"I have worked like a dog all my life, honey."

Ann Miller was signed to a contract with RKO at the age of 13. She claimed to be 18 at the time and as there was no internet to check things like this in the 1930s and Miller was considered to be a dance prodigy, I think we can forgive them for not being more thorough. At 14 Ann appeared with Ginger Rogers and began working her way through more than 40 films in 20 years. The studios she worked for often boasted than Ann could tap 500 times a minute, though this was an exaggeration. She worked with James Stewart, the Marx Brothers, Gene Autry, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Mickey Rooney, Ethel Merman, Cab Calloway, Carol Channing, Della Reese, Van Miller, and more. Ann's last film role was in David Lynch's Mulholland Drive. She also appeared on television and stage during her career.

Ann received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, as well as other recognition and awards related to her dancing and acting. Sadly, she passed away in 2004 at the age of 80. Once again cancer was the culprit that took such a lovely lady from our midst.

Thanks to http://www.wic.org/bio/amiller.htm and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Miller .