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Birth
Cole was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, under the name John Ewing Richter. He had a shaky home life and would eventually become a runaway in his teenage years. -
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Ethnic Dance
Nothing really specifies exactly when, but sometimes in Cole's early dancing years he learned the Indian dancing form of bharata natyam with with master Uday Shankar. He also learned many other forms of ethnic dancing, which would greatly influence his later works of choreography. -
Denishawn Concert Dancers
Cole studied with the Denishawn Concert Dancers under Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn from 1930 until 1932. He made his professional debut in 1930 at the Lewisohn Stadium. It was around this time during the early 30's that Cole officially changed his name. -
Broadway Debut
In "School for Husbands," with Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman - also Denishawn students. -
Partnership with Alice Dudley
After being fired for consistent tardiness to the nightclubs where he worked, Cole parterned with fellow Denishawn protege - Alice Dudley in a cabaret act in New York's Embassy Club. The two would eventually part ways a year later. -
Trio
In 1937, Cole formed a trio with dancers Anna Austin and Florence Lessing and they headlined at nightclubs around the country. -
Hollywood Debut
The Jack Cole Dancers got their first chance in film when Cole was hired to choreograph for the 20th Century Fox Film, "Moon Over Miami." Unfortunately, the style of dance was unnappreciated and was cut from the final film. -
Kismet
Cole danced in the Brodway show "Kismet" in one of his most notable roles, although the show never gained much acclaim. -
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
A milestone in the career path of Cole was when he choreographed a sequence for Marilyn Monroe (who he would late work with in a variety of other movies) in the movie "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes." The sequence, "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend," would grow in fame and eventually was reinterpreted by Madonna in her music video "Material Girl" -
Some Like It Hot
Another of Cole's most notable works was the 1959 film "Some Like It Hot." -
Dance Instructor
Cole worked as a dnace instructor at the UCLA Graduate Dance Center until his death in 1974. -
Death
Cole died in Los Angeles, California at the age of 63 in Hollywood, California. -
All That Jack (Cole)
The Museum of Modern Art in New York premiered their retrospective, "All That Jack (Cole)" this past January. The film features 18 different films that include Cole's choreography. -
Signature Style
Cole’s movement is typified by huge leaps from deep pliés, rapid direction changes, long knee slides, syncopation and isolations of the head, arms and fingers. His rigorous warm-up is legendary—it included push-ups against a wall—and he auditioned dancers with a ballet barre. -
Jack Cole Dance
Theatrical jazz dance innovator Jack Cole (1911–1974) forever changed the face of theater dance by mixing ethnic movement with jazz—what he dubbed “urban folk dance.” Culling movement from the dance forms of East India, Africa, the Caribbean, Cecchetti ballet technique and the Lindy hop, Cole transformed theatrical dance into what we now recognize as American jazz.