Early Ann Miller Dance Number

[@joybreeden366]

Ann was truly born to dance. What talent. Beautiful, graceful, and elegant. A star indeed!

[@LoquaciousByNature]

She used her arms well in dancing too. And I don't think I've ever seen her dance without that megawatt smile of hers-beautiful:)

[@rudomainmaster]

A phenomenal talent. Miller was only 14 or 15 in this film. When she signed on with RKO, she claimed she was 18. Really 13 and likely not fooling anyone, but I'm sure her talent was clear to see and the spoof was upheld. A timeless legend.

[@Justin.Martyr]

I had a ProbLem with my (synching???) on my MAC!!!! Aug. 26, 2020 & so I CaLLed APPLe Tek HeLp! I got ( AGNES ) an UgLy(Person) Bitch & we Ended Up in a Quick Show down!!! I then DEMANDED to SPEAK to an ( InTeLLigent ) Person!!! Agnes(a White), ComPLied & then Aggie Added, "& you can TeLL HIM, wut you said!" I DID that! Maurice, a Blk. Man, turned Out to be MOST HeLpFuLL & I Learned Much!!!! Sooo MANY Experiences in My Life of Funky White A.Ho's. vs Decent EthicaL BLACK Persons!!! YES, Doctor Risby, I WILL be Voting, Joe Biden/Kam & ALL BLUE, on My Nov.3, 2020, BaLLot & I wiLL neatLy Mark IT & then Sigh the Envelope, & then WALK it ( 4 ) Blocks to the ELections Drop Box!!! P.S. to ALL those who KNOW Me, I have Moved & I am Gone from 8th av. Apartments, Eugene 97401

[@MarkSeibold]

They don't make em' like that any more! Ann Miller was the greatest! I think it was an old late night movie rerun I saw in the mid 1960's when I was about 12; I fell in love with her then. I'm still in love with her! She moves like no other dancing actress ever could! See the Wiki chapter on her history- remakable!

[@Muck006]

Well ... the problem is that dancing has changed A LOT. In fact ... if you look at "dancing through the centuries" you see it develops parallel to our societies: - COUNTRY DANCE: hundreds of years ago people used to "dance as part of a community", where everyone would dance with everyone else during the dance - WALTZ / Congress of Vienna: with the beginning industrialisation at the start of the 19th century people flocked to the cities and werent part of "the community" anymore - Rock'N'Roll & DISCO: the "couples" start to dance in ever more "loose" fashion until the "requirement" to touch each other is dropped with DISCO - today you can just go onto the dance floor without a partner ... This pretty much develops parallel to the development of society, where we started as "village folk" that knew everyone around them and were dependent upon them ... to everyone being single nowadays.

[@iccarman]

Beautiful lady with enormous talent and stage presence.

[@taylordowning2533]

This was from a movie titled Tarnished Angel. It's from 1938 and Ann was a supporting player. She was 15 years old. Even in this little movie from RKO, you can tell that she was going to go far. It was too much talent to waste.

[@coreycox2345]

When you've got it, you've got it Taylor Downing.

[@mayaa5048]

coreycox2345 - you're absolutely right, and she defenetly got it!

[@poetcomic1]

Did they know yet that girl could SING?

[@raptorfromthe6ix833]

Than you very much

[@junewhite6376]

Just watched 10 top dancer clip and Ann Miller wasn't included not even mentioned in the comments. Couldn't believe it! Ann was my favourite when I was tapping in the 50s/60s .

[@mayaa5048]

JUNE WHITE - were did you see that list? Please, don't say it was mojo.

[@mayaa5048]

Wow, what a beautiful scene, Ann Miller was known for her "Machine- gun" tapping style, dge developed a very difficult and admired dancing. No need to compared Eleanor Powell with Ann Miller, they both had a very unique and elegant dancing style, they both were born to dance. There is a bible passage that became a cultural saying, "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's." Give Ann what belongs to Ann.

