Introduction
During Hollywood’s Golden Age, there were many stars who embodied the wholesome image of the girl you would want your son to bring home to meet. Doris Day, June Allyson, Debbie Reynolds, and Teresa Wright, were just some of those legendary actresses who projected that timeless innocence that many Americans yearned for. While the idea of Hollywood vigorously promoting certain starlets as the quintessential “girl next door” might seem silly now, in its heyday careers could be made or broken because of it. One such actress from the Golden Era who thrived because of this representation of wholesome American innocence and vitality was Old Hollywood legend, Jane Powell.
Fans will conjure up beautiful memories of going to the movie palaces in the 40s and 50s, and enjoying the glorious blonde soprano touch their hearts with song and dance. Powell would appear in celebrated musicals such as Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954), and as Fred Astaire’s co-star in Royal Wedding (1951). Looking at her career, one can appreciate how the studio system of that era was able to mold talented actresses like Powell and make them special to moviegoers everywhere.
Early Years
The actress who we know as Jane Powell was actually born Suzanne Lorraine Burce in Portland, Oregon in 1929. Ms. Powell claimed to have received the name change from an MGM studio representative via a random phone call. As a lonely child, Powell grew up in the era when every mother in America was trying to turn their daughters into the next Shirley Temple or Deanna Durbin. Powell’s extraordinary gift was her soprano singing voice, which ended up propelling her to spend the majority of her childhood doing performances in school and in talent shows. Her talents led her to work in a local radio program which added to her growing appeal. By the age of thirteen, she was even selected as Oregon’s Victory Girl, as part of a statewide campaign to augment the purchase of war bonds during World War II.
Despite her precocious abilities, Powell struggled with inadequacies that would eventually plague her for the rest of her life. This was due to her disconnect from her parents, and the abnormal demands for a child that show business imposed on her. Despite these pressures, The President of the radio station arranged for her to appear in Janet Gaynor’s Hollywood Showcase: Stars Over Hollywood, which was a famous radio talent show at the time. For Powell, this appearance changed her life forever as she ended up winning the talent competition.
On to Hollywood
Her win at the show brought her the opportunity many have strived for since the beginning of the motion picture era. According to her biography, the agent, Levis Green called the station with the exhilarating news that the next day she would be meeting Metro-Goldwyn Mayer studio head, Louis B. Mayer. In addition to that, Janet Gaynor arranged for her to meet the famed producer, David O. Selznick. The meeting turned out to be a resounding success as it resulted in Powell signing a seven-year contract with MGM, without even having to take a screen test. Despite this astounding early success, Powell claimed later in life that all she wanted was to have a normal life as a teenager. Out of a sense of obligation to her parents, she signed the contract. She could never have imagined how much her family life and future would change forever.
Powell began work on her first film, Song of the Open Road (1944). Though it was a loan out to United Artists, she had the good fortune of doing this movie with Charles R. Rogers, who was one of Deanna Durbin’s earlier producers. While the picture was pedestrian at best, Powell received rave reviews from critics. The New York Daily News and Variety both praised Powell’s voice and invited comparisons to Durbin.
Her early years in Hollywood consisted of many appearances in distinguished programs and studio functions. She sang in Frank Sinatra’s radio show and even recorded Hansel & Gretel for Columbia Recording Corporation. In 1946, she appeared on the cover of Life magazine. By 1948, Powell had starred in six pictures, including her first technicolor film, Holiday In Mexico (1946). Her stature had grown to the point where she had the honor of singing at the Inauguration ball for President Truman in 1949. The shy insecure girl from Portland had become a star by the age of twenty and was beloved by the American public. Powell later commented:
“My real work was being the girl next door.”
Despite her movie star status, Powell continued touring the country doing a vaudeville act. Her work ethic and fear of displeasing her parents, allowed her to find steady work and make a lot of money. As was the case with most child stars, however, Powell later said that she had no idea where most of the money went during that time. One highlight for her during this time was the lifelong friendship she established with Roddy McDowall, her love interest in Holiday in Mexico. Despite all this success, Powell continued to struggle with feelings of isolation and was ready to break free from her parents. The “girl next door” was ready to take the next step in finding her place in life and love. Powell later confessed in her autobiography:
“my teenage isolation greatly hindered my later sexual and emotional growth”