Vera Ellen, The Ultimate Dancer of Golden Age

In an era where stars were born from the echoes of their footsteps on stage, one dancer outshone them all, yet her story remains shrouded in mystery. Vera Ellen, a name synonymous with grace, faced adversities that would have halted others in their tracks. With the world at war, resources scarce, and the entertainment industry on its knees, Vera Ellen danced through the hardships, weaving hope into the hearts of many. Yet, behind the curtain, she battled demons that sought to dim her radiant light. The stakes were high; in a time when a woman's worth was often measured by her visibility, Vera Ellen risked fading into obscurity. Her legacy, a testament to resilience, challenges us to look beyond the surface.
Join our channel:
/ @thevintagearchives
Hope you enjoy this video, and help us by subscribing to our channel:
➡️ bit.ly/VintageArchives
🎞 See our other videos here: • SECRET FACTS
Copyright Disclaimer: Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for 'fair use' for purposes such as criticism, comment, parody, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. No Copyright infringement intended.
Vera Ellen, The Ultimate Dancer of Golden Age
#veraellen #goldenage #vintagearchives

[@freedomforever6718]

I for one will always remember Vera's magnificent legacy.

[@MarcVanLaere-zr5im]

Always my favourite. Close second, Cyd Charisse and Ann Miller.❤

[@incog99skd11]

Don't forget Ginger Rogers, the most famous of all the dancers. Not the best, maybe, but well rounded for the movies. Oh and Ruby Keeler. I supposed her zenith was in the 1930's but what a fabulous dancer!

[@sharonmedeiros9819]

I absolutely loved Vera, two of my favorite films of all time are White Christmas and On The Town. I was so sad to learn she lost her baby, there is no deeper tragedy. And I am astonished that she accomplished those amazing dance numbers while suffering with anorexia. She had the tiniest waist and the best legs in Hollywood, and she was so beautiful. I will always be in awe of her.

[@GoldenAgeCelebrities-jb6hu]

how tragic her life!

[@wendylowman490]

My FAVORITE Female Dancer ❤ Vera-Ellen her Body of work can NEVER be duplicated. Thank You for posting👍🏽☺️

[@SmokinLoon5150]

Having been born in the 70's, I remember watching her with my dad on Sunday afternoon in various movies on TV. She was quite the dancer, and my dad always pointed her out. She is a small woman but just one look at her legs and you can tell she is a dancer. She was certainly a doll.

[@JulieSkinner777]

I just loved her, her magnificent dancing💖🩰🎭

[@lesliespann6420]

A superb dancer!

[@barrywebber100]

Vera Ellen was so beautiful, her face, smile and eyes are stunningly gorgeous. Her dancing skills unparalleled. In some of the photos she does look worryingly thin, but such a lovely lady. Thanks for posting.

[@Gitn2it]

She had great legs!

[@gordonallen9095]

Vera-Ellen was one of the most talented and skillful female dancers of her era. She along with Syd Charisse, and Leslie Caron were my favorites.

[@leonardohummel8658]

Yes. I agree with those three,...and throw in Rita Hayworth with Fred Astaire.💎💯

[@patriciasmith7074]

These are the movies that I want to see! Why can’t anybody have a movie subscription service that shows the movies of the 40’s, 50,s and 60’s?

[@Motherhubbard170]

Turner Classic Movies

[@loganrideout9151]

Pluto TV

[@jgdc2023]

Criterion Channel

[@Dancestar1981]

Me too the golden age of cinema

[@Gitn2it]

KZbin has a lot of vintage movies.

[@gilmer3718]

I saw her in the movie White Christmas. She was beautiful.

[@jonnarobinson7541]

Eleanor Powell and Vera Ellen are the two ladies of dance in Hollywood. They both were fabulous.❤

[@1923hl]

Yes, Eleanor was the supreme queen of tap and Vera was the best for all around ability (ballet, tap, partnered dancing, etc.). In 1981, when Vera was terminally ill, she deeply appreciated the call she received from Eleanor expressing her concern and the admiration for her contributions. And, needless to say, Vera in turn idolized Eleanor.

[@michelles2299]

Cyd charise

[@2528drevas]

@@1923hl Fred Astaire disagreed. He once said that Eleanor Powell was the only female dancer whose talent intimidated HIM. He said she could "pick 'em up and put 'em down as good as any man. Powell's dance with Astaire in Broadway Melody of 1940 is considered a timeless classic.

