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Eleanor Powell: The Queen of Tap (& Why She Left Hollywood) | The Rest of the Story | ep 35

BackToGreat

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Eleanor Powell starred in some of MGM’s most dazzling musicals, like Broadway Melody of 1936, Born to Dance, Rosalie, Honolulu, and Broadway Melody of 1940 — where she matched Fred Astaire step for step in the legendary ‘Begin the Beguine.’

Dubbed the Queen of Tap, Gene Kelly called her the best dancer ever put on film. Critics hailed her “eloquent feet.” And yet, at the height of her fame, she stunned Hollywood by walking away.

In this episode of The Rest of the Story on the Hey, Dancer! podcast, I trace Powell’s rise from a painfully shy child in Springfield, Massachusetts, to Broadway prodigy, MGM headliner, and Vegas comeback star. Along the way, you’ll hear how she trained, what set her apart, and why her artistry remains unmatched.

History may have pushed her name to the margins. But let’s be clear: Eleanor Powell belongs in the same breath as Astaire and Kelly. She was the pinnacle of screen (and stage) tap — and this is the rest of her story.

Special thanks to authors Paula Broussard & Lisa Royére and their book: Eleanor Powell, Born to Dance. It proved a monumental resource in my research for this ep. I highly recommend checking it out! You can grab it here: https://amazn.so/i8Z9I2O

Conceived, starring, written, and researched by: Miller Daurey

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Fair Use Disclaimer

This video complies with Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, which allows for the limited use of copyrighted material for purposes such as criticism, commentary, education, and research. All third-party footage is used transformatively, accompanied by original narration, verified historical context, and dance-specific analysis. I do not claim ownership of any copyrighted material; all clips are included strictly for educational and documentary purposes, supporting biographical storytelling and cultural commentary.

Films and archival materials featured include:

Queen High (1930, Paramount)
George White’s 1935 Scandals (1935, Fox)
Broadway Melody of 1936 (1935, MGM)
Born to Dance (1936, MGM)
Varsity Show (1937, Warner Bros.)
Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937, MGM)
Rosalie (1937, MGM)
Honolulu (1939, MGM)
Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940, MGM)
Lady Be Good (1941, MGM)
Ship Ahoy (1942, MGM)
I Dood It (1943, MGM)
Sensations of 1945 (1944, United Artists)
Duchess of Idaho (1950, MGM)
Bell Telephone Hour (1963, NBC Television)
That’s Entertainment (1974, MGM/UA)
AFI Tribute to Fred Astaire (1981, CBS Television)
New York and LA archival: NASS (YouTube channel)

All media is used under Fair Use for non-commercial, transformative purposes including historical documentation, dance education, and biographical analysis.

20 Comments

@BackToGreat Creator 11 months ago Pinned

2 corrections: I mentioned that Miss Powell was in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1931 and that's incorrect. The Follies credit belongs to Buck and Bubbles, who shared the same Paramount bill with her later that year. Also, I showed a picture of the wrong Jack Donahue (her dance teacher). Crazy enough, there were TWO Jack Donahue's at the time - both working choreographers! The other (pictured in the video) spelled his name with an "o"... anyway, the script on THAT point was still correct. :)

@tscribe515 1 year ago (edited)

One day when I was a teenager, I wandered into my family's living room, where my father was sitting on the couch watching an old black-and-white movie on TV. I sat cross-legged on the floor to also watch. The movie turned out to be the musical "42nd Street." When the female star of the show began tap dancing, I heard my father's voice behind me ask, "Do you think she's a good tap dancer?" I thought, "Oh, God, is this a test?," but answered, tentatively, "Errr ... yes?" My father contradicted me. (Sorry, Ruby!) "Look at her feet," he said. "Look how heavy her footsteps are. She's just slamming her feet down on the floor as if there are sandbags attached. There's no lightness." I conceded that he was right, and countered with, "So, who IS a great tap dancer?" Without hesitation, he replied with a name that at that point in my life I had never heard: Eleanor Powell. (No, not Jane Powell, who I had heard of, but Eleanor Powell.) Well, that was the era before computers, so I had no way of seeing an Eleanor Powell movie ... until "Broadway Melody of 1940" was shown on TV. The finale, with Fred Astaire and his partner, Eleanor Powell, dancing to "Begin the Beguine," was stunning -- truly, as you say, "immortality etched in taps." I had a new dance idol. (I loved learning in this video how Powell worked with the great film editor Blanche Sewell to properly showcase a dancer's body -- lessons that Astaire obviously also learned.)

@quapawqwerty1619 10 months ago

Hoofers are always special. Ballet-driven hoofers so rare. Think, Patrick Swayze, raised, like his siblings, in his mom's dance classes. Time to give Eleanor Powell the "every film" treatment. Can't wait! Thank you.

@HiddenFrames-n1y 10 months ago

It’s fascinating how talented dancers like her helped define an entire era.

