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JANE POWELL
by Doug Aiton
It's hardly possible, but Jane Powell at 76 actually weighs one pound less than when she danced with
Fred Astaire in Royal Wedding 54 years ago.

Even then she was commonly referred to as `petite' at seven stone and five foot one (44Kg and
155cm). Now she certainly looks older but there is still very little on her bones, those eyes are still
hypnotically pale blue, the teeth alarmingly pearly, and one almost expects her to leap into a tap
routine around the ship's deck.
But no, she does not dance any more, she rarely sings even by herself, and lives in sedate
contentment in Connecticut with fifth husband, former child star Dickie Moore.
Yes, what she was doing was entertaining on a luxury cruise of the Baltic Sea, aboard the statuesque
American super-liner `Constellation'. (She made a movie called Luxury Liner in 1948.)
No dancing, no singing, but a two-person play, with husband Dickie. The applause when she walked
on-stage was muted magic. Miss Powell also granted an interview to The Weekend Australian
magazine.
"I just love Australia," she said first off. "Oh yes, I've
been there nine times."

Once she performed at a glitzy hotel in Melbourne that
is no longer there (probably the Chevron in St. Kilda
Road).
Most memorably, she added, she once got married in
Kings Cross's Wayside Chapel. When asked to whom,
she hesitated thoughtfully. Then seemed not to be
sure.
"And how many times have you been married, Miss
Powell?"
"Enough," she replied, merrily, charmingly but
extremely firmly.

One big question that had to be put to Jane Powell
was regarding that iconic scene in Royal Wedding where Fred Astaire dances by himself, first on the
floor, then on the wall, and finally, upside down on the ceiling.
We know it has remained a secret as to how it was done, a secret we did not expect Miss Powell to
reveal, but did she actually know the secret?

"Oh I don't think there was ever any secret about it," she said dismissively. "It was done in a, you
know, a squirrel's cage."
Aha! As rumor had it. A sort of tunnel that revolved for the camera. Had she actually witnessed the
filming of that scene?

"Yes," she said sweetly, and left it at that.
It was, naturally, electrifying when she arrived at MGM, aged 14. Others in her age group were
Elizabeth Taylor, Margaret O'Brien, June Haver, Ann Blyth, Dean Stockwell. Mickey Rooney and Judy
Garland were a few years older. (Jane Powell and Elizabeth Taylor were bridesmaids at each other's
first weddings.)
6 REEL DEALS June 2006