Career Ann Miller

the handprints of ann miller in front of great movie ride @ walt disney world s disney s hollywood studios theme park

at age 13 in 1936, miller became showgirl @ bal tabarin. hired dancer in black cat club in san francisco (she reportedly told them 18). there discovered lucille ball , talent scout/comic benny rubin (although sources occurred @ bal tabarin). led miller given contract rko in 1936 @ age of 13 (she had told them 18, , apparently provided fake birth certificate, procured father - name lucy ann collier ) , remained there until 1940. in 1941, signed columbia pictures, where, starting time out rhythm, starred in 11 b movie musicals 1941 1945. in july 1945, world war ii still raging in pacific, posed in bathing suit yank magazine pin-up girl. ended contract in 1946 1 film, thrill of brazil. ad in life magazine featured miller s leg in large, red, bow-tied stocking t in thrill . hit mark in metro-goldwyn-mayer musicals such easter parade (1948), on town (1949) , kiss me kate (1953).

in later life, miller claimed have invented pantyhose in 1940s solution continual problem of tearing stockings during filming of dance production numbers. common practice had been sew hosiery briefs. if torn, entire garment had removed , resewn new pair. miller asked hosiery maker produce single combined garment.

miller famed speed in tap dance. studio publicists concocted press releases claiming tap 500 times per minute, in truth, sound of ultra-fast 500 taps looped in later. because stage floors waxed , slick regular tap shoes, had dance in shoes rubber treads on sole. later loop sound of taps while watching film , dancing on tap board match steps in film.

she known, later in career, distinctive appearance, reflected studio-era ideal of glamour: massive black bouffant hair, heavy makeup splash of crimson lipstick, , fashions emphasized lithe figure , long dancer s legs.

her film career ended in 1956 studio system lost steam television, remained active in theater , on television. starred on broadway in musical mame in 1969, in wowed audience in tap number created her. in 1979 astounded audiences in broadway show sugar babies fellow mgm veteran mickey rooney, toured united states extensively after broadway run. in 1983, won sarah siddons award work in chicago theatre.

she appeared in special 1982 episode of love boat, joined fellow showbiz legends ethel merman, carol channing, della reese, van johnson , cab calloway in storyline cast them older relatives of show s regular characters. last stage performance 1998 production of stephen sondheim s follies, in played hardboiled carlotta campion , received rave reviews rendition of song m still here .

miller appeared dance instructor in home improvement episode dances tools (1993). between 1995 , 2001, molly shannon parodied miller several times on saturday night live in recurring sketch titled leg-up!

in 2001 took last role, playing coco in director david lynch s critically acclaimed mulholland drive.