Pert, petite musical film star of the late 1940s and 50s who, after hosting her own radio show from the age of 11, began in films in 1944 and was soon at MGM as perky teens in "A Date With Judy" (1948) and "Nancy Goes to Rio" (1950). With her chirpy girl-next-door charm and operatic singing voice, Powell was in some ways a successor to the more serene Deanna Durbin, who retired in 1948. Although many of her films are routine, she hit her stride in the early 1950s in such musical classics as Stanley Donen's "Royal Wedding" (1951) (replacing the ailing Judy Garland) and as the lead in Donen's "Seven Brides For Seven Brothers" (1954).
Powell's last starring film to date was the dismal "Enchanted Island" (1958), but she made a comeback when she replaced Debbie Reynolds on Broadway in the 1973 revival of the musical "Irene" and became the commercial spokeswoman for Dry Dock Savings Bank in the 1970s. Looking wonderful in her later years, Powell was a relaxed guest on interview specials recalling the MGM of old and was most welcome hosting a series airing classic movie musicals on PBS. Married to public relations executive and former child star Dick (Dickie) Moore since 1988.
- Also Credited As:
Suzanne Burce
- Born:
April 1, 1929 in Portland, Oregon, USA
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Job Titles:
Actor, Singer, Commercial spokeswoman
Family
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Daughter: Lindsay Averill Nerney. born 1955; married Richard Cavelli October 20, 1990
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Daughter: Suzanne Ileen Steffen. born 1952
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Father: Paul Burce.
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Mother: Eileen Burce.
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Son: Geary Steffen Jr. born 1951
Milestones
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1944 Film debut (as herself) in Song of the Open Road
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1946 Signed with MGM; first film there, Holiday in Mexico
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1955 Last film at MGM, Hit the Deck
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1958 Last starring role in a feature film, Enchanted Island
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1973 Broadway debut in revival of Irene ; took lead role after Debbie Reynolds left the cast
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1985 Made a brief appearance in the feature, Marie: A True Story , billed as a rally singer
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1990 Briefly appeared on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns as Lisa, replacing an ailing Eileen Fulton
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1991 Hosted a PBS series, The Musicals , introducing classic Hollywood musicals (date approximate)
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1996 Again replaced an ailing Eileen Fulton as Lisa on As the World Turns
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1996 Returned to New York stage in Anne Meara s play After-Play
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2000 Appeared in a limited-run revival staging of the Kander & Ebb musical 70, Girls, 70
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2000 Had featured role in the Showtime movie The Sandy Bottom Orchestra
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2000 Returned to the NYC stage as co-star of the play Avow
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Hosted own program on KOIN-Radio, Portland Oregon
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Kept busy during the late 50s and early 60s on TV, including a remake of the Vincente Minnelli musical, Meet Me in St. Louis (1959), with Powell in the Judy Garland role
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Produced and appeared in exercise video for arthritis patients
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Returned to feature films playing a ditsy art patron in the independent Picture This (lensed 1999)
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Served as a TV spokesperson for Dry Dock Savings Bank in the 1970s