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Joan McCracken is a Actor American born on 31 december 1917
Joan Hume McCracken (December 31, 1917 – November 1, 1961) was an American dancer, actress, and comedian who became famous for her role as Sylvie ("The Girl Who Falls Down") in the original 1943 production of Oklahoma! She also was noted for her performances in the Broadway shows Bloomer Girl (1944), Billion Dollar Baby (1945) and Dance Me a Song (1950), and the films Hollywood Canteen (1945) and Good News (1947).
Though not widely remembered today, McCracken was a trend-setter in musical comedy dance. In her Oklahoma! role, McCracken became an instant sensation for a carefully choreographed pratfall during the "Many a New Day" dance number. She was considered an innovator in combining dance with comedy, and branched into dramatic roles on Broadway and early television, but her career was ultimately cut short, ending several years before her death at age 43, as she suffered complications from diabetes.
McCracken was generous in promoting the careers of other dancers, including Shirley MacLaine, and was a strong influence on her second husband, Bob Fosse, encouraging him to become a choreographer. She was noted for unconventional behavior and was one of the real-life person counterparts of Holly Golightly in Truman Capote's novella Breakfast at Tiffany's.
She met Jack Dunphy, then a dancer with the Littlefield company, in 1937. They married in 1939 and separated after Dunphy's service during World War II, during which McCracken had an affair with French composer Rudi Revil. Dunphy adopted a gay lifestyle, became romantically involved with Truman Capote, and McCracken an he were divorced in 1951. Dunphy remained Capote's partner until his death in 1984.
McCracken met dancer and choreographer Bob Fosse while both were appearing in Dance Me a Song, in which she had a starring role and he was a specialty dancer. She was married to him from December 1952 to 1959. She worked actively to advance his career and encouraged his work as a choreographer. Her intervention with producer George Abbott led to his first major job as a choreographer, in The Pajama Game. They divorced as her health worsened, and as Fosse, who was serially unfaithful during their marriage, left McCracken for Gwen Verdon.
Later in life, she was in a relationship with actor Marc Adams, and spent many of her final years at a beach house in what was then an isolated section of The Pines on Fire Island, New York.
McCracken died in her sleep, from a heart attack brought on by her diabetes, on November 1, 1961. She was cremated at her request. Her ashes, which were given to her mother, were subsequently lost.
Source : Wikidata
Joan McCracken
Birth name Joan Hume McCracken
Nationality USA
Birth 31 december 1917
Death 1 november 1961 (at 43 years)
Nationality USA
Birth 31 december 1917
Death 1 november 1961 (at 43 years)
Though not widely remembered today, McCracken was a trend-setter in musical comedy dance. In her Oklahoma! role, McCracken became an instant sensation for a carefully choreographed pratfall during the "Many a New Day" dance number. She was considered an innovator in combining dance with comedy, and branched into dramatic roles on Broadway and early television, but her career was ultimately cut short, ending several years before her death at age 43, as she suffered complications from diabetes.
McCracken was generous in promoting the careers of other dancers, including Shirley MacLaine, and was a strong influence on her second husband, Bob Fosse, encouraging him to become a choreographer. She was noted for unconventional behavior and was one of the real-life person counterparts of Holly Golightly in Truman Capote's novella Breakfast at Tiffany's.
Biography
McCracken was noted for her eccentric behavior. She was uninhibited, and at times seemed to enjoy behaving outrageously. In one meeting with MGM vocal coach Kay Thompson, she removed her blouse and bra to become "more comfortable."She met Jack Dunphy, then a dancer with the Littlefield company, in 1937. They married in 1939 and separated after Dunphy's service during World War II, during which McCracken had an affair with French composer Rudi Revil. Dunphy adopted a gay lifestyle, became romantically involved with Truman Capote, and McCracken an he were divorced in 1951. Dunphy remained Capote's partner until his death in 1984.
McCracken met dancer and choreographer Bob Fosse while both were appearing in Dance Me a Song, in which she had a starring role and he was a specialty dancer. She was married to him from December 1952 to 1959. She worked actively to advance his career and encouraged his work as a choreographer. Her intervention with producer George Abbott led to his first major job as a choreographer, in The Pajama Game. They divorced as her health worsened, and as Fosse, who was serially unfaithful during their marriage, left McCracken for Gwen Verdon.
Later in life, she was in a relationship with actor Marc Adams, and spent many of her final years at a beach house in what was then an isolated section of The Pines on Fire Island, New York.
McCracken died in her sleep, from a heart attack brought on by her diabetes, on November 1, 1961. She was cremated at her request. Her ashes, which were given to her mother, were subsequently lost.
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Filmography of Joan McCracken (4 films)
Actress
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That's Entertainment! III (1994)
, 1h53Genres Documentary, Musical
Themes Films about films, Documentary films about business, Documentary films about the film industry, Documentary films about cities, Musical films, Documentary films about films
Actors Gene Kelly, June Allyson, Cyd Charisse, Lena Horne, Howard Keel, Esther Williams
Roles (archive footage)
Rating74%
Troisième volet de "Il était une fois Hollywood", "That's Entertainment III" nous propose un nouveau panorama de l'age d'or de la MGM mais aussi des chutes rarissimes, des séquences coupées lors de la sortie des films et des essais d'autres stars que celles qui furent finalement choisies.
Main Street to Broadway (1953)
Directed by Tay Garnett, James Anderson
Origin USA
Genres Comedy-drama, Romantic comedy, Musical, Romance
Themes Musical films
Actors Mary Murphy, Agnes Moorehead, Rosemary DeCamp, Lionel Barrymore, Herb Shriner, Tallulah Bankhead
Roles Self (uncredited)
Rating60%
Hollywood Canteen (1944)
, 2h4Directed by Delmer Daves
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Romantic comedy, Musical, Romance
Themes Films about music and musicians, Musical films
Actors Joan Leslie, Robert Hutton, Jack Benny, Joe E. Brown, Dane Clark, Eddie Cantor
Roles Self
Rating69%
Deux soldats en congé passent trois nuits dans un club offrant gratuitement de la nourriture, de la danse et des divertissements aux militaires en route vers l'étranger. Les fondateurs du club, Bette Davis et John Garfield, donnent des conférences sur l'histoire du lieu.Ld
Good News (1930)
, 1h33Directed by Nick Grinde, Charles Walters
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Musical
Themes Dance films, Films about music and musicians, Sports films, American football films, Musical films, Films based on plays, Films based on musicals
Actors June Allyson, Peter Lawford, Bessie Love, Rosemary Lane, Cliff Edwards, Joan McCracken
Roles Babe Doolittle
Rating66%
The film is set in 1927 at fictional Tait College, where football is all the rage. ("Tait Song"/"Good News")