[@esmeephillips5888]

Fair enough, but you cannot ignore the incessant rip-offs of Eleanor. Trouble was that these precocious turns typed young Ann as a tapper, and she was not creative or self-willed enough to go beyond that. She worked like crazy but always under orders. Moreover, as a kid she had refused ballet training, which is the sine qua non of versatility. If you do not start young at the barre it is almost impossible to catch up, and she never tried. After Ellie retired and Ann moved to MGM, she expanded her range and produced fizzing performances of a more balletic kind, as with Montalban, Tommy Rall and in 'On the Town'. But she was still treated as a specialty dancer to supply detachable diversions in films starring others. She never got a big showcase centered on her.

[@Etnalleb]

I agree! If I had to pick between Elle and Ann I don't think I could do it . As John Wayne would say " It be pretty close, I'd hate to have to live on the difference".

[@esmeephillips5888]

This was not a musical but a comedy-drama for double bills. The only song, by Fain & Brown, is played over the credits and reprised here; the star, Sally Eilers, is at the piano. No dance director was credited. Ann Miller is evidently imitating Eleanor Powell, her inspiration, but with great assurance for a kid of 15. Her ebullience comes through loud and clear, but her footwork is delicate, brushing the floor. She is fast, but not a clumper like dear Ruby. Miller (or her mom) suspected she was not offered the best gigs because her agent, Abe Lastfogel, represented Powell. So Ann went to Broadway to do the last edition of 'George White's Scandals' and got good notices. Yet returning to Hollywood she could still only land lower-rung movies and specialty jobs for several years, until Powell quit and MGM needed a replacement- as did Louis B Mayer, looking for a second wife. Ann had persistence as well as effervescence.

[@JENDALL714]

I was lucky enough to see her dance in one of her last appearances. I went to a taping of Tool Time and she was guest starring and played a Dance Instructor. I was young at the time and didn't really know or appreciate her.

[@sjcohen4444]

JENDALL714 You mean Home Improvement. I remember that episode. Tim is supposed to spin Ann who, as you say, plays a dance instructor and he spins her all right, as in right out the door.

[@blackjakko]

Brilliant dancer. Hollywood would be nothing without these superb women. perfectly balanced and light. Her flamencoesque rapid tapping is so amazing and her flair is so fun. Love you Anne ❤❤❤

[@IGSRJ]

Amazing scene.

[@jerryashlock5519]

Annie....The best ever..

[@philiprichards2010]

Ann Miller was the very good tap dancer.I liked her dances in her movies.

[@aspirecan4829]

VERY talented! Wow!

[@heliflyer7]

Fantastic talent and radiant personality!

[@Missmjf87]

I love ann miller!!!

[@stephenadamsmusicalinterpr4203]

Love Ann!

[@nathanjamesdance]

The film was called Tarnished Angel (1938) the last film she made before going to Broadway and becoming a star which then brought her back to Hollywood as a leading lady.

[@TWayneD1020]

Amazing ❤❤❤ !!!

[@vincentsbeats1364]

She's actually wearing taps here! A lot of them did, but often times, they didn't. =)

[@sjcohen4444]

Vincent's Beats Taps would scratch the floors up, so they didn't usually wear them.

[@jackanthony976]

If you look closely though, once in a while you can see the taps on their shoe or see the taps through the reflection on the polished floor.

[@harrypeterwebern9222]

And exactly that - if I may throw in my ten cents - is the problem for me. I am an old taphead (my mother was a devoted professional dancer) and therefore I appreciate any dancers effort to master this demanding dance form. If they wear taps on the set, I can actually see they can perform - you may call it "honest hoofing". During the first years of soundies they did care about live sound recording, you can tell about the quality and material of the dance floor and all that. Later broadway productions are kind of sterile in this respect. The so called tap queens (like Miller or Powell) no longer wore taps because the technical progress allowed for extensive dubbing. And I think we all know that regularly the taps you hear are not from the dancer you see - they were after-recorded by choreographers like Hermes Pan or others for ease of production. So - and I can only speak for myself - it is quite dubious if they really were as good (timing, sound precision ...) as they were made to look. Most prominent dancers since the day of Rogers and Astaire heavily lean on filming technique when it comes to dancing. And that´s a pity. P.S.: I have done extensive net research for Miller and - as far as I can see - there are thousands of PR pictures of her but only one or two where she actually wears tapshoes (I tend to believe by incident). Now isn´t it strange that a dancer world famous for her tapping abilities never cared about showing off her "tools" - it seems everybody agreed that the real work was done elsewhere.

