McCracken, Joan (1922–1961)

views updated

McCracken, Joan (1922–1961)

American dancer and actress. Born Dec 31, 1922, in Philadelphia, PA; died Nov 1, 1961, in New York, NY; attended Catherine Littlefield's ballet school; m. Jack Dunphy (dancer, div.); m. Bob Fosse (dancer, director), 1951 (div. 1959).

Began career with the Littlefield American Ballet (1934–35); danced with the Rockettes, the Eugene Loring Dance Co., and American Ballet; came to prominence in Oklahoma!; other credits include Bloomer Girl, Billion Dollar Baby, Me and Juliet, Galileo, The Big Knife, Dance Me a Song and Angel in the Pawnshop; on tv, starred in "Claudia: The Story of a Marriage" (1952); appeared on film in Hollywood Canteen, Kiss Me Kate and Good News; forced to retire because of heart condition (1954).

More From encyclopedia.com