Belita

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Belita
Belita 1940b.jpg
Belita in 1940
Born
Maria Belita Jepson-Turner

(1923-10-21)21 October 1923[a]
Garlogs, Nether Wallop, England
Died18 December 2005(2005-12-18) (aged 82)
Montpeyroux, Hérault, France
Years active1947–1963
Spouse(s)
Joel McGinnis
​
​
(m. 1946; div. 1956)​

James Berwick (né James Kenny)
​
​
(m. 1967; d. 2000)​

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

Biography[]

Born at Nether Wallop, Hampshire,[1] she skated (as Belita Jepson-Turner) for the United Kingdom in the 1936 Winter Olympics, where she was placed 16th in the singles, then her career turned towards Hollywood. She had classical Russian ballet training which carried over into her skating. As a young ballerina, she was partner to Anton Dolin, appearing with the Dolin-Markova Ballet.[citation needed]

She appeared in films, making several highly profitable productions for Monogram Pictures, including skating in Silver Skates (1943) and Lady, Let's Dance (1944), skating and playing the dramatic lead in and the film noir Suspense (1946), and the female lead in The Gangster (1947). For a brief period, she was Monogram's highest-paid star. Later she worked with A-list stars Charles Laughton in The Man on the Eiffel Tower (1949, and Clark Gable in Never Let Me Go (1953). In 1957 she danced with Fred Astaire in Silk Stockings.

Belita accepted an invitation from skating coach to perform in a club carnival in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1948. [2][3]

In 1956, she retired from skating, and three years later gave up show business altogether. She appeared briefly on the ice at Madison Square Garden in New York City in 1981 in a short production based on "Solitude" by Duke Ellington.

Personal life[]

In 1946, Belita married Joel McGinnis; they divorced in 1956. She remarried, to Irish actor James Berwick (né James Kenny; 1929–2000), in 1967; they remained married until his death. Both marriages were childless.

Belita retired to live in Montpeyroux, Hérault, France, where she died in 2005, aged 82.[4][better source needed][5]

Filmography[]

Year Title Role Notes
1941 Ice-Capades Ice Capades Skater Uncredited
1943 Silver Skates Herself
1944 Lady, Let's Dance Herself
1946 Suspense Roberta Leonard, aka Roberta Elva
1947 The Gangster Nancy
1948 The Hunted Laura Mead
1949 The Man on the Eiffel Tower Gisella Heurtin
1953 Never Let Me Go Valentina Alexandrovna
1956 Invitation to the Dance The Femme Fatale in 'Ring Around the Rosy'
1957 Silk Stockings Vera Uncredited
1958 The Key Canteen Hostess Uncredited
1963 The Terrace Herself (final film role)

References[]

  1. ^ Belita Jepson-Turner. sports-reference.com
  2. ^ "Winnipeg Free Press Newspaper Archives | Jan 23, 1948, p. 10". newspaperarchive.com. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  3. ^ Skate Guard Blog. "Skate Guard: All The Best, Belita: The Definitive Biography Of Belita Jepson-Turner". Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  4. ^ "Belita". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  5. ^ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0067927/

Notes[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Or 25 October 1923, sources differ.

External links[]

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