[@marcxopoco]

The girl could tap dance.

[@EandMetal]

I like both Miller and Powell. Just to reply to your comment that Powell couldn't spin quickly while tapping I recall that she did so in Born to Dance (in the number Rap-Tap on Wood) and in some other routines (from Honolulu & Thousands Cheer?). I think she shone in all the Broadway Melody movies and in her military tap dance in Rosalie. Miller was an incredibly quick tap-dancer though, I agree. I also remember reading somewhere that she learned complex dance moves quickly. She had flair too :)

[@cheesenedd]

lol i just posted the link for this vid onto a jonas brother vid. now here comes their realization of real culture! Yay ann miller

[@luckdog909]

WOW! Now, does't beauty and talent of that magnitude just hurt your soul?

[@horsluva0758]

not at all; she was blessed with God given talent and we were blessed to witness it :)

[@sandruki]

@jaroslav70 Yes, she was. It was her latest role on a film. She was 77 in MD and she died at 80 in 2004

[@glook]

Well, yes and I'm saying she's doing it very well. Powell is the reason why she got serious about tap dancing (according to the American Tap Dancing Foundation) so it comes to no surprise that she would have some of the same moves. It's even said the mantel of Powell was passed to her. Although I have to say, Ann Miller does have her own style. Plus, she could tap like crazy (those feet can move!).

[@pauloliver1842]

she's fire

[@ctxak98]

I prefer Eleanor over Ann any day, but they were both were great! From a tap point of view, both had there special points. For one Ellie had the worlds best sound and timing...EVER! but Ann could tap really fast! Eleanor went for a different tap sound. She looked up to greats such as Bo jangles. Everyone has a different style in mind, but Ellie wasn't called the queen of tap for nothing! And from a regular dancing standpoint I still think Ellie would one up her, her legs were amazing. But again Ann also had great moments and MANY more movies and opportunities. Don't forget many people couldn't do what Ellie did in her own choreographed dances, that's why she rarely had a dance partner. Fred Astaire said himself she was one of the only dancers that could out dance him. FRED!!!! I mean come on....theres not much debate past that!

[@jackanthony976]

Eleanor Powell was a trained ballerina which put her at an advantage over Ann Miller who was not trained in ballet.

[@lxa2815]

ctxak98 same

[@randompetals6801]

Ann Miller was trained in ballet. There is a clip somewhere of her en pointe and she obviously knew what she was doing, unlike some in Hollywood.

[@jackanthony976]

In her autobiography, Ann states that she dropped out of ballet class before she progressed to dancing on pointe. In her book Ann Miller refers to the movie from which the clip your mentioned was from. In her book, Ann pointed out that she had never done pointe work prior to this aforementioned clip and she did not even know how to put point shoes on when she did the movie where she was supposed to play a ballerina. Ann dropped out of ballet class because the ballet teacher had told Ann and her mother that Ann would never amount to anything as a ballerina.

[@celestialskye1]

A very un honored talent! That girl could tap.

[@KenDanieli]

The confidence of Ann Miller.

[@KoreyHill]

Eleanor Powell was an inspiration to Ann. .. No need to compare the two.

[@mayaa5048]

Korey Hill - I agree with you.

[@CountryBoy749]

Fabulous legs!

[@9aspengold5]

Stage Door --one of the greatest. Look hard and you so so many great stars in their first years. katherine Hepburn, Luciille Ball, Ginger Rogers and more.

[@wjluckett5026]

That woman was magic! How else could she had done what she did at 0:33?

[@oldschooljamz87]

Like nathjames1978 said it's "Tarnished Angel" I looked up the trailer and it's the same characters.

