Vera-Ellen Biography, Height, Waistline, Dancer Facts

March 2024 · 4 minute read

Does the name Vera-Ellen ring a bell? A prolific American actress, singer, and dancer, she rose to prominence during the 1950s following her outstanding dance performances in musicals. She is best remembered for her role in musical films such as In Town (1949) and White Christmas (1954). Apart from movies, Vera has also appeared in several Broadway productions. Learn more about the actress/dancer below.

Vera Ellen – Biography

The American dancer was born as Vera-EllenWestmeier Rohe on February 16, 1921 to Martin Rohe and his wife, Alma Catherine Westmeier. His father was a piano salesman while there is no news of his mother’s occupation. When asked about her compound name, the dancer revealed that before she was born, her mother had a dream in which she had a daughter named Vera-Ellen.

At a very young age, she developed an interest in the performing arts, specifically dance. This led her parents to enroll her in a dance class at the Hessler studio. Surprisingly, at the age of ten, she was already a competent dancer. She and Doris Day were notably co-students at the dance studio. During her stay, she performed in different shows, including on stage and on Broadway.

Career

At 18, Vera-Ellen made her first Broadway appearance in the 1939 musical, Very Hot for May. At the time, she was the youngest dancer in the American dance company Rockettes and she also performed regularly at Radio City Music Hall. She then had more roles in other Broadway productions, including A Yankee from Connecticut, Panama Hattie, and By Jupiter. During one of her performances, Vera was scouted by Samuel Goldwyn who later cast her alongside Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo in his 1945 film titled Amazing Man

1946 saw the actress appear in two films – The Brooklyn Kid as Susie Sullivan and Three Little Girls in Blue as Myra Charters. Two years later, she portrayed the role of Maggie Phillips in the musical comedy film, Happy Love and Ivy Smith in On the Town.

His other notable films include Three Little Words (1950), Happy Go Lovely (1951), Beauty from New York (1952) Call Me Madam (1953), Big Leaguer (1953), and White Christmas (1954). His last screen appearance was in Let’s Be Happy in 1957.

Height, waist and body measurements

Vera-Ellen was undeniably beautiful; however, she was also notable for her slender neck and tiny waist line. Many had reported suffering from anorexia, an eating disorder characterized by low body weight and a thin appearance; nevertheless, the speculations have not been confirmed. The actress/dancer stood at a height of 5ft 4in and weighed 48kg (105lbs). Her body measurements were given as bust – 35 inches, waist – 23 inches, and hips – 35 inches. Ellen wore a size 4 (US) dress and a size 6 (US) shoe.

Other interesting facts about the dancer

Her husband and children

Vera-Ellen has been married twice in her life, unfortunately both marriages ended in divorce. Her first marriage was to Robert Hightower, a fellow dancer. The couple tied the knot in 1941 and spent five years together before announcing their resignation in 1946. They had no children from their union.

Soon after their divorce, Ellen found love again, this time in the arms of millionaire Victor Rothschild. The dancer tied the knot with Victor in 1954 and they had a child named Victoria Ellen, born in 1963. Sadly, Victoria died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome three months after her birth. A few years later, Ellen and Victor’s relationship began to deteriorate, leading to a divorce in 1966.

Net value

Vera-Ellen has appeared in more than 30 films as well as Broadway productions. She made her fortune through her career as a dancer, actress, and other endeavors. Although her net worth before her death is not known, it is believed that she was worth millions of dollars.

Cause of death

In the later part of her life, after the loss of her baby Victoria Ellen in 1963, the actress decided to stay out of the limelight. Consequently, she retired from acting and began to live a solitary life away from the prying eyes of the media. While her fans were curious to find out what happened to her, it was later discovered that she was suffering from ovarian cancer. In her final days, Vera-Ellen was admitted to the University of California Los Angeles Medical Center, where she died on August 30, 1981. Her remains were interred at Glen Haven Memorial Park, located in Sylmar, California. .

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