Legendary actress and dancer Marge Champion has died during Hollywood’s Golden Age and Broadway stage performances. She was 101.
Her death was confirmed to Fox News by Champion’s son, film and television director, Greg Champion.
“My mother, Marge Champion, passed away peacefully Wednesday afternoon at our home in Los Angeles, where she has lived with us for the past 6 months,” the statement said.
“At the age of 101, she was an inspiration to all of us, as she worked as a young ballet and roomroom dancer, through many career incarnations,” said Champion Raw Wing of Performer, whose father, Ernest Belcher, was a Hollywood dancer teaching Fred Astair. And Shirley Temple – and were friends with Walt Disney.
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Born on September 2, 1919, the champion – once a CBS radio actress – served as a real-life model and inspiration for Disney’s animated Snow White. (Photo by CBS via Getty Images)
Born on September 2, 1919, Champion served as a real-life model for Disney’s animated Snow White.
In addition, she worked as a Disney model for the 1940’s “Pinocchio,” the hyacinth hippo, the 1940’s “Fantasia”, and the 1941 “Dumbo” for Mr. Stoke’s Blue Ferry.
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The champion entered Broadway in 1945 with “The Dark of the Fair in Witch”. In his statement Thursday, Greg said his mother absolutely loves his craft and continued to dance with her partner, Donald Sadler, on Broadway in Steven Soundheim’s “Follies” until she was 82 years old.
In 1947, the champion – once billed as Marjorie Bell – married the Gavar champion. The pair will play each other as Gavar and Bell, where their talents saw them play in a nightclub and starred alongside CB Caesar and Imogen Coca on NBC’s “The Admiral Broadway Review”.
Marge Champion and Gavar Champion performing a dance number in a scene from the 1955 film Three for the Show. The couple were married between 1947 and 1973. (Photo by Columbia Pictures / Getty Images)
He starred in the success of his own headline show “The Marg and Gower Champion Show” in the summer of 1957, which was critically acclaimed.
Soon the pair will say “Hello, Dolly Lee!” Began giving his choreography for the original production, which lasted from 1964 to 1975. The couple divorced in 1973.
The champion appeared in the 1975 telefilm “Queen of the Stardust Broom Room.” In won an Emmy for her choreography.
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“She continued to dance in her 100s in her old age and always had a positive outlook that often has to be said that ‘everyone should celebrate for what she gives, not for what she takes.’ Greg said remembering his mother.
He added that the champion’s goal is always to “keep dancing!”
The Marge Champion pictured here in 2013 always had a motto of ‘dancing’, his son Greg told Fox News. (Photo by Michael Buckner / Wire Wire)
In addition to Greg, the champions include daughter-in-law Christine Champion and grandchildren Dylan Gower Champion and Alana Black Champion.
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He also had another granddaughter Vanessa Rose and granddaughter Gabriel Mara Rentz, the son of a black champion who died in a car accident at the age of 25.
Stephanie Nolasco of Fox News contributed to this report
