Eleanor Powell Autographs
Eleanor Torrey Powell (November 21, 1912 – February 11, 1982) was an American dancer and actress. Best remembered for her tap dance numbers in musical films in the 1930s and 1940s, she was one of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's top dancing stars during the Golden Age of Hollywood. Powell appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, and most prominently, in a series of movie musical vehicles tailored especially to showcase her dance talents, including Born to Dance (1936), Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937), Rosalie (1937), and Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940). She retired from films in the mid-1940s but resurfaced for the occasional specialty dance scene in films such as Thousands Cheer. In the 1950s she hosted a Christian children's TV show and eventually headlined a successful nightclub act in Las Vegas. She died from cancer at 69. Powell is known as one of the most versatile and athletic female dancers of the Hollywood studio era.
Powell was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, to Clarence Gardner Powell and Blanche Torrey Powell. Her parents divorced when she was eleven months old. She was raised by her mother with the help of her maternal grandparents (who also lived with them). Eleanor Powell was a painfully shy child, not even able to greet guests who would come into her family’s own house.
Powell's mother, Blanche, sent Eleanor to dance lessons at age 11, in hopes that it would combat her shyness. She trained locally with Ralph McKernan (also the teacher of dancer/choreographer Robert Alton) in classical ballet and "interpretive" modern dance. Powell also trained extensively in acrobatics. She immediately showed a natural aptitude for movement and was discovered by Gus Edwards (of the "Vaudeville Kiddie Review") while performing acrobatics on a beach in Atlantic City, NJ. She subsequently began working her first paid gigs for Edwards at the age of 12, during her summer holidays. Powell's first gig was in Atlantic City at the Ritz Grill, located in the Ambassador Hotel. She performed an acrobatic "specialty" act, and was by no means a star in the show; however, her consistently favorable reviews led to other paid performance opportunities, and eventually, more featured spots. Jack Benny and Eddie Cantor, who frequented Atlantic City and saw her perform, and her teacher, McKernan, are credited with having suggested to Powell that she set her sights on Broadway.
Read more about Eleanor Powell on Wikipedia
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Current items with a signature of Eleanor Powell
These are the most current items with a signature of Eleanor Powell that were listed on eBay and on other online stores - click here for more items.
Traded items with a signature of Eleanor Powell
The most expensive item with a signature of Eleanor Powell ( Eleanor Powell World's Best Tapdancer 1930's Star Signed Original Tap Shoes) was sold in November 2021 for $1,999.99 while the cheapest item (Eleanor Powell Signed TTM 8×10 Vintage Publicity Portrait Photo) found a new owner for $0.99 in November 2021. The month with the most items sold (6) was September 2025 with an average selling price of $48.00 for an autographed item of Eleanor Powell. Sold items reached their highest average selling price in June 2025 with $886.00 and the month that saw the lowest prices with $4.99 was August 2017. In average, an autographed item from Eleanor Powell is worth $26.75.
Most recently, these items with a signature of Eleanor Powell were sold on eBay - click here for more items.
| Picture | Item Title | Price | Store |
 | Eleanor Powell & Alice Reinheart Dual signed cut BECKETT | $259.99 |  |
| Eleanor Powell & Alice Reinheart Dual signed cut BECKETT | $259.99 | |
 | ELEANOR POWELL (1912-1982) HOLLYWOOD ACTRESS Autographed Photo SIGNED IN 1930s | $29.99 | |
| ELEANOR POWELL (1912-1982) HOLLYWOOD ACTRESS Autographed Photo SIGNED IN 1930s | $29.99 | |
| ELEANOR POWELL - SIGNED - TAP DANCING - SHIP AHOY - GLENN FORD | $123.50 | |
 | Eleanor Powell : Born to Dance by L Royere & P Broussard (2023, HC] Signed LN | $40.00 | |
| Eleanor Powell : Born to Dance by L Royere & P Broussard (2023, HC] Signed LN | $40.00 | |
| Eleanor Powell, First Lady of Dance, Hardcover - Alice B. Levin SIGNED / FKY | $75.25 | |
| Eleanor Powell, First Lady of Dance, Hardcover - Alice B. Levin SIGNED / FKY | $75.25 | |
| Eleanor Powell: First Lady of Dance - hardcover Levin, Alice Signed | $50.00 | |
| Eleanor Powell: First Lady of Dance - hardcover Levin, Alice Signed | $50.00 | |
| Eleanor Powell: First Lady of Dance - hardcover Levin, Alice Signed to Jim | $199.97 | |
| Eleanor Powell: First Lady of Dance - hardcover Levin, Alice Signed to Jim | $199.97 | |
| Hollywood Beauty ELEANOR POWELL STUNNING PORTRAIT 1940s, Auto-signed | $22.00 | |
| Hollywood Beauty ELEANOR POWELL STUNNING PORTRAIT 1940s, Auto-signed | $22.00 | |