[@GoldenAgeCelebrities-jb6hu]

agree

[@jimr4319]

A well overdue homage to this magnificent dance talent and beauty. Thank you.

[@Whippy99]

Vera Ellen and Leslie Caron were in a league of their own. ❤

[@candaceroberts3238]

I like her very much. A beautiful dancer who couldn’t sing well enough. That’s it, none of that silly stuff about her vocal nuances, her dancing transcended the need for vocals. She just was a wonderful dancer. And no singing, so what! I love her movies.

[@OffRampTourist]

She became my favorite dancing lady as I explored classic films but I was alarmed by her appearance in her later works. Thanks for the background to understand what she was going through. Want to recommend one of her less well known movies, Happy Go Lovely. A silly but sweet musical where she looks healthy and happy and David Nivea is her misidentified charmer.

[@melissademarco5271]

What a talented lady and pretty too. Vera was underrated and maybe her eating disorder eclipsed her work and contributions. Her work lives on and is appreciated.

[@user-zx4gn9so3j]

What a beauty.

[@StephBer1]

Like Ann Miller, Vera Ellen was a great actress, and not just a dancer. Her career should have carried on past the dancing era. She was my favourite dancer/actress of that time. If she was anorexic, one of the reasons may have been her youthful chubby cheeks, something she saw every time she looked in a mirror. In an industry where looks are everything, chubby cheeks are not welcome. I've also got chubby cheeks and I got worryingly thin in my late teens to get that "classic" profile. Meanwhile, my body was stick thin. Luckily I snapped out of it with some loving support and without long-term damage but I loath my chubby face to this day, and I'm 61!

[@SEJ3333]

I too have chubby cheeks! Hated them as a young girl but now in my 60s I've learned to appreciate that these chubby cheeks have kept me youthful far longer than most! Love my cheeks now!

[@lisajunebuscaglia3510]

My college professor taught a course on her career. Her talent and impact in the industry is a wonderful legacy.

[@theuninvited1944GR]

Excellent and informative tribute to Vera-Ellen, however, not all photos were of Vera-Ellen.However, t must be said that she was one of the greatest dancers Hollywood ever produced.Her combination of ballet, tap, and modern dance had no superior in talent. Vera-Ellen ranks with the likes of Eleanor Powell, Cyd Charisse, Ann Miller, and yes, Ginger Rogers.

[@2528drevas]

Eleanor Powell was superior in talent. FRED ASTAIRE said so. He revealed in an interview that SHE was the only female dancer whose talent intimidated him. He said she was almost too strong of a dancer who could "pick 'em up and put 'em down as good as ANY man." I defer to Mr. Astaire's judgement.

[@cheriamour2429]

She was amazing. Just watch White Christmas.

[@NJ-Cathie]

She kept up and surpassed Danny Kaye who is another amazing dancers

[@michelebenedosso3899]

I rewatch White Christmas over and over to see her dance…. Beautiful dancer ❤

[@marcialefebvre5365]

I loved the movies she did with Danny Kaye. They were wonderful together!

[@cbass2755]

Me too!

[@caderatliff3712]

The Abraham and Choreography numbers in White Christmas are my favorite dance routines of all time because of her.

[@donnaburkett7854]

So beautiful, and so sad.

[@1teamski]

Absolutely gorgeous!

[@wakeupuk3860]

Without any doubt she was the pinnacle of absolute beauty, style and feminity which I doubt we will ever see again.

[@debbiek316]

No… she was not anorexic. Her mother had very odd eating habits. Vera ate a steak every day. There was a long list of foods she did not eat, and there were food combinations she would not eat. She ate a high protein low carb diet.

[@sharonhines3476]

Your own statement about a long list of foods she wouldn't eat and the food combinations she avoided are red flags for disordered eating. Since anorexia and other eating disorders were not a diagnosis at that time, she was never diagnosed or treated for it. She did have what they called a dieting obsession at the time.

[@debbiek316]

Have you read her biography? It goes into her eating in great detail. It was indoctrinated into het by her mother, who held these food beliefs . Example: one cannot eat potatoes with steak. One can eat steak. One can eat potatoes. But not together.

[@sharonhines3476]

@@debbiek316 Like most people with eating disorders she's probably not a good narrator of her own issues. No matter the origins it was an eating disorder. If she only ate steak she would have had scurvy.

