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Jane Powell Collection

She was the eternal “girl next door” Jane Powell and got her start singing in motion pictures.

Jane Powell

18 old time radio show recordings
(total playtime 11 hours, 1618 min)
available in the following formats:

1 MP3 CD
or
12 Audio CDs


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Play a sample episode from October 24, 1949:

"Music In The Air"



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Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

Frank Sinatra and Jane PowellThe plots to so many of the "feel good" films are incredibly formulaic, but they brought audiences to the movie houses in their time. A popular formula involved a bright young man and a fresh-faced "girl next door type" who would face trouble, incredible odds, but by the end of the last reel, they would be well on their way towards Happily-Ever-After. In the real-life world of Hollywood, the lot of child stars was rarely that sunny and bright. In so many cases, the child star grew up in a world of ambitious parents growing rich off the sacrifices of their children, no hope of a normal childhood, few friends their own age and those friends they made on the lot were often jealous of one another's success, and more often than not when they reached an age when they could enjoy their success Hollywood tossed them aside.

Often the later days of the child star would be rocked with scandal, depression and substance abuse. Sometimes a child star does manage to enjoy a real-life storybook ending, simply by living long enough for happiness to catch up with them. Such is the story of eternal "girl next door" Jane Powell.

Born Suzanne Lorraine Burce on April 1, 1929, the future Jane Powell was a baker's daughter in Portland, Oregon. It was a period when many couples had dreams that their pretty daughters could be the next Shirley Temple. Little Suzanne began dancing lessons and got her straight brown hair permed for the first time when she was just two years old. After a few years of dancing lessons, a talent scout named Scotty Weston convinced the Burces to move to Oakland, California, where their pretty little girl was bound to be Discovered. Weston was selling more dreams than reality. After three months of living in a hotel and cooking on a hotplate, the family returned to Portland only to find that the bakery job was no longer available. Father Paul took a job as an apartment building manager. Suzanne would sing while helping her father around the building, and somehow the family scraped together funds to begin singing lessons.

Another talent scout came into the Burce's life, the difference being that Carl Werner actually had some connections to help Suzanne's career. Werner helped her to be selected as the Oregon Victory Girl. Just 12 when the War broke out, she spent two years traveling around the state, singing and selling Victory Bonds. She also had two shows on KOIN radio, singing with an orchestra in one and with an organ in the other.

Frank Sinatra and Jane Powell

In 1943, the Burce's took a vacation in Hollywood. It would be the first of many working vacations for their daughter. She appeared on the Hollywood Showcase: Stars Over Hollywood talent search program and won. This led to an interview with Louis B. Mayer and David O. Selznick and she was offered a contract with MGM as the studio was seeking a replacement for Deanna Durbin. Two months later MGM loaned her to Paramount to star in Song of the Open Road (1944) with Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, Sammy Kaye, and W.C. Fields. Her character was named Jane Powell, and as far as MGM was concerned it was as good a name as any for their newest starlet.

MGM kept her busy making pictures, appearing on radio to promote the films, and singing at various events. She sang at the wedding of Esther Williams and Ben Gage in 1945 and at President Truman's Inaugural Ball. When she wasn't busy with movies, the studio sent her on a vaudeville-like tour of theaters around the country, which she hated. Her first Technicolor film was Holiday In Mexico (1946) with Roddy MacDowell and Ilona Massey. Since the picture was in color, the studio decided she should become a blond. In 1948, she appeared with her friend and studio schoolmate Elizabeth Taylor in A Date with Judy. Taylor was a bridesmaid at Jane's first wedding to skater Geary Steffen in 1949, and Jane returned the favor for Liz's first marriage to Conrad Hilton in 1950.

Jane has been married five times, with the last being the longest lasting. In 1984, former child star Dickie Moore was doing research for his book titled Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, But Don't Have Sex or Take the Car, and invited Jane for an interview. Moore had been part of Hal Roach's Our Gang and is one of the last surviving silent film actors, perhaps his greatest claim to fame was giving Shirley Temple her first on-screen kiss. During the interview, Dickie and Jane discovered they had a great deal in common besides disillusionment with Hollywood, and they were married in 1988.

A Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6818 Hollywood Blvd has been dedicated honoring Jane Powell's contributions to Motion Pictures.

Text on OTRCAT.com ©2001-2024 OTRCAT INC All Rights Reserved. Reproduction is prohibited.

These classic recordings are available in the following formats:

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    COMMENTS

    Loved her in film. It's great to hear her on radio.

    Graham Verified Purchase

    I love just about everything concerning Jane Powell. I have all 19 movies, allmost every song recorded, her book, but finding otrcat’s radiocollection, made me a very happy man. The collection is SUPER!!!

    Sven-Erik Verified Purchase

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  • MP3 CDs are delivered by mail. These archival quality MP3 CDs are playable in your computer and many MP3 player devices.



