Legacy.com
By James Gray
Miriam Nelson, Hollywood choreographer who staged some of
the most delightful dance numbers ever filmed and with a career spanning the
golden eras of stage, screen, and television, died peacefully Sunday August
12th at home in Beverly Hills, California. She was 98 years old.
Miriam Nelson (born Miriam Lois Frankel on September 21,
1919 in Chicago, Illinois) began tap dancing at a very young age. When she was
fourteen years old, she moved with her family to New York and performed at the
famous "Billy Rose's Casa Mañana" (with dance partner Van Johnson).
She went on to perform in six Broadway musicals from 1939-1943: "Sing Out
The News," "Yokel Boy," "Very Warm For May,"
"Higher and Higher," "Panama Hattie," and "Let's Face
It," by the likes of Kaufman & Hart, Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein
& Vincent Minnelli, Rogers and Hart and 2 shows by Cole Porter. These shows
starred Buddy Ebsen, Phil Silvers, Eve Arden, Jack Haley, Danny Kaye, Nanette
Fabray, Vivian Vance, Ethel Merman, Betty Hutton and her good friends and
fellow frequent chorus girls June Allyson and Vera Ellen. In 1941, she was
known as "The Best Chorus Girl on Broadway."
After her marriage to fellow hoofer and former skater
Gene Nelson, the couple made the move to California where Miriam landed a 7
year contract at Paramount Studios after just two days in Hollywood, during a
chance lunch in the studio commissary!
Throughout her performing career she appeared in such
Hollywood classics as "Double Indemnity," "Cover Girl,"
"The Jolson Story," "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "Pillow
Talk."
When Gene was signed by Warner Bros. to star in a series
of musical films, she assisted and co-choreographed his dance numbers and
coached Doris Day ((who became a life-long friend)) and his other female
costars. In his films: "Tea for Two," "Lullaby of
Broadway," "The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady," and "She's
Working Her Way Through College." At a time when Hollywood was dominated
by male choreographers, Miriam became a major force in the field.
After her divorce from Gene Nelson, Miriam choreographed
a successful string of films for Columbia and Paramount Studios and five films
with her dear friend Blake Edwards. Her feature film credits include:
"Breakfast at Tiffany's," "The Jolson Story,"
"Picnic," "Hawaii," "Bob & Carol & Ted &
Alice," and "The Apartment."
She expanded her activities to directing and
choreographing for television, special theatrical events, and nightclub acts.
For television she staged and choreographed Judy
Garland's first TV special, "The Red Skeleton Show," "The
Colgate Comedy Hour," "Opening Day At Disneyland" (Walt Disney
hired her to choreograph dance numbers around Disneyland, including the renown
Golden Horseshoe Revue), "Father Knows Best," "The Lucy
Show," "The Love Boat," "Murder, She Wrote,"
"Designing Women," two Academy Award telecasts and "Ziegfeld:
The Man and His Women" (Primetime Emmy Nominee)...to name a few.
Night club artists Carol Channing, Ann Miller, Barbara
Eden, Howard Keel, Steve and Edie, Donald O'Connor, Jane Russell, Gordon and
Sheila MacRae, and the world famous Playmates - all had staging and
choreography created by Miriam Nelson.
Miriam conceived and staged shows for Radio City Music
Hall, The Hollywood Bowl, arena shows for Jim Henson, two Super Bowl half-time
shows, the opening of the New Madison Square Garden with Bob Hope and the very
first "Disney On Parade."
In 1953, Miriam became one of the founding members of
SHARE (Share Happily and Reap Endlessly), a non-profit organization composed of
women passionately dedicated and committed to raising funds for developmentally
disabled, abused and neglected children, as well as medical research for all
forms of developmental disabilities. Just a month ago, Miriam was honored at
SHARE's 65th event where she received a standing ovation.
Miriam was known as the Marni Nixon of Tap and provided
the tap sounds in many movies including those of Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Ginger
Rogers and many more& AND she was still tap dancing this past week at the
age of 98.
Someone recently asked her if she would ever retire. Her
answer "Not as long as the phone keeps ringing" and in 2009, her
autobiography, "My Life Dancing with the Stars," was published.
Known throughout the business as an upbeat person and joy
to work with, she nonetheless challenged all who worked with her and drew the
very best out of them. John Wayne once shouted to a group taking a break on set
as Miriam walked by, "Run for the hills, fellas! Or Miriam will make you
dance!" And she did, for thousands of performers throughout the decades.
She was predeceased by second husband, producer Jack
Myers, and is survived by her son Chris Nelson, her three grandsons
Christopher, Josh, Matt, and her great granddaughter, Emma.
NELSON, Miriam
(Miriam Franklin)
Born: 9/21/1919,
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
Died: 8/12/2018, Beverly Hills, California U.S.A.
Miriam Nelson’s
westerns – choreographer, actress:
The Restless Breed – 1957 [choreographer]
Bonanza (TV) – 1959 [choreographer]
Riverboat (TV) – 1959 [choreographer]
Bronco (TV) – 1960 (Emmy Coles)
U.S. Marshal (TV) – 1960 (Polly Gregory)
Death Valley Days (TV) – 1961 (Mrs. Clayton)
Cat Ballou – 1965 [choreographer]
The Great Bank Robbery – 1969 [choreographer]
Sunset – 1988 [choreographer]