[@debbiek316]

@@sharonhines3476 she did not write an autobiography. This was written by another. I think by today’s standards: she maintained a very Keto diet. Very high protein. I never said the only food she ate was steak. Is maintaining a keto diet an eating disorder? In her early movies, she was much less thin. The studio wanted her thinner. Her problem was the opposite… she was told her thighs were too muscular, too large. During filming, she would work so hard rehearsing that she would lose weight during filming. Please do read her Biography.

[@terrifiorelli9819]

Oh please, she was far from being anorexic. She was an athlete.

[@curtisbryce5096]

True beauty.

[@laurenceseale]

Gorgeous woman.

[@godbluffvdgg]

Never heard of her despite growing up in the 60's ...But, she was beautiful and a hell of a dancer it appears...I was never one for musicals etc...Thanks for the upload and introducing me to this great artist...

[@user-tc4jx5uo9w]

Can't believe some of you commenters have never seen Vera Ellen in White Christmas!

[@sharonbowers9929]

She was incredible! ❤

[@patriotmama]

I loved watching Vera on screen. She made very hard work look effortless. She was a tremendous talent unmatched by anyone. She was an inspiration to be as I started tap lessons when I was three and later took ballet as well. I stopped my dance lessons right before graduation from HS but I just loved it and she was one reason why. Loved her movies.

[@seamus6994]

Good actress and great dancer. Some films she was incredibly skinny due to her eating disorders. This biography bounced around to much and really did not give much personal insight to her life. She seems to have had a very lonely life. Though she was praised for her artistic expression and had married twice. She must have had constant self esteem issues. She died at age 60, which to me is quite young.

[@johnsamuel1725]

Lovely to see such combination in dance which is the perfect way to keep fit and enjoy yourself at the same time.Everyone should learn from this ❤Dancing Spirit Unfolding On You Tube

[@user-jd9ns6sq4t]

What a gorgeous, talented lady. I must confess to never having heard of her until today.

[@stantheman9072]

If there were awards for word salad, you'd have Michelin stars for this piece of work. It's the longest low-content concoction I've indulged in months.

[@pinkarate1]

I'm glad somebody said it! Redundant much?

[@stantheman9072]

@@pinkarate1 every chance I get

[@donnajeanbrettnacher3349]

Such beautiful movement ❤❤❤

[@World-as-i-c-it]

And beautiful too!

[@billm.8220]

Vera had legs that went on & on. She KNEW how to dance !! An icon that will NEVER be forgotten !!

[@tiffsaver]

How soon we forget. But thanks to movies like "White Christmas," we'll alway have her glorius performances to enjoy.

[@cbroz7492]

..I remember her mostly for her role on White Christmas...

[@susanbrennan5511]

Her waist was so incredibly tiny. I often wondered how she breathed much less dance as she did.

[@sschimel]

Vera Ellen made her Broadway debut in 1939's Very Warm For May.

[@debbieking5171]

12:08 she was a decent and good person. Very much a lady, and the most georgous legs on the planet.

[@andrewtongue7084]

I would consider, Ellen - together with Ann Miller & Debbie Reynolds (with an honourable mention to Cyd Charisse), to be the finest female dancers of their era; all three, beyond compare. Modern contemporaries just don't come close in terms of movement, technicality, or indeed versatility. An excellent presentation - thank you !

[@dennisdose5697]

Primary reason to watch White Christmas.

[@tj-597]

Forgot about her, she was an absolute athletic dancer 💃🏻. One of my first crushes

[@SuzanneU]

Vera Ellen and Elizabeth Montgomery looked very much alike.

[@alundauncey5262]

A era of elegant design and when ladies appeared to be very feminine

[@tomryan914]

' Ladies' NOT 'Skank!'

[@richardgiem6404]

Being a film buff, i've seen all the greats. She was extremely underrated.

[@ampp.8998]

She was the most amazing dancer~ she never got the kudos/recognition that Fred Astaire got. There's nobody better, still! thank you

[@keithmotsinger918]

Reminds me of Ava Gardner's deleted singing in Show boat .

[@nd2705]

The woman in the bridal gown and veil is not Vera Ellen.

[@timothyharrison8953]

Wow! That thumbnail is certainly doctored!

