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Third in line behind Sonja Henie and Vera Hruba Ralston in the "ice skating movie star" sweepstakes, Belita (no last name required) clearly had her sisters in skates beat in the beauty and glamour departments. Belita also had an impressive list of other credentials: she competed in the 1936 Olympic Games at the tender age of 12; could speak four languages; and was also a classically-trained ballerina and skilled underwater swimmer, credited with performing the first underwater ballet. (Eat your heart out, Esther Williams.)
Strangely, despite her obvious talent and poise, Belita's film career played out at Poverty Row studios like Monogram, and in occasional suppporting roles in higher-prestige productions like MGM's Never Let Me Go (1953, with Clark Gable) and Invitation to the Dance (1956, with Gene Kelly; pictured above). She retired from professional skating in 1956, and left films soon thereafter. In her later years, The Ice Maiden retired to the south of France, where she passed away in 2005 at the age of 82.
Is this photo from her Big Number where she beat a squadron of bobby soxers to death in a all male night club? I love high concept musicals.
ReplyDeleteI thought that was Lauren Bacall's Big Number from "Applause"...?
ReplyDeleteDarling, I adore you, and I hate you - because of course I was just getting there in my one-named-stars series - but it's Belita.
ReplyDeleteQuelle horreur!!!! I don't know how I managed that one, but I'm nothing if not consistent, and misspelled the lovely Belita's name Every. Single. Time. Perhaps I had Bonita Granville on the brain?
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