Pert, petite musical film star of the late 1940s and 50s who, after hosting her own radio show from the age of 11, began in films in 1944 and was soon at MGM as perky teens in "A Date With Judy" (1948) and "Nancy Goes to Rio" (1950). With her chirpy girl-next-door charm and operatic singing voice, Powell was in some ways a successor to the more serene Deanna Durbin, who retired in 1948. Although many of her films are routine, she hit her stride in the early 1950s in such musical classics as Stanley Donen's "Royal Wedding" (1951) (replacing the ailing Judy Garland) and as the lead in Donen's "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers" (1954).
Powell's last starring film to date was the dismal "Enchanted Island" (1958), but she made a comeback when she replaced Debbie Reynolds on Broadway in the 1973 revival of the musical "Irene" and became the commercial spokeswoman for Dry Dock Savings Bank in the 1970s. Looking wonderful in her later years, Powell was a relaxed guest on interview specials recalling the MGM of old and was most welcome hosting a series airing classic movie musicals on PBS. Married to public relations executive and former child star Dick (Dickie) Moore since 1988.
Family
FATHER: Paul Burce.
MOTHER: Eileen Burce.
SON: Geary Steffen Jr. Born 1951.
DAUGHTER: Suzanne Ileen Steffen. Born 1952.
DAUGHTER: Lindsay Averill Nerney. Born 1955; married Richard Cavelli October 20, 1990.
Companion
HUSBAND: Geary Steffen. Ice skater. Married 1949, divorced 1954.
HUSBAND: Pat Nerney. Automobile dealer. Married 1954, divorced 1963.
HUSBAND: James Fitzgerald. Public relations executive. Married June 27, 1965; divorced.
HUSBAND: David Parlour. Producer, writer. Married 1978; divorced.
HUSBAND: Dick Moore. Public relations executive; former child actor. Married 1988.
Milestone
Hosted own program on KOIN-Radio, Portland Oregon
1944: Film debut (as herself) in "Song of the Open Road"
1946: Signed with MGM; first film there, "Holiday in Mexico"
1955: Last film at MGM, "Hit the Deck"
1958: Last starring role in a feature film, "Enchanted Island"
Kept busy during the late 50s and early 60s on TV, including a remake of the Vincente Minnelli musical, "Meet Me in St. Louis" (1959), with Powell in the Judy Garland role
1973: Broadway debut in revival of "Irene"; took lead role after Debbie Reynolds left the cast
Served as a TV spokesperson for Dry Dock Savings Bank in the 1970s
Produced and appeared in exercise video for arthritis patients
1985: Made a brief appearance in the feature, "Marie: A True Story", billed as a "rally singer"
1990: Briefly appeared on the CBS soap opera "As the World Turns" as Lisa, replacing an ailing Eileen Fulton
1991: Hosted a PBS series, "The Musicals", introducing classic Hollywood musicals (date approximate)
1996: Returned to New York stage in Anne Meara's play "After-Play"
1996: Again replaced an ailing Eileen Fulton as Lisa on "As the World Turns"
Returned to feature films playing a ditsy art patron in the independent "Picture This" (lensed 1999)
2000: Appeared in a limited-run revival staging of the Kander & Ebb musical "70, Girls, 70"
2000: Returned to the NYC stage as co-star of the play "Avow"
2000: Had featured role in the Showtime movie "The Sandy Bottom Orchestra"
Bibliography
"The Girl Next Door ... and How She Grew" Jane Powell 1988
Cheryl Williams
A great artist and person, Jane Powell
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Pattie
I always wanted to "be" Jane Powell.
I always wanted to sing like Jane Powell. I was about 7-9 when I waited every summer for the ...
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