Belita
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Belita Gladys Lyne Jepson-Turner (21 October 1923 – 18 December 2005), known professionally as Belita, was a British Olympic figure skater, dancer, and film actress.


Early years

Belita was born at the Garlogs house in Nether Wallop, Hampshire, to Major William Jepson-Turner and wife Gladys Olive Jepson-Turner
née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...
Lyne-Stivens. She skated (as Belita Jepson-Turner) for the United Kingdom in the
1936 Winter Olympics The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games () and commonly known as Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936, were a winter multi-sport event held from 6 to 16 February 1936 in the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Nazi Ger ...
, where she was placed 16th in the singles, then her career turned towards
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...
. She had classical
Russian ballet Russian ballet () () is a form of ballet characteristic of or originating from Russia. Imperial Russian ballet Ballet had already dawned in Russia long before start of the 17th century as per the previous publications by certain authors. In this ...
training which carried over into her skating. As a young ballerina, she was partner to Anton Dolin, appearing with the Dolin-Markova Ballet.


Film career

Belita appeared in films, making several highly profitable productions for
Monogram Pictures Monogram Pictures Corporation was an American film studio that produced mostly low-budget films between 1931 and 1953, when the firm completed a transition to the name Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. Monogram was among the smaller studios i ...
, including skating in '' Silver Skates'' (1943) and '' Lady, Let's Dance'' (1944), skating and playing the dramatic lead in the
film noir Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...
''
Suspense Suspense is a state of anxiety or excitement caused by mysteriousness, uncertainty, doubt, or undecidedness. In a narrative work, suspense is the audience's excited anticipation about the plot or conflict (which may be heightened by a viol ...
'' (1946), the female lead in '' The Gangster'' (1947), and skating again and playing the dramatic lead in '' The Hunted'' (1948). For a brief period, she was Monogram's highest-paid star. Later she worked with A-list stars
Charles Laughton Charles Laughton (; 1 July 1899 – 15 December 1962) was a British and American actor. He was trained in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and first appeared professionally on the stage in 1926. In 1927, he was cast in a play wi ...
in ''
The Man on the Eiffel Tower ''The Man on the Eiffel Tower'' is a 1950 American Ansco Color film noir mystery film starring Charles Laughton, Franchot Tone, Burgess Meredith, and Robert Hutton. Ultimately directed by Meredith, it is based on the 1931 novel '' La Tête ...
'' (1949, and
Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American actor often referred to as the "King of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood". He appeared in more than 60 Film, motion pictures across a variety of Film genre, genres dur ...
in '' Never Let Me Go'' (1953). In 1957 she danced with
Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz, May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, actor, singer, musician, choreographer, and presenter, whose career in stage, film, and television spanned 76 years. He is widely regarded as the "g ...
in ''
Silk Stockings ''Silk Stockings'' is a musical with a book by George S. Kaufman, Leueen MacGrath, and Abe Burrows and music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The musical is loosely based on the Melchior Lengyel story ''Ninotchka'' and the 1939 film adaptation it ...
''.


Retirement

In 1956, she retired from skating, and gave up show business altogether after 1963. She appeared briefly on the ice at
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...
in New York City in 1981 in a short production based on "Solitude" by
Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...
. As to skating, she said, “I hated the ice. I hated the cold, the smell, everything about it,” and that she did it “for the money.”


Personal life

Belita married Joel McGinnis in 1946; they divorced in 1956. She married Irish actor James Berwick (né Kenny) in 1967; they remained married until his death in 2000. Both marriages were childless. Belita retired from her second career, as a landscape nursery owner, and later relocated to
Montpeyroux, Hérault Montpeyroux (; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Hérault Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region in southern France. Population See also *Communes of the Héraul ...
, France, where she died in 2005, aged 82.


Filmography


Notes


References


External links

* *
Balita at Pro Skating Historical Foundation

Belita at Film Noir Foundation
{{DEFAULTSORT:Belita 1923 births 2005 deaths British expatriate actresses in the United States British expatriates in France British female single skaters English film actresses Figure skaters at the 1936 Winter Olympics Olympic figure skaters for Great Britain Actors from Test Valley