    18 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00. Total playtime 11 hours, 1618 min
    18 recordings on 1 MP3 CD for just $5.00
    total playtime 11 hours, 1618 min
    Add MP3 CD Collection to Cart

    1. 18 shows – total playtime 11 hours, 26 minutes
    2. Bergen McCarthy 440326 Jane Powell.mp3
    3. Best Of All 541129 16 Sigmond Romberg Deep In My Heart.mp3
    4. Best Of All 550307 30 Hit Deck.mp3
    5. Big Show 501112 Guests Groucho Marx And Fanny Brice.mp3
    6. Carnation Contented Hour 490124 279 Good News Afrs.mp3
    7. CP 460922 232 Janet Blair David Street.mp3
    8. Ft 520820 281 Fledgling.mp3
    9. Matinee Theater 450114 Smilin Through.mp3
    10. Railroad Hour 481004 Good News.mp3
    11. Railroad Hour 490214 020 Sweethearts.mp3
    12. Railroad Hour 491024 056 Music In Air.mp3
    13. Railroad Hour 500130 070 Brigadoon.mp3
    14. Railroad Hour 511126 165 Mademoiselle Modiste.mp3
    15. Railroad Hour 531221 273 Snow White.mp3
    16. Screen Guild Theater 440424 193 Snow White.mp3
    17. Stars Over Hollywood 460518 259 Music Box.mp3
    18. Theater Guild On Air 511125 090 Allegro.mp3
    19. This Is My Best 450327 29 Snow White And Seven Dwarfs.mp3
  • MP3 downloads are available instantly after purchase!



    18 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00. Total playtime 11 hours, 1618 min
    18 recordings on 1 MP3 Collection Download for just $5.00
    308 MB – total playtime 11 hours, 26 min
    Add Instant Download Collection to Cart

    1. 18 shows – 308 MB – total playtime 11 hours, 26 minutes
    2. Bergen McCarthy 440326 Jane Powell.mp3
    3. Best Of All 541129 16 Sigmond Romberg Deep In My Heart.mp3
    4. Best Of All 550307 30 Hit Deck.mp3
    5. Big Show 501112 Guests Groucho Marx And Fanny Brice.mp3
    6. Carnation Contented Hour 490124 279 Good News Afrs.mp3
    7. CP 460922 232 Janet Blair David Street.mp3
    8. Ft 520820 281 Fledgling.mp3
    9. Matinee Theater 450114 Smilin Through.mp3
    10. Railroad Hour 481004 Good News.mp3
    11. Railroad Hour 490214 020 Sweethearts.mp3
    12. Railroad Hour 491024 056 Music In Air.mp3
    13. Railroad Hour 500130 070 Brigadoon.mp3
    14. Railroad Hour 511126 165 Mademoiselle Modiste.mp3
    15. Railroad Hour 531221 273 Snow White.mp3
    16. Screen Guild Theater 440424 193 Snow White.mp3
    17. Stars Over Hollywood 460518 259 Music Box.mp3
    18. Theater Guild On Air 511125 090 Allegro.mp3
    19. This Is My Best 450327 29 Snow White And Seven Dwarfs.mp3
  • Standard Audio CDs are delivered by mail on archival quality media with up to 60 minutes on each CD and play in all CD players



    18 recordings on 12 Audio CDs. Total playtime 9 hours, 57 min
    18 recordings on 12 Audio CDs
    total playtime 9 hours, 57 min

    Jane Powell Disc A001

    1. Bergen McCarthy 440326 Jane Powell
    2. Screen Guild Theater 440424 193 Snow White

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Jane Powell Disc A002

    1. Matinee Theater 450114 Smilin Through
    2. This Is My Best 450327 29 Snow White And Seven Dwarfs

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Jane Powell Disc A003

    1. Stars Over Hollywood 460518 259 Music Box
    2. CP 460922 232 Janet Blair David Street

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Jane Powell Disc A004

    1. Railroad Hour 481004 Good News

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Jane Powell Disc A005

    1. Carnation Contented Hour 490124 279 Good News Afrs

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Jane Powell Disc A006

    1. Railroad Hour 490214 020 Sweethearts

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Jane Powell Disc A007

    1. Railroad Hour 491024 056 Music In Air
    2. Railroad Hour 500130 070 Brigadoon

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Jane Powell Disc A008

    1. Theater Guild On Air 511125 090 Allegro

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Jane Powell Disc A009

    1. Railroad Hour 511126 165 Mademoiselle Modiste
    2. Ft 520820 281 Fledgling

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Jane Powell Disc A010

    1. Railroad Hour 531221 273 Snow White

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Jane Powell Disc A011

    1. Best Of All 541129 16 Sigmond Romberg Deep In My Heart

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00
    Jane Powell Disc A012

    1. Best Of All 550307 30 Hit Deck

    Add Audio CD to Cart - $5.00

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