better by the other two women who were considered for the role. Jane was a fresh face and a joy to watch. According to IMBd, filming began July 6, 1950. Powell was born April 1, 1929. That would make her the youngest of the three actresses offered the role. Garland was born June 10, 1922; Allyson on October 7, 1917. June played “perky” and could have done the role. Btw, a fun coincidence is that June and Jane had the same surnames. Judy, IMO, wasn’t right for the part and she’d already starred wonderfully well with Astaire three years earlier in “Easter Parade.” Astaire was 51, born May 10, 1899. Lawford was 26, born October 7, 1923. So, Jane and Peter were a more realistic couple, age and looks. Luckily Astaire just didn’t seem to age, though we all know movie makeup artists could do wonders.
Best song and dance of all time even my little grandchildren like this one……especially at the end when little miss voice herself beats on her cheatin boyfriend. …jane you were in good form on this one..thank you for great memories and the history behind good old hollywood. ..which sorry to say it’s not what it used to be……sad so so sad ..their self absorb roughnut plain Crazy and getting worse by the day. ..sorry hollywood don’t take it personally. …
I’m very happy to have been around during those classic Hollywood musical years, life was better, never boring and a real joy just to know you were alive. It was because of Astaire that I became quite an accomplished tap dancer, and my dancing made up for my less-than-perfect singing as I used to do all those classical Hollywood musical routines.
You should see a short film called GUMDROP by Kerry ” Sky Captain ” Conran. He has his CGI robot lady dance a portion of this song with Astaire, and it’s so damned perfect, you’d swear the robot was there with Fred on set. Nice to know that Sky Captain’s failure at the box office didn’t kill the Conrans; they’re still out there swinging.
1:35 (Girl) You said you would love me long, and never would do me wrong And faithful you’d always be (Boy) Oh, baby, You must be loony to trust a lower than low two time like me (Girl) You said I’d have everything, a beautiful diamond ring A bungalow by the sea (Boy)You’re really naive to ever Believe a full of baloney phoney like me
One of my two favorite Astaire duets. The other is the one he did with Ginger Rogers (“My One and Only Highland Fling”). In a sense they’re mirror images of each other. In one, the female partner presents with exaggerated toughness. In the other she affects a soft and sentimental persona. Both songs are great, though the choreography is far more athletic and spectacular here. I’m not sure why the songwriters chose the longer title, unless it was to earn the distinction of the longest, or one of the longest, song titles.
I’ve always enjoyed perusal the movie “Royal Wedding” for this scene alone. But now with all the news about Hillary Clinton’s lying and promising to not accept foreign donations to the Clinton Foundation when/IF she’s elected . . . well, please — SOMEONE at least do a YT parody of this with Hillary in Fred Astaire’s role and the American Public in Jane Powell’s role. I bet it would go viral. 🙂
They wanted Judy Garland or June Allyson for this picture but Judy was in a breakdown and June I don’t know but I think Judy would have made this movie the best… sorry for Jane Powell but I think Judy was most talented. June Allyson isn’t the type for this movie, I think June is the best with Peter Lawford.
This is one of the greatest Hollywood dance scenes besides Dancing in the Dark at the Central Park by Fred and Cid. And this song Open Your Eyes by Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner is one of the most beautiful and uplifting popular songs besides Sing My Heart by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler, sung by Irene Dunne in the 1939 film Love Affair. That scene of Dunne’s singing that great song is a Must-Watch !