Gower Champion
Biography
Gower Carlyle Champion (June 22, 1919 – August 25, 1980) was an American actor, theatre director, choreographer, and dancer. Champion was born on June 22, 1919, in Geneva, Illinois, as the son of John W. Champion and Beatrice Carlisle. He was raised in Los Angeles, California, where he graduated from Fairfax High School. He studied dance from an early age and, at the age of fifteen, toured nightclubs with friend Jeanne Tyler billed as "Gower and Jeanne, America's Youngest Dance Team". In 1939, "Gower and Jeanne" danced to the music of Larry Clinton and his Orchestra in a Warner Brothers & Vitaphone film short-subject, "The Dipsy Doodler" (released in 1940).
Known For
The Merv Griffin Show
1962
What's My Line?
1950
0Tony Awards
1956
0Tony Awards
1956
The Ed Sullivan Show
1948
The Bell Telephone Hour
1959
Show Boat
1951
Till the Clouds Roll By
1946
That's Entertainment, Part II
1976
Words and Music
1948
Three for the Show
1955
Lovely to Look At
1952
Filmography
The Merv Griffin Show
as Self · 1962
What's My Line?
as Self · 1950
Tony Awards
as Self - Presenter · 1956
Tony Awards
as Self - Nominee · 1956
The Ed Sullivan Show
as Self · 1948
The Bell Telephone Hour
as Self · 1959
Show Boat
as Frank Schultz · 1951
Till the Clouds Roll By
as Dance Specialty · 1946
That's Entertainment, Part II
as (archive footage) · 1976
Words and Music
as Specialty Dancer (uncredited) · 1948
Three for the Show
as Vernon Lowndes · 1955
Lovely to Look At
as Jerry Ralby · 1952
Everything I Have Is Yours
as Chuck Hubbard · 1952
Give a Girl a Break
as Ted Sturgis · 1953
Jupiter's Darling
as Varius · 1955
Mr. Music
as Gower Champion · 1950
Rhapsody in Blue
as Tap Dancer at Remick's (uncredited) · 1945
The Admiral Broadway Revue
· 1949
The All-Star Christmas Show
as Self · 1958
42nd Street: From Book to Screen to Stage
as Self (archive footage) · 2006
What Day Is It?
as Conroy Gregory · 1956