Bio

The most comprehensive single source about Vera-Ellen’s life is Dr. David Soren’s book, Vera-Ellen: The Magic and the Mystery. Soren is a Regents’ Professor and Professor of Anthropology and Classics at the University of Arizona. A link to his book on Amazon is here.

Vera-Ellen was born on February 16, 1921, near Norwood, Ohio, and grew up in German neighborhoods of the Cincinnati area. She started ballet lessons at the age of nine in order to become more graceful. She became a drum majorette for the marching band at Norwood View High School and started to earn income by dancing at events for local organizations. She and Doris Day were actually classmates at the Hesslers’ Dance Studio.

Soren’s book provides information about the family’s dysfunction and Vera-Ellen’s obsessive-compulsive tendencies. It seems that when her mother, Alma, grew dissatisfied with her husband’s lack of ambition, she transferred her frustrations to Vera-Ellen. Soren presents the theory that Vera-Ellen suffered from anorexia nervosa, a condition that wasn’t helped by MGM telling her she needed to be thinner.

Vera-Ellen was one of the most talented and versatile dancers of her time. While other dancers were more specialized, Vera-Ellen could do so many different styles of dancing: tap, solo, partnered, ballroom, gymnastic, ballet, and more. Her perfectionism as a dancer and driven personality were no doubt shaped by the upbringing she received from her domineering parents.

Among her many accomplishments, she was the youngest Rockette ever at Radio City Music Hall.

She was married twice: to dancer Robert Hightower from 1941-46, and to millionaire Victor Rothschild from 1954-1966. She bore a child at the age of 42, but tragically she lost her baby at three months due to SIDS. She retreated from public life in later years.

Television appearances included the likes of The Perry Como Show, The Dinah Shore Chevy Show, and Art Linkletter’s House Party (interview).

For a list of her fourteen films, see our home page here.

Vera-Ellen passed away from cancer on August 30, 1981, at the age of 60.

For a great collection of photographs from Vera-Ellen’s life, see David Soren’s book:

There is another book about her, Vera Ellen by Adolfo Perez Agusti , though I haven’t had a chance to review it:

 

And here is her Wikipedia link.