   jane powell (born suzanne lorraine burce; april 1, 1929) is an american singer, dancer and actress. after rising to fame as a singer in her home state of oregon, powell was signed to metro-goldwyn-mayer while still in her teens. once there, the studio utilized her vocal, dancing and acting talents, casting her in such musicals as royal wedding, with fred astaire, a date with judy, with friend elizabeth taylor, and seven brides for seven brothers, with howard keel. in the late 1950s, her film career slowed, only to be replaced with a busy theater and television career. as of 2013, powell lives with her fifth husband, former child star dickie moore, in new york city and connecticut, and is still active in television and theater. ==early years== the only child born to paul e. burce (a wonder bread employee) and eileen baker burce (a housewife) in portland, oregon, powell began dance lessons at the age of two. powell was born a brunette, with straight hair. in an attempt to liken her appearance to shirley temple, powell's mother took her to get her first perm the same year she began dance lessons. it wasn't until she starred in technicolor pictures that she became a blonde. at five, she appeared on the children's radio program stars of tomorrow. she also took dance lessons with agnes peters, and it was there that the burce family met scotty weston, a talent scout and dance instructor. he convinced the family to move to oakland for powell to take dance lessons, in hopes of her being discovered. however, weston's lessons were held in a large, dark, damp ballroom packed full of other starlet hopefuls, and after three months of living in a hotel room and eating meals cooked on a hot plate, the family moved back to portland. paul burce had quit his job of 14 years to move to oa
1929_births 20th-century_American_actresses Actresses_from_Portland,_Oregon American_female_dancers American_female_singers American_film_actresses American_musical_theatre_actresses American_television_actresses Connecticut_Republicans Living_people Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer_contract_players Musicians_from_Portland,_Oregon New_York_Republicans Oregon_Republicans People_from_Wilton,_Connecticut Singers_from_New_York_City Vaudeville_performers