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Birth
Jack Cole was born as John Ewing Richter in 1911 in New Brunswick, NJ -
Denishawn School
Cole first attended Columbia University but soon dropped out to pursue a dancing career. He joined the Denishawn dance school. In just six weeks he joined the company for the Lewisohn Stadium Performances. -
Broadway
After the Denishawn troupe disbanded, he began studying with Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman, performing with them on Broadway in School for Husbands. -
New Year's Eve
After studying East India dances he set the dances to jazz music in Rockefeller Center. This became known as "Hindu Swing". This is considered his first major contribution. -
Hollywood
Jack began choreographing Hollywood movies his first being Moon Over Miami. He worked on a total of thirty films during the 1940's and 50's. -
Something for the Boys
This is the first time Cole was given credit for being the choreographer of a Broadway Show. -
Marilyn Monroe
Cole worked with Marilyn Monroe on the movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Cole is given credit for influencing her iconic performance for "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend". -
Designing Women
After working n Hollywood for nearly two decades, Director Vincente Minnelli hired Cole for a movie role, a flamboyant choreographer opposite Gregory Peck and Lauren Bacall. -
Broadway Loss
Throughout his time in Hollywood, Cole never stopped working on Broadway. He would choreograph twenty musicals, such as Kismet(1953) and Foxy(1963). Even though he had success he also met failure. Two of his musicals he both choreographed and directed, Donnybrook! and Kean, both in 1961 were failures and laid heavy on him. -
Legacy
Cole is credited with creating the jazz-ethnic ballet which is seen throughout today's modern music dances. Cole's dancing was considered so different and unique very few will ever have the impact his moves had in Hollywood and Broadway. His dancing style will never be forgotten.