[@Justin.Martyr]

*Have HIM here at 10:a. in da morning!!!*

[@nathanjamesdance]

It's from Tarnished Angel (RKO 1938).

[@sweetspirit_peg419]

So talented. So pretty.

[@almeggs3247]

Awesome! Thanks

[@ExpatBear-58]

What a Dame Ann was! Hollywood royalty!

[@johnlorenzen4633]

She had it from the start

Who is the piano player. Olivia deHavolin?

[@shizukamori6755]

Ann Miller was just 15? Unbelievable.

[@glook]

I honestly don't think that should matter, as long as they've got the skill. People come in all different shapes and sizes.

[@glook]

And doing pretty well, I might add.

[@jdfox1]

Love it! :)

[@brgilbert2]

You are misinformed. As a dancer who was classically trained,it is Eleanor Powell who introduced the tapping while spinning; infact, her spinning move was more like how an ice skater would spin. It is here on you-tube somewhere. Therefore, your assumption that she could tap circles around Eleanor Powell is, I believe, more of an opinion. What I love about Ann Miller (and yes, I Iove Ann Miller) is not only her tap but that great voice of hers, something that Eleanor Powell couldn't do.

[@mayaa5048]

brgilbert2 - you're absolutely right. Ann was a talented and very beautiful gal.

[@buthan494]

Ann Miller is the only. Powell ? Ah!!!! Ah Ah ah há há!!!!

[@candy9986]

Bring Back Tap !

[@sophiab.4717]

where can I find this movie? it's the only Ann Miller title I can't find anywhere

[@glenjones7597]

I like Ann Miller but I love Eleanor Powell, she could do it all, I'm in awe when I look at Ellie work on film , She was the best

[@mayaa5048]

Glen Jones - come on, do you know that saying that goes- "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's." Give Ann the credit she deserves and what belongs to her. I agree that Eleanor Powell was the best but after her it came Ann Miller but nobody came after lady Miller, nobody was able to top her, so in reality Ann Miller was it.

[@mayaa5048]

Glen Jones - I'm sorry because i don't want to sound rude, but you're here commenting on one of many Ann Miller's awesome performances. And all you can talk about is Mrs. Powell, why you're here in the first place? When you can be watching her vids and comment there. I don't understand why people do things like that. Why would you idolized someone and ignored someone else amazing gifts. My opinion is that both ladies had a very personal beautiful way to dance. It was and still is only Eleanor Powell and Ann Miller , two of the best female tap dancers in the world, we will never see the likes of them, ever again.

[@heyitsimone]

Wow!!!

[@jthepickle7]

"Try out for Heaven" - spoiler! She made it.

[@dagwood727]

That Ann Milller was one hot tamata!!

[@jackanthony976]

DAGWOOD727: Unfortunately her three husbands didn't think so. Ann's first husband threw her down a flight of stairs when she was 8 months pregnant thus ending that marriage. Her second husband threw her against the wall and fractured her shoulder and arm..ending that marriage as well. Her third marriage was annulled after only one year...(I don't know what injury she acquired from her third husband.

[@suzannejensen275]

@@jackanthony976 That's so sad to hear she had to go through that with the men in her life.

[@esmeephillips5888]

@@jackanthony976 She wrote in 'Miller's High Life' that husband #3, an oil baron, invited a gaggle of girlfriends to their house during the honeymoon, telling her she would have to live with his harem.

[@erwiniacarotovora]

what happens next?? later he changes his mind or all the movie he thinks he dances so so?? or was he pretending to be not impressed? i wanna knwo the plot

[@jaroslav70]

Is this young lady "Coco" from the movie "Mulholland Drive"?

[@jackanthony976]

Yes. That is Coco from Mulholland Drive. Mulholland Drive (2001) was Ann Miller's first acting role (other than one cameo in 1976) in a film since the termination of her MGM contract in 1956. Between 1956 and 2001 Ann Miller only worked on the stage and on television as movie producers did not see her as a viable film star after Hollywood stopped making musicals in the late 1950's. She was considered a dancer/actress...not an actress. I was disappointed that Ann did not get a big tap number in "Mulholland Drive."

