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Ruby KeelerActress, singer and dancer.
Date of Birth: 25.08.1910
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Ruby Keeler
Ruby Keeler was an actress, singer, and dancer, best known for her work with Dick Powell on a series of successful musicals in the early Warner Brothers era. She gained widespread recognition for her role in the 1933 project "42nd Street."
Early Life and Career
Keeler was born in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, to a family of Irish Catholics. Her father worked as a truck driver, and her two sisters, Helen and Gertrude, had already tried their hand at acting. When Keeler was three years old, her family moved to New York City, where her father found better-paying work. Despite their increased income, it was still difficult to support their six children.
Keeler developed a passion for dancing at a young age, but her parents couldn't afford to send her to dance classes. Fortunately, a teacher who visited her school offered to give her lessons for free after recognizing her potential. It was during these lessons that Keeler learned about an upcoming audition for a spot in a chorus line.
Despite the legal age requirement of 16, Keeler and her friends decided to lie about their age and audition anyway. Thanks to her audacity, Keeler secured a role in George M. Cohan's production of "The Rise of Rosie O'Reilly." The $45 per week she earned from this job significantly helped her family.
Broadway Success and Marriage
At the age of 14, Keeler met Nils Granlund, who cast actors for theaters and nightclubs. Soon, she caught the attention of Broadway producer Charles B. Dillingham, who offered her a role in "Bye Bye Bonnie." This production lasted for six months and provided Keeler with valuable stage experience.
Keeler then met Flo Ziegfeld, who was captivated by her and offered to be her agent. In 1928, she starred in "Ziegfeld's Whoopee." That same year, Keeler married Al Jolson, whom she met during a theater production in Los Angeles. Jolson had instantly fallen for her and persistently pursued her until she accepted his proposal.
Unfortunately, their marriage did not last, and after years of marital troubles, Keeler and Jolson divorced in 1940. In 1941, she remarried John Homer Lowe, with whom she had four children. The couple decided to leave show business that same year.
Later Life and Legacy
Keeler's second husband, Lowe, passed away in 1969 from cancer. Keeler herself succumbed to cancer on February 28, 1993, in Rancho Mirage, California, at the age of 82. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6730 Hollywood Boulevard.
Throughout her career, Ruby Keeler made a significant impact on the entertainment industry, particularly in the realm of musicals. Her talent and charisma continue to be celebrated and remembered by fans and fellow performers alike.
