Although she never achieved the status of a true Hollywood star, Ann Miller is recalled as a whirlwind tap dancer and toothsome, engagingly brash comedienne. Born and raised in Texas, she began dancing as therapy for a childhood case of rickets. Spotted by a talent scout, Miller (nee Lucille Collier) was signed to a seven-year contract by RKO and put into several films, including "New Faces of 1937" (1937). Her performance as Ginger Rogers' dancing partner in "Stage Door" (also 1937) brought her attention and led to a string of supporting roles throughout the decade (including "Room Service" 1938, with the Marx Brothers). On loan out, Miller played the would-be ballerina in "You Can't Take It With You" (1938) but often was wasted in lesser material. She did enliven a number of Columbia "B" musicals of the 40s (e.g., "Reveille with Beverly" 1943) and came into her own in a string of second leads at MGM in the late 40s and early 50s. She danced with Fred Astaire in "Easter Parade" (1948) and nearly stole "On the Town" (1949) with a pseudo-caveperson dance. Perhaps Miller's best role was as Lois Lane/Bianca in the film version of the Cole Porter musical "Kiss Me Kate" (1953). By 1956, however, her film career had stalled.
Undaunted, Miller turned to television, appearing in numerous variety series and specials, as well as nightclubs. In 1969, she was one of the stars who succeeded Angela Lansbury in the role of "Mame" on Broadway. later heading a national tour as well. Miller continued to appear on stage in musicals ("Anything Goes") and comedies ("Cactus Flower") before returning to the spotlight as co-star (with Mickey Rooney) of the vaudeville-like Broadway musical "Sugar Babies" in 1979. Despite a sometimes strained backstage relationship, the old pros performed the show on and off for nearly ten years, including a national tour and a six-month stint in London in 1989. With her lacquered jet-black hair, replete with 'kiss me' curls, and her shapely legs, Miller continued to make appearances into the 90s, proving to be an engaging and lively raconteur in interviews and public appearances. In 1998, she returned to the stage to play Carlotta Campion belting out "I'm Still Here" in the Paper Mill Playhouse production of "Follies".
Family
FATHER: John Collier. Separated from Miller's mother while Miller was a child.
MOTHER: Clara Emma Collier.
Companion
HUSBAND: Reese Milner. Divorced.
HUSBAND: William Moss. Second husband; divorced.
HUSBAND: Arthur Cameron. Third husband; divorced.
Milestone
Began tap dancing at age five (date approximate)
1937: Lied about her age (by adding four years) and landed a seven-year contract with RKO; gained attention with a supporting role in "Stage Door"
1938: Appeared with the Marx Brothers in "Room Service"
1938: Loaned to Columbia for "You Can't Take It With You"
1939: Broadway debut in George White's "Scandals of 1939"
Set a record in the early 1940s for the fastest tap-dancing, producing over 500 tap sounds in one minute
1940 - 1941: On loan to Republic, co-starred in "Melody Ranch" and "Hit Parade of 1941"
1948: Signed with MGM; first film there, "Easter Parade"
1949: Co-starred in "On the Town"
1953: Played Lois Lane/Bianca in the film version of "Kiss Me Kate"
1956: Last films, "The Opposite Sex" and "The Great American Pastime"
Made frequent appearances in nightclubs and in television variety specials and series throughout the late 1950s and 1960s
Was one of the replacement stars of the Broadway musical, "Mame"; later toured with the show (1970-71)
1970: Made classic Heinz "Great American Soup" commercial written by Stan Freberg
1974: Played Reno Sweeney in a tour of "Anything Goes"
1976: Again toured in "Anything Goes"
Appeared in a tour of the stage comedy "Cactus Flower"
Starred on Broadway in "Sugar Babies"
Toured in "Sugar Babies"
1989: Took "Sugar Babies" to London
1994: Was one of the hosts of the compilation documentary looking back at the MGM movie musical, "That's Entertainment! III"
1998: Played Carlotta Campion in a revival of the Stephen Sondheim-James Goldman musical "Follies" at the Paper Mill Playhouse
1999: Had featured role in the David Lynch-directed pilot "Mulholland Drive"; when ABC passed on series, Lynch shot additional footage and turned project into feature film; screened at Cannes in 2001; released theatrically in USA in 2001
Education
Lawler Professional School - Hollywood, California
Bibliography
"Miller's High Life" Ann Miller 1972
"Ann Miller, Tops in Taps: An Authorized Pictorial History" Jim Connor 1981
"Tapping Into the Force" Ann Miller and Dr Maxine Asher 1990
"Honey, I have my MGM training. I wouldn't go out the door without my eyelashes and my hair perfectly in shape and my makeup on ... You go out looking nice because there are fans in the grocery store as well as the movie theater." --Ann Miller to USA Today, August 20, 1997.
innocentsue
THE BEST & MY FAVORITE! Why?
Ann Miller, was/is, to me an "unsung vunderkind" actress, very humble, and seemingly to do her very best from start ...
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Jim
Ann Miller
I have seen her movies just great, also my mother work at a plant in Califoria and help build the ...
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