Born: 2 September 1919, United States
Died: 21 October 2020
Country most active: United States
Also known as: Marjorie Bell, Marjorie Celeste Belcher
The following is republished from the Library of Congress. This piece falls under under public domain, as copyright does not apply to “any work of the U.S. Government” where “a work prepared by an officer or employee of the U.S. Government as part of that person’s official duties” (See, 17 U.S.C. §§ 101, 105).
Marge Champion (b. 1919) is an American actress, dancer, director, choreographer, and teacher. The collection, which documents her life and career, includes biographical materials, correspondence, photographs, programs, promotional materials, manuscript music scores and parts, articles, clippings, scripts, scrapbooks, awards and posters.
1919, Sept. 2 Born Marjorie Celeste Belcher in Los Angeles, California
1934 Modeled for Walt Disney’s animated film Snow White and the seven dwarfs.
1937 Silver screen debut in short film Sunday night at the Trocadero, directed by George Sidney.. Married Disney animator Art Babbitt (1907-1992), whom she later divorced 1940.
1938 First professional stage production role dancing in Blossom time at the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera.
1939 Danced in the Three Stooges vaudeville circuit tour.
1940 Modeled for Disney films Fantasia and Pinocchio.
1942 Purported marriage to television media personality Alexander King (1899-1965). No documentation has been found to confirm marriage.
1943 Broadway debut in the Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe musical What’s up, directed and choreographed by George Balanchine (listed as “Marjorie Beecher” in program).
1945 Formed “Gower and Bell” dance team with Gower Carlyle Champion (1919-1980). Performed as the Fair Witch in the Broadway play Dark of the moon by Howard Richardson and William Berney.
1946 Starred in Jerome Kern’s musical Sally at the Paper Mill Playhouse, New Jersey. Appeared on Broadway in Duke Ellington’s only musical, Beggar’s holiday.
1947 Married Gower Champion, divorced 1973.
1948-1950 Assistant to the choreographer (Gower Champion) for Broadway production Lend an ear, starring Carol Channing.
1950 Marge and Gower appeared in the Paramount film Mr. Music with Bing Crosby.
1951-1955 Marge and Gower starred and danced in five MGM musical films:
• Show boat, directed by George Sidney.
• Lovely to look at, directed by Mervyn LeRoy.
• Everything I have is yours, in which the Champions starred as a fictional married dance team.
• Give a girl a break, directed by Stanley Donen.
• Jupiter’s darling, directed by George Sidney.
1955 Marge and Gower danced in the Columbia Pictures film Three for the show. Marge and Gower starred on Broadway and in CBS television special of 3 for tonight, directed by Gower Champion and co-starring Harry Belafonte.
1956 Birth of first child, Gregg Ernest Champion.
1957 Marge and Gower Champion Show, a television situation comedy, premiered on CBS.
1961 Starred in Invitation to a march at the La Jolla Playhouse.
1962 Birth of second child, Blake Champion.
1964-1970 Special assistant on Hello, Dolly!, directed and choreographed by Gower Champion.
1965 Starred in High button shoes at the St. Louis Municipal Opera Theatre.
1966 Starred in The women with Gloria Swanson and Julie Adams.
1968 Returned to film with MGM’s The party, directed by Blake Edwards.
1969 Presented with the Los Angeles Times Woman of the Year award.
1969-1973 Involved with the Mafundi Institute, located in the Watts district of Los Angeles.
1969-1976 Worked with John West and Marilee Zdenek creating liturgical dance performances and programing.
1970 Choreographed Jean Genet’s The blacks for the Mafundi Institute.
1972 Publication of Catch the new wind, co-authored with Zdenek.
1974 Publication of God is a verb, with words by Zdenek and action by Marge Champion.
1975 Dance supervisor for Paramount film The Day of the locust, directed by John Schlesinger. Choreographer for Columbia television film Queen of the Stardust Ballroom, for which she won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography.
1976 Danced with the San Francisco Ballet in “N.R.A.”, choreographed by Robert Gladstein.
1977 Married television and film director Boris Sagal (1923-1981).
1978 Choreographer on Warner Bros. television mini-series, The awakening land, directed by Boris Sagal. Directed two-woman play Women and other people.
1980 Gower Champion died on the opening day of 42nd Street, which he was directing.
1981 Boris Sagal killed when he walked into the blades of a helicopter while working on location.
1982 Directed RKO television movie I do! I do!.
1985 Appeared in ABC television’s Night of 100 stars II celebrity benefit for the Actors Fund of America. Provided additional staging for Tonight at 8:30 at the Williamstown Theater Festival.
1987 Blake Champion died at the age of 25. Choreographic associate for Broadway’s Stepping out, directed by and starring Tommy Tune. Established Boris Sagal Director’s Fellowship at Williamstown Theatre Festival.
1988 Directed and choreographed Stepping out at the Berkshire Theatre Festival.
1989 Directed Lute song at the Berkshire Theatre Festival.
1990 Starred in No, no, Nanette at the St. Louis Municipal Opera Theatre. Choreographed She loves me at the Berkshire Theatre Festival.
1991 Received the Legends of the Dance Award at Florida State’s Triple Crown Ballroom Dance Championship.
1992 Established “Blake’s Barn,” an exhibition and archives space at Jacob’s Pillow, in memory of her son.
1997 Received the Commonwealth Award from the state of Massachusetts.
2001 Appeared in Broadway revival of Follies.
2009 Inducted into National Museum of Dance’s Hall of Fame, Saratoga, New York. Starred alongside Donald Saddler in documentary short Keep dancing