Jack Cole Papers, 1935-1975

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Summary

Creators:
Cole, Jack
Language:
English.

Background

Scope and content:

Collection consists of materials related to the life and career of dancer and choreographer, Jack Cole. Includes clippings, photographs, programs, research materials, correspondence, and biographical materials. Clippings, programs and photographs relate to night club performances, stage productions, and films in which Cole was involved including the "Rainbow Room," the musicals "Kismet" and "Magdalena," and the musical revue "Alive And Kicking."

Biographical / historical:

John Ewing Richter was born Apr. 27, 1914 in New Brunswick, NJ; studied modern dance with Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn, ballet with Luigi Albertieri, and ethnic forms with La Meri and Mei Lan-Fang; performed as a Denishawn dancer under his real name and under the stage name, Jack Cole, 1930-32; joined (Doris) Humphrey/(Charles) Weidman Dance Group, 1932, making his Broadway debut in The School for Husbands, 1933; served as dance director for many major Hollywood Studios, but is most associated with Columbia Studios where he ran the Dance Workshop, 1944-48; well known for solos for Rita Hayworth in her "Put the Blame on Mame" strip in Gilda (1946) and for Marilyn Monroe in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" (1953) and "Some Like It Hot" (1959); from 1939, Cole and his dance groups appeared regularly on television variety shows including Bob Hope specials throughout the 1950s, "The Perry Como Show" (1948-50 and 1955-59 seasons), and Sid Caesar's "Your Show Of Shows" (1950-54); numerous motion picture credits include "The Jolson Story" (1945) and "Three For The Show" (1955) and theater works "Candide" (London, 1959), "Donnybrook" (1961), and "Man of La Mancha" (1965); died Feb. 16, 1974 in Los Angeles, CA.

Arrangement:

Arranged in the following series:

  1. Production records
  2. Photographs/personal/miscellaneous

Physical location:
Held at SRLF. Please contact the Performing Arts Special Collections for paging information.
Physical description:
6 boxes (2.5 linear ft.)

Access and use

Location of this collection:
A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US
Contact:
(310) 825-4988
AskLSC@library.ucla.edu
Website