[@pammcmurtry260]

I was totally shocked to learn that Vera did not do the actual singing in her movies! Especially White Christmas. I would like to know in which movies she did do the actual singing. I often wondered if she did suffer from anorexia. Now I know. What a shame. I still enjoy her on the screen though!

[@jaymehatfield9540]

Too bad the young people of today cannot see what strength and athleticism look like with NORMAL BODY WEIGHT.

[@JosephGorsuch-nb9ii]

Most Barbi like actor ever

[@melissafields3376]

I was a bit disappointed that there weren't more of her actually dancing.

[@crystalmeisner3008]

Gotta love when you throw in a pic of ANOTHER dancer, known more for her comedy... Lucille Ball!

[@NeyooxetuseiDreamer]

Almost ALL THE GREATS came from the Midwest

[@lavendergal2508]

Interesting that vera and Rosemary are from the same area. Rosemary Clooney in the clinic family are also from Cincinnati.

[@sandy3482]

Miss Ellen starred in some of biggest musical of all time. The 3 greatest female dancers where Eleanor Powell, Ann Miller and Verna Ellen, sorry Ruby - you were good too.

[@lisajan580]

Cyd Charisse,Ginger Rogers,Leslie Caron

[@steveturner609]

You forgot Cyd Charisse!

[@DyreStraits]

One of the personal struggles not mentioned was the toxic relationship with her narcissistic mother.

[@henrimatisse7481]

a fantastic and endearing dancer but unappreciated. I think it was because she was athletic in a time when leg muscle was viewed as fat. I'm a big fan of the dance scene in Slaughter on 10th Ave with Gene Kelly. Gene was obviously impressed by her high kick

[@bozzskaggs112]

I kept watching for VE to actually dance.

[@JosephGorsuch-nb9ii]

The closest human example to a Barbi doll ever !

[@lonzo61]

Damn, is she ever beautiful.

[@robertlear2712]

Vera-Ellen had the most beautiful legs you would ever want to see.

[@mjmazurek8771]

That cover picture on the left isn't Vera Ellen. Bait and switch

[@kylewood8327]

I just wanna dance!

[@deniaridley]

If you're going to mention an eating disorder, you need to also mention that this has never been verified or diagnosed and a lot of her contemporaries and friends deny it. Until proven otherwise it's speculation and/or : gossip, body-shaming, intrusion, et al. Also quite of few of the photos are obviously not her. There just needs to be more competent and responsible storytelling...especially when the subject is no longer with us. Let's just all stick to talking about her dancing in which she is clearly at the top. In a multitude of folks opinions, professional and otherwise, she's up there at the very top with Gene Kelly, Eleanor Powell, and Astaire. And I wholeheartedly agree.

[@michelles2299]

I agree

[@pibly7784]

WHY did you put the body builder with her head? I’m a Vera fan- but no need to do this fake PHOTO stuff.

[@incog99skd11]

I read somewhere, I am not sure where or if it were true, that she had Anorexia Nervosa long before it was a known illness. It was stated that her high necklines and scarves hid the signs of it on her neck. It said wrinkles would develop on a person's neck due to excessive dieting cycles. Has anyone ever heard of this too?? OK got to that part 10 minutes in. I guess it is a known fact.

[@evepeabody4738]

Not her at :46 and not her to the left in the thumbnail.

[@michelles2299]

Mitzi gaynor?

[@mcwane1360]

I have movie of White Christmas.. it has excerpts of actors talking about the movie and other actors.. Rosmaey Clooney ,, detested,, from the way she spoke of Vera.... I lost any respect I had for Rosemary.. To me, Im 80, Vera Ellen was the original BARBIE DOLL..!! She was # 1 in my book,, of lovely blondes so to say.. MITZY GAYNOR was close but still far away.. M Monroe was not even in the book.. The REDHEAD IRISH LASS,, was my all time #1 favorite.. They gave me a lot of happiness watching them in film....

[@victorialawhon2251]

Rosemary did not detest her. She was very intimidated by her. Vera was a great dancer. Rosemary was not. Vera was incredibly tiny. I read Rosemary's book which goes into all of that

[@arvettadelashmit9337]

❤

[@lynnettespolitics9656]

Well, I'll look at any photo of Mitzi Gaynor with more attention next time! I

[@Stevieray55]

no doubt superwoman really makes U wonder just when did holyweird manage to duplicate her as they have many others

[@user-qo3jh9mn1t]

Vera Ellen DID NOT have anorexia. If you read any authentic biographies on her you'll learn she was fine boned and actually had to eat a substantial diet to maintain her weight. A person who has anorexia will not be able to do this. My twin sister has been anorexic for 53 years. Even having some control over the disease she maintains a weight 20-25 pounds under normal. When the disease wins the battle her weight drops 40 pounds. I wish this rumor would stop. It's not fair to keep saying it. It's like saying all distance runners are anorexic because they're so thin. She was right up there in the category of an extreme athlete. If she truly were anorexic she would never have been able to maintain the dancing career she did.