[@sirpoopalot6420]

@@jackanthony976 Lol!! This unique movie was a tragedy about the fate of some women (and men?)in Tinseltown. Maybe a dream of a soft-shoe duet with Naomi Watts and Ann!

[@jackanthony976]

@@sirpoopalot6420 I would have loved to see that. An old pro with a newbie.

[@XX-gy7ue]

I wonder if she had the longest legs in showbusiness ? whatever , it's not fair to put a fifteen year old in dark stockings ! if anything , if they had been honest about her age , these numbers would have had greater impact in anklets - which may have been more dangerous , so forget it ? when push comes to shove , SHE WAS ALWAYS A TALENT ! ! ! !

[@mayaa5048]

X X - you know she had to lie about het age to get the contract because Ann was the bread winner in her house, Ann's mother was unable hold a job and provide for her, so the child was forced to take the role of the adult. Ann had a very difficult life always caring for her mother even on the last five years of her mother's life she was the one who busted her behind to cover for the medical care she needed. I have mad respect for lady Miller, she was talented and hard working gal.

[@XX-gy7ue]

@@mayaa5048 , maybe it's that LARGE PERSONALITY that everyone loved when she was on screen , because even with all her CONSIDERABLE TALENT - THE SUM OF HER WAS MUCH MORE - SHE WAS A STAR ! I'm not saying she invented OVER-THE-TOP , but she certainly underlined it !

[@esmeephillips5888]

Same story with Eleanor Powell. Her father deserted the family and from 12 or 13 Ellie earned more than her mom. Later she also supported her grandparents and an adopted younger sister. Blanche Powell was not a manic showbiz mother like Ann's, Ginger's or Judy's, however.

[@cheesenedd]

its not i just saw stage door 10 mins ago

[@dannybex]

Naturally Powell fans will disagree with Miller fans, but IMHO Miller was by far the superior tapper. Powell shined in her film w/Astaire, but no one, not even Ellie, could tap as fast as Miller, plus SPIN in circles while doing so. I have yet to see a clip with Ms. Powell doing a machine-gun tap while spinning and spinning. They both put the young entertainers of today to shame.

[@アリアーヌ]

凄く綺麗な脚。アン・ミラー若い。

[@kayatanksley454]

Pretty certain this is from the film, "You Can't Take it With You".

[@SatelliteGalaxy]

No, I'm familiar with that film. She is not in it. "You Can't Take it With You" is very good.

[@johnfd0210]

@@SatelliteGalaxy Ann Miller is in YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU (1938), she plays "Essie". This is from TARNISHED ANGEL, made the same year. I recognize Sally Eilers at :33, and that is the only film they made together.

[@dannybex]

Totally agree. Powell was certainly technically superb, but always had these freaky contortionist-like back bends in a lot of her routines that like you say were so 'gimmicky'. Check out Ann's number from "Hit the Deck". Several people have posted it...just one of many routines that sets Miller apart from Powell.

[@sjcohen4444]

No one's mentioned William Frawley is in the scene! Lucy, by the way, was in a few RKO films with Annie back then: Stage Door, Room Service, and Too Many Girls.

[@jackanthony976]

That is not William Frawley.

[@EJP286CRSKW]

Indeed. It is John Dilson and Paul Guilfoyle.

[@LailaRaqs]

I prefer Miller to Powell as well. Anne just looks like she's having so much FUN-- her personality really shines through in numbers like this, or the famous "Too Darn Hot" number in Kiss Me, Kate.

[@slc2466]

Love Annie- check out my tribute here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipbQc6GEl8mWfrM

[@moonlightorchid99]

Well, i hear your conversations about ann miller and eleanor powell, i don't think that Ann is better then Eleanor specifically, they're both at an equal high talent of tap, i mean, Ann mentioned that Eleanor inspired her to tap. However, i agree, Eleanor is not an actress, but i think she has very great techniques, and Ann is deemed very amazing a lot for her high -blazing speed, but i still wouldn't underestimate Eleanor. Though i do think Ann had more opportunites as a performer in hollywood