Jean Veloz
Jean Grinnell Veloz (née Phelps, March 1, 1924 – January 15, 2023) was an American dancer and actress, best known for her roles in 1940s and 1950s musicals.
Jean Veloz | |
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| Born | Jean Grinnell Phelps March 1, 1924 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Died | January 15, 2023 (aged 98) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1943–2020 |
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Early life
Jean Grinnell Phelps was born in Los Angeles, California, on March 1, 1924. As a child, Phelps would practice the Lindy Hop dance with her brothers and their friends. She later won a jitterbug competition with her brother, Raymond, in Santa Monica against more than 500 other participants.[1]
Career
After winning a dance contest at the Hollywood Legion Stadium, Phelps earned herself a Screen Actors Guild card, and landed a role in the musical comedy Swing Fever (1943), dancing opposite swing dancers portraying servicemen. Other credits included Where Are Your Children? (1943), Jive Junction (1943), and The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945).[1] Veloz also appeared with Arthur Walsh in Groovie Movie (1944), a short film depicting the history of swing dance.[2]
Personal life and death
In 1947, Phelps married Harold Davi, but the two later divorced. In 1963, she married her dance partner Frank Veloz. They remained together until his death in 1981.
Veloz died at her home in Los Angeles on January 15, 2023, at the age of 98.[1][3]
References
- Barnes, Mike (January 16, 2023). "Jean Veloz, Famed Lindy Hop Dancer, Dies at 98". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- "A Grand Dame of Swing Swung into Langley for a Visit". Langley Advance. September 26, 2008. p. 66. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
- Holmes, Martin (January 17, 2023). "Famed Lindy Hop Dancer Jean Veloz Dies at 98". TV Insider. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
External links
- Jean Veloz at IMDb