Gower Champion

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
- Acting
- Born
- 1921-06-22 · Geneva, Illinois, USA
- Died
- 1980-08-25
Known for
- Show Boat (1951) — Frank Schultz
- That's Entertainment, Part II (1976) — (archive footage)
- The Bank Shot (1974) — Director
- Till the Clouds Roll By (1946) — Dance Specialty
- What's My Line? (1950) — Self
- The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) — Self
- Words and Music (1948) — Specialty Dancer (uncredited)
- Rhapsody in Blue (1945) — Tap Dancer at Remick's (uncredited)
- Give a Girl a Break (1953) — Ted Sturgis
- Lovely to Look At (1952) — Jerry Ralby
- The Merv Griffin Show (1962) — Self
- 42nd Street (2019) — Choreographer
- My Six Loves (1963) — Director
- Jupiter's Darling (1955) — Varius
- Three for the Show (1955) — Vernon Lowndes
- Once Upon a Honeymoon (1956) — Director