Gower Champion
Born: 1921-06-22 in Geneva, Illinois, USA
Died: 1980-08-25
Known For: Acting
Biography
Gower Carlyle Champion (June 22, 1919 – August 25, 1980) was an American actor, theatre director, choreographer, and dancer. Champion was born on June 22, 1919, in Geneva, Illinois, as the son of John W. Champion and Beatrice Carlisle. He was raised in Los Angeles, California, where he graduated from Fairfax High School. He studied dance from an early age and, at the age of fifteen, toured nightclubs with friend Jeanne Tyler billed as "Gower and Jeanne, America's Youngest Dance Team". In 1939, "Gower and Jeanne" danced to the music of Larry Clinton and his Orchestra in a Warner Brothers & Vitaphone film short-subject, "The Dipsy Doodler" (released in 1940).
Filmography
2019
- 42nd Street ... (Choreographer)
2006
- 42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage as Self (archive footage)
1986
- 42nd Street ... (Choreographer)
1976
- That's Entertainment, Part II as (archive footage)
1974
- The Bank Shot ... (Director)
1963
- My Six Loves ... (Director)
1962
- The Merv Griffin Show as Self
1959
- The Bell Telephone Hour as Self
1958
- The Girl Most Likely ... (Choreographer)
- The All-Star Christmas Show as Self
1956
- Tony Awards as Self - Presenter
- What Day Is It? as Conroy Gregory
- Once Upon a Honeymoon ... (Director)
1955
- Three for the Show as Vernon Lowndes
- Jupiter's Darling as Varius
1953
- Give a Girl a Break as Ted Sturgis
1952
- Lovely to Look At as Jerry Ralby
- Everything I Have Is Yours as Chuck Hubbard
1951
- Show Boat as Frank Schultz
1950
- What's My Line? as Self - Mystery Guest
- Mr. Music as Gower Champion
1948
- The Ed Sullivan Show as Self
- Words and Music as Specialty Dancer (uncredited)
1946
- Till the Clouds Roll By as Dance Specialty
1945
- Rhapsody in Blue as Tap Dancer at Remick's (uncredited)