Jane Powell Biography

Fast Facts

• Sang at the inauguration ball for President Harry S․ Truman in January 1949
• Got her first role in "Song of the Open Road" after she sang an aria from "Carmen" for Norma Shearer
• Made her screen acting debut in the film "Song of the Open Road" in 1944
• Began taking dance lessons at the age of 2 and had her first role on the children's radio program "Stars of Tomorrow" when she was 5
• Quote: "In all those MGM teenage musicals I used to just make up my own dialogue, and the scripts were so bad that nobody ever knew the difference, anyway․"
• Quote: "(On her disillusionment with her MGM career): "My whole life seems to have happened to somebody else․ I just wish I could have been around to enjoy it․ None of it sunk in․ It was just a job and I was a fly on the wall watching it happen․""
• Best known for her role as Ellen Bowen in "Royal Wedding" and as Milly in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers․"
• Her stage name, Jane Powell, was taken from the character she played in her first film, "Song of the Open Road․"