Jane Powell, Hollywood golden-age musicals star, dies at 92

AP1986

Jane Powell, the bright-eyed, operatic-voiced star of Hollywood s golden age musicals who sang with Howard Keel in “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” and danced with Fred Astaire in “Royal Wedding,” has died. She was 92.

Powell died Thursday at her Wilton, Connecticut home, longtime friend Susan Grander said. Granger said Powell died of natural causes.

Powell performed virtually her whole life, starting about age 5 as a singing prodigy on radio in Portland Oregon She made her first movie at 16 and graduated from teenage roles to costarring in the lavish musical productions there were a 20th-century Hollywood staple.