Golden Age ‘Royal Wedding’ and ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ Star Jane Powell Dies at 92

Golden Age 'Royal Wedding' and 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers' Star Jane Powell Dies at 92

Jane Powell, one of the last surviving stars of Golden Age movie musicals, has died. She was 92 years old. Powell made her film debut in 1944 and starred in several important MGM musicals, including Royal Wedding with Fred Astaire and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers with Howard Keel. She also starred in Broadway, appearing in productions of Oklahoma!, Carousel, The Sound of Music, and My Fair Lady.

Susan Granger, a spokesperson for Powell’s family and a friend of the actress, told Deadlinethat Powell died of natural causes at her home in Wilton, Connecticut. Powell, her fifth husband and former child actor, lived in Connecticut with Dickie, a publicist, whom she married in 1988. Moore died in 2015.

Powell was born Suzanne Lorraine Bruce, April 1, 1929, in Portland. After performing locally, she went to Los Angeles with her parents in 1943 and won a radio contest. MGM was interested in her, but she made her first film at United Artists. In 1944’s Song of the Open Road, she played a character named Jane Powell, which she made her stage name. Powell is even featured in a scene with W.C. Fields.Golden Age 'Royal Wedding' and 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers' Star Jane Powell Dies at 92

She quickly rose through the ranks at MGM with hits Delightfully Dangerous (1945), Three Daring Daughters (1948), and A Date With Judy (1948), which co-starred Elizabeth Taylor. In 1951, she starred opposite Astaire as his sister in Royal Wedding. Powell’s stardom was cemented by the scene in which Astaire dances through the walls and ceilings, although it is most well-known today. She shared the memorable “How Could You Believe Me When I Said I Love You When You Know I’ve Been a Liar All My Life” song with Astaire.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is another vital film on Powell’s resume. The project reunited her with Royal Wedding director Stanley Donen. When it was released in theaters in late 1954, the film was a big success. In a 1978 stage version, Powell and Keel starred. Powell’s other movie credits include Hit the Deck (1955), The Girl Most Likely (1958), The Female Animal (1958), and Enchanted Island (1958).

In the late 1950s, Powell stopped making movies due to declining interest in musicals. She transitioned to television, though, appearing in Fantasy Island, The Love Boat, and Murder, She Wrote. She also starred in eight episodes of Growing Pains, playing Alan Thicke’s on-screen mother. Her final acting role was in a 2002 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, in which she played a victim of elder abuse. In 1960, she was awarded a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. Powell is survived by her three children, Geary Anthony Steffen III, Suzanne Steffen, and Lindsay Cavalli. She also has two granddaughters, Skye Cavalli (Grandma) and Tia Cavalli.

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