[@johannaholmgren8088]

Yes, in my work as an RN, which spanned many years, I saw a fair number of anorexics. Vera-Ellen was naturally slim, and as a dancer (especially the kind of dancer she was) she would have had a hard time keeping weight on. It's certainly possible she had periods where her weight dropped too much, due to personal issues (the death of her only child leading to depression) but she certainly could not have been anorexic or she would have been physically unable to sustain the kind of demands her work required.

[@jimslancio]

I will never let a December go by without remembering and honoring (and I have to confess, just a little bit lusting after) Vera-Ellen.

[@Annie-ez4ol]

Showcase, showcase and … showcasing! Please, find new words.

[@donicurioso]

Ugh! Dude, please make sure your photos are of your subject, and not someone who kind of looks like Vera Ellen. In this video are photos of Rosemary Clooney, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and some other blondes I can’t name, but are clearly NOT Vera Ellen. I’ve seen this happen in your other videos. Sloppy.

[@brengail3528]

Totally agree!!! @:49, I don’t think that is Vera Ellen!!

[@user-sv4db8zq1m]

She was forced to lose weight and injured her her healthy beauty .The film industry at that time hated and crushed her.

[@clivesmith9377]

The original Barbie!

[@janetthompson3307]

I was always shocked at her tiny waist in White Christmas

[@smorgasbroad1132]

I never saw any great talent in Ann Miller, her legs were shapeless and she was knock-kneed. Nobody can compare to Vera-Ellen in style, grace, flexibility and versatility. She's the top banana in the dance world of the time. Maybe for all time. She was magical perfection. P.S. why don't they make gowns like they did in that time? The unique colors and form fitting craftsmanship is without comparison. Today's gowns look like gunny sacks or bed covers. 🤷🏼

[@2528drevas]

Sorry, but the premiere dancer of the golden age was Eleanor Powell. Not just my opinion, but it was Fred Astaire's.

[@Menapho]

It was never proven that Vera had an eating disorder. There are many close to her who publicly refute these claims. It’s a shame that this is not included here.

[@ginalink7287]

Eto deistvitel'no krasyvaja,prelestnaja, edinstvennaja zentscina vo vsiom - litso,volosy,figura,igra v k.f., plasticnost', liogkost v tancsax.

[@darbyheavey406]

Hightower was obviously in the US Armed Forces…must have been tough in 1944…

[@johannebernier3089]

I hated her for being so pretty, petite and agile ! I thought life was not fair. It wasnt for an obese like myself who really looooved dancing. 😅 And yet fair it was, considering how much work there was behind those scenes.

[@martensdcm]

4:58 minutes in - Satan is at your Elbow. Hmm, Hollywood.

[@AmatureAstronomer]

Vera was kinda cute.

[@michelles2299]

Thought that was mitzi gaynor

[@farginargle]

personally, won't watch videos that cover the center screen with text.

[@thevintagearchives]

thanks for your comment, will note on that

[@Ddrhl]

Half of those photos don't even look like her.

[@dorothyzbornak9974]

I have a question for you, “Vintage Archives”, why in the world did you feel the need to have a photo of a woman with breast implants wearing a very low cut and skin tight item of clothing, who clearly ISN’T Ms Ellen, in the thumbnail of this video?!?!?! Vera Ellen was an artist whose legacy was talent, skill, technique, grace, elegance, and brilliance in her craft. You have managed to diminish her with a photo that isn’t even her, and would never BE her, all for the sake of the potential for added clicks. Vera Ellen did not deserve this, and neither does her audience who know better. Shame on you!

[@lavendergal2508]

I always think that she’s too thin when I see her. And looking at some of the pictures you’ve uploaded here, I still believe that she starved herself, which is really really heartbreaking.

[@patriciadellaccio193]

She wasn’t the ultimate dancer there was also Ann Miller and a few others who were just as good!