Ann Miller
Known for Acting · 83 credits
- Born
- 1923-04-12
- Died
- 2004-01-22
- Place of birth
- Houston, Texas, USA
- Also known as
- Johnnie Lucille Collier · Lucille Collier · Lucy Ann Collier
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Johnnie Lucille Collier (April 12, 1923 – January 22, 2004), known professionally as Ann Miller, was an American dancer, singer and actress. She is best remembered for her work in the Classical Hollywood musical films of the 1940s and 1950s.
At age 13 in 1936, Miller became a showgirl at the Bal Tabarin. She was hired as a dancer in the "Black Cat Club" in San Francisco (she reportedly told them she was 18). It was there that she was discovered by Lucille Ball and talent scout/comic Benny Rubin (although some sources say this occurred at Bal Tabarin). This led Miller to be given a contract with RKO in 1936 at the age of 13 (she had also told them she was 18, and apparently provided a fake birth certificate, procured by her father - with the name "Lucy Ann Collier") and she remained there until 1940.
In 1941, she signed with Columbia Pictures, where, starting with Time Out for Rhythm, she starred in 11 B movie musicals from 1941 to 1945. In July 1945, with World War II still raging in the Pacific, she posed in a bathing suit as a Yank magazine pin-up girl. She ended her contract in 1946 with one "A" film, The Thrill of Brazil. The ad in Life magazine featured Miller's leg in a large, red, bow-tied stocking as the "T" in "Thrill". She finally hit her mark in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musicals such as Easter Parade (1948), On the Town (1949) and Kiss Me Kate (1953).
Miller was famed for her speed in tap dance. Studio publicists concocted press releases claiming she could tap 500 times per minute, but in truth, the sound of ultra-fast "500" taps was looped in later. Because the stage floors were waxed and too slick for regular tap shoes, she had to dance in shoes with rubber treads on the sole. Later she would loop the sound of the taps while watching the film and actually dancing on a "tap board" to match her steps in the film.
Known For
TV Shows (15)
The Mike Douglas Show
1961
as Self
The Love Boat
1977
as Connie Carruthers
The Merv Griffin Show
1962
as Self
The Dick Cavett Show
1968
as Self - Guest
What's My Line?
1950
as Self
Tony Awards
1956
as Self - Performer
Love, American Style
1969
The Ed Sullivan Show
1948
as Self
Home Improvement
1991
as Mrs. Keeney
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
1956
as Self
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
1968
as Self (uncredited)
MGM Parade
1955
as Self
The Hollywood Palace
1964
as Self
Private Screenings
1996
as Self
E! True Hollywood Story
1996
Movies (68)
Mulholland Drive
2001
as Coco
That's Entertainment!
1974
as (archive footage) (uncredited)
Room Service
1938
as Hilda Manny
You Can't Take It with You
1938
as Essie Carmichael
Rita
2003
as Self
Easter Parade
1948
as Nadine Hale
Hit the Deck
1955
as Ginger
That's Entertainment! III
1994
as Self - Co-Host / Narrator
On the Town
1949
as Claire Huddesen
Marlene Dietrich: Her Own Song
2002
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Stage Door
1937
as Annie
Tarnished Angel
1938
as Violet McMaster
That's Entertainment, Part II
1976
as (archive footage)
Small Town Girl
1953
as Lisa Bellmount
Cole Porter in Hollywood: Too Darn Hot
2003
as Self
Judy Garland: By Myself
2004
as Self - Actor (voice)
Kiss Me Kate
1953
as Lois Lane, "Bianca"
That's Dancing!
1985
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
2003
as Self
The Great American Pastime
1956
as Doris Patterson
The Kissing Bandit
1948
as Fiesta Specialty Dancer
Broadway's Lost Treasures
2003
as Ann (segment "Sugar Babies")
The Opposite Sex
1956
as Gloria Dahl
Night of 100 Stars
1982
as Self
Two Tickets to Broadway
1951
as Joyce Campbell
Watch the Birdie
1950
as Miss Lucky Vista
The Good Fairy
1935
as Girl in Orphanage (uncredited)
Broadway: Beyond the Golden Age
2021
as Self
Frank Sinatra Memorial
2000
as Self
Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood
1976
as Presidents' Girl 2
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
1987
as Self
Deep in My Heart
1954
as Performer (segment "Artists and Models")
Having Wonderful Time
1938
as Vivian (uncredited)
Lucy and Desi: A Home Movie
1993
as Self
Inside the Dream Factory
1995
as Self
Reveille with Beverly
1943
as Beverly Ross
Melody Ranch
1940
as Julie Shelton
Lovely to Look At
1952
as Bubbles Cassidy
True to the Army
1942
as Vicki Marlow
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 2
1941
Go West, Young Lady
1941
as Lola
The Devil on Horseback
1936
as Dancer (uncredited)
Too Many Girls
1940
as Pepe
Mondo Hollywood
1967
Hollywood Musicals of the 40's
2000
as Self (archive footage)
Hit Parade of 1941
1940
as Anabelle Potter
Time Out for Rhythm
1941
as Kitty Brown
The Thrill of Brazil
1946
as Linda Lorens
Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer
2002
as Self (archive footage)
Easter Parade: On the Avenue
2005
as Self
Jam Session
1944
as Terry Baxter
Texas Carnival
1951
as Sunshine Jackson
Priorities on Parade
1942
as Donna D'Arcy
Hey, Rookie
1944
as Winnie Clark
Hollywood Singing & Dancing: A Musical History - 1970's
2009
as Self
The Life of the Party
1937
as Betty
Carolina Blues
1944
as Julie Carver
Dames at Sea
1971
as Mona
What's Buzzin', Cousin?
1943
as Ann Crawford
Eve Knew Her Apples
1945
as Eve Porter
New Faces of 1937
1937
as Ann Miller
Eadie Was a Lady
1945
as Eadie Allen / Edithea Alden
Cole Porter in Hollywood: Begin the Beguine
2003
Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1
1941
as Self
Sailor's Holiday
1944
Inside the Marx Brothers
2003
as Self
Radio City Revels
1938
as Billie
Mighty Manhattan, New York's Wonder City
1949
as Self
About Ann Miller
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Johnnie Lucille Collier (April 12, 1923 – January 22, 2004), known professionally as Ann Miller, was an American dancer, singer and actress. She is best remembered for her work in the Classical Hollywood musical films of the 1940s and 1950s. At age 13 in 1936, Miller became a showgirl at the Bal Tabarin. She was hired as a dancer in the "Black Cat Club" in San Francisco (she reportedly told them she was 18). It was there that she was discovered by Lucille Ball and talent scout/comic Benny Rubin (although s… With 83 credits spanning from 1935 to 2021, Ann Miller has appeared in 68 films and 15 TV shows.
Fans searching for Ann Miller movies, Ann Miller filmography, or the latest projects starring Ann Miller can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Ann Miller Movies
- Mulholland Drive (2001) — as Coco
- That's Entertainment! (1974) — as (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Room Service (1938) — as Hilda Manny
- You Can't Take It with You (1938) — as Essie Carmichael
- Rita (2003) — as Self
Where to Watch Ann Miller Films
Most Ann Miller movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Ann Miller, check our movies catalogue and browse page.