Biography

Los Angeles Times Articles Obituary

Mary Rita Stewart; Vaudeville, Movie Dancer August 26, 1995 Mary Rita Stewart, 82, a vaudeville dancer who performed in musical films with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Betty Grable and Sonja Henie. Ms. Stewart first danced on stage at age 3 in Chicago and New York, and by 16 was touring with Miss Abbot's Troupe and later with Fanchon and Marco's Dance Troupe. She also sang on radio as part of a trio, the Three Debutantes. Put under contract by 20th Century Fox when she was 18, Ms. Stewart danced through such films as the George White's Scandals (1934), Flying Down to Rio (1933), Shall We Dance (1937), The Gay Divorcee (1934), Top Hat (1935), Swing Time (1936), and Show Boat (1936). She appeared in Désirée (1954) with Marlon Brando, whom she taught to waltz. She skated in the films of Olympic ice skating champion Henie and later toured with her Hollywood Ice Revue. During World War II, Ms. Stewart volunteered to entertain and dance with servicemen at the USO's Hollywood Canteen. She appeared on pioneering television programs in the 1950s, including The Ed Sullivan Show (1948) On Aug. 19 in Richmond, Calif.
- IMDb mini biography by: Times Staff