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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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Nothing really specifies exactly when, but sometimes in Cole's early dancing years he learned the Indian dancing form of bharata natyam, as well as many other forms of ethnic dancing, which would greatly influence his later works of choreography.
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Cole studie 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.
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In "School for Husbands," with Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman - also Denishawn students.
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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.
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in 1937, Cole formed a trio with dancers Anna Austin and Florence Lessing and they headlined at nightclubs around the country.
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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.
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Not Since Ninevah (Kismet)Cole danced in the Brodway show "Kismet" in one of his most notable roles, although the show never gained much acclaim.
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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"
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Another of Cole's most notable works was the 1959 film "Some Like It Hot."
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Cole worked as a dnace instructor at the UCLA Graduate Dance Center until his death in 1974.
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Cole died in Los Angeles, California at the age of 63 in Hollywood, California.
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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.