@theuninvited1944GR 8 months ago

Excellent documentary on the life and career of Legendary Dancer Eleanor Powell. She wasn't just a tap dancer, she was a dancer. Loved the candid portraits and vintage footage from people and places. The film footage of her master dance techniques were incredible, and her insistence of perfection in preparing her dance routines were an example of how good she really was. I remember that quote from Gene Kelly, when he came across Debbie Reynolds crying be because of the difficulty while rehearsing her dance routines while filming "Singin' In The Rain". He told her, "If it were easy, anybody could do it!". Never get tired of watching Eleanor Powell dance, nor Vera-Ellen, Ann Miller, Cyd Charisse, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly. Another Well Done video on a Legendary Hollywood Star.

@douglaso6428 1 year ago

I was one of those kids who was drawn to watching black-and-white films. It was the early 1970s and I was about nine years old when I became fully aware of loving the dancing stars of the 1930s and 40s. When that's entertainment came out in 1974, as others have shared, it was a revelation! I went with my mom five times to see it and thank God she was equally enthusiastic as it was not possible to drive at 12 years old!
Your videos featuring "the rest of the story", have been a joy during these difficult times. This one brought tears to my eyes. Thank you!🙏🥲

@marlenematthews8280 10 months ago

She was fierce!! The power, the precision, and that utter JOY in her smile.

@hcombs0104 11 months ago

Any time I watch a dance routine by Eleanor Powell, I am mesmerized. Yes, she was That Good.

@lyndajanzen3270 9 months ago

Eleanor Powell accomplished dance routines that look positively magical. There are times her feet are moving so fast you just cannot see them! There has never been a female dancer that could do it all. Ginger Rogers was a fantastic dancer. Some like to say that Ginger did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards, and in high heels!!! TRUE! But Eleanor Powell was electric. She had an energy that begged belief. The plots of most of her movies are often forgettable --- but Eleanor Powell's dancing will be remembered long after the movies have crumbled to dust. Thanks for this tribute. God bless.

@VegasUte 1 year ago

I admit I was wondering when "this one" would come... All I can say is you did the subject justice and if you think about it that says a lot... Your channel continues to be a joy.

@ruthm.6071 8 months ago

I was 17 when I saw (and fell in love with ) That's Entertainment. Though I had seen all of the Gene Kelly movies that my mom loved, I was unfamiliar with Eleanor Powell.
She seemed like a completely different type of dancer, a phenomenon. It was hard to believe that her routines were not filmed in segments and then spliced together.
Her energy and genuine joy of dance have never been equalled.
Thank you for this beautifully made profile of this incredible dancer. I have loved every minute of it.

@helenanderson4886 1 year ago

She has become my favourite female dancer of all time. Thanks for this story of her life, it was most enjoyable.

@cathleenwitt2790 10 months ago

I fell smack in love with Eleanor Powell and her dancing watching old movies as a kid. No one else vibrates with energy she had. Her divorce from Glen Ford left her nearly penniless and that motivated her to return to the stage. A difficult turn of events that ended up a blessing. She was indomitable and unfailingly gracious, according to those that knew her.

@martincicchino1228 2 months ago

Thank you for an informative fact- and image-rich description of a wonderful American dancer. Her story as a shy child who was able to use dance as her path to expression and becoming what she was fully capable of is compelling. The fact of walking out of her first tap class crushed, and then within a year being the tap-dancing performer of the year speaks to her determination, her talent and her drive. She had family, teachers and mentors who fully appreciated her talent. Thank you, again.

@cate1657 9 months ago

This is probably the absolute best documentary I have ever seen before (I'm a historian, so I've seen a few others)--well researched, perfectly edited, and very nicely narrated. You've done such an incredible job putting together the growth and success of the dance career of Eleanor Powell; thoroughly enjoyed every minute of learning about and watching the unbelievable dancing of this sensational and hard-working woman. Thank you so much!

@darlinecason1860 8 months ago

At 85, I'm soo happy to see Someone finally spotlight dancing!!❤

@DonnaTaw-z8d 11 months ago

In the 60's there wasn't much to watch for my mother, who disliked soap operas and game shows.we would watch the afternoon movies together. I fell in love with musicals, and I adored Fred Astaire. He said "Ellie lays em down like a man". Thank you forr these loving bios.

@Jack-ke5uv 7 months ago

Thank you for this. Finally, after a dry spell a Youtube documentary that is attempting to be accurate, well researched, with accurate photos. Most of the YouTube documentaries of late are AI driven cheap documentaries with inaccurate pictures and shady information. AI being the lazy man's documentary. My only wish is that your documentary on Eleanor Powell was longer as much was left out. Eleanor actually deserves a real mini series type documentary as there is much more to tell.

@Bageera63 10 months ago

Eleanor Powell and Buddy Rich's scene in "Ship Ahoy" was beyond fantastic! You can see Buddy say " nice" at the the end of their performance.

@junem3139 1 year ago

Wow! I adore Eleanor Powell. She was simply amazing. I first saw her in B&W on TV way back. She’s jaw dropping to behold. I really appreciated, as I always do with your videos, the back story of her childhood (being painfully shy as a child myself, I could completely relate), and of her mother enrolling her in dance to bring her out. And look how far that little girl went! I did not know about her life after she left Hollywood but I was overjoyed to see that audiences did not forget her and, in fact, rose to their feet for her. Everything she deserved. Thanks, Miller, for another incredible tribute! You’re doing fabulous work!