January 30, 2025 | Brendan Da Costa

Bittersweet Facts About Joan McCracken, The Girl Who Fell Into Stardom


She Fell Into Fame

Joan McCracken was the dancer and actress whose famous pratfall in Oklahoma! made her an overnight sensation. But behind her comedic dance routines, she hid a dark secret.

Joan-Msn

1. She Had A Long Way To Go

Joan Hume McCracken would eventually become one of the most influential figures in comedic dance history. But, born on the last day of the year in 1917 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she had a long way to climb to get to Hollywood—or fall, depending on how you look at it.

A screenshot of the movie Good NewsMGM, Good News (1947)

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2. She Had Athletic Genes

For McCracken, athleticism came as naturally as breathing. Her father, Franklin T McCracken, was an eminent figure in American sports—a writer and expert on all things golf and boxing. However, McCracken would follow a different path through life.

A screenshot of the movie Hollywood CanteenWarner Bros., Hollywood Canteen (1944)

3. She Was An Award-Winning Acrobat

McCracken would go on to leave audiences stunned with the masterful athleticism she demonstrated in her dance routines. But it all came so naturally to her. Before the age of 12, she had already snagged a scholarship for acrobatics. Clearly, her calling was outside the classroom.

A screenshot of the movie Good NewsMGM, Good News (1947)

4. She Dropped Out Of School

It didn’t take McCracken long to figure out what she wanted to do with her life. Without a second thought, at just 17, she dropped out of high school and threw herself into her real passion: dance.

A screenshot of the movie Good NewsMGM, Good News (1947)

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5. She Took A Bite Out Of The Big Apple

Even though she dropped out of formal schooling, McCracken’s education continued. This time, in New York. She studied dance with the legendary choreographer, George Balanchine, as part of the first class of the School of American Ballet.

New York City during daytime in the 1930sLibrary of Congress, Picryl

6. She Brought Ballet To Philadephia

After just one year in New York, McCracken returned to Philadelphia and joined Littlefield Ballet, founded by Catherine Littlefield. The ballet company would go on to become the Philadelphia Ballet—in no small part thanks to McCracken.

Performance by the Littlefield BalletCarterstephen, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

7. She Was A Soloist

Littlefield Ballet officially opened its doors to eager audiences in November 1935—and those lucky first ticket-buyers were in for a treat. McCracken was one of the company’s first principal soloists. But this was only the beginning. Her talents soon spread far and wide.

A screenshot of the movie Hollywood CanteenWarner Bros., Hollywood Canteen (1944)

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8. She Danced Across The Atlantic

In 1937, McCracken took her dancing shoes all the way across the Atlantic in a first-ever move for an American ballet company. The European tour didn’t just put American ballet on the map—it put McCracken on the map.

However, it came at a devastating price.

A screenshot of the movie Good NewsMGM, Good News (1947)

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9. Her Health Took A Turn For The Worse

McCracken had sailed through her childhood and teen years. However, the European tour was no gentle waltz for her. Her health took a serious hit—and she would never truly recover.

A screenshot of the movie Good NewsMGM, Good News (1947)

10. She Was Diabetic

Shortly before pirouetting her way over the Atlantic to Europe, McCracken had received some utterly devastating news. Her doctors gave her an unfortunate diagnosis—“juvenile diabetes," which is now best known as type I diabetes.

Little did she know, this health problem would become the greatest omen of her life.

A screenshot of the movie Good NewsMGM, Good News (1947)

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11. Her Diagnosis Was Practically Fatal

In today’s world of modern medicine, McCracken could have cracked on after her diabetes diagnosis. Unfortunately, in the 1930s, doctors didn’t know much about the condition. In other words, McCracken’s diagnosis could potentially be fatal. As well, behind closed doors, it also made her life a downright struggle.

A screenshot of the movie Good NewsMGM, Good News (1947)

12. She Had To Self-Medicate

The best that McCracken could do to keep her diabetes symptoms at bay was to self-administer shots of insulin. But the grueling demands of a touring ballerina, particularly one in Europe, made it difficult for her to stick to treatment schedule.

Her resilience, however, was inspiring.

A screenshot of the movie Good NewsMGM, Good News (1947)

13. She Kept Her Diagnosis Secret

McCracken understood that, even as a ballerina, she was part of the show business industry. And she knew that her diagnosis had the potential to derail her career before it even got started. As such, she made the bold decision to keep her diabetes diagnosis a secret.

Thankfully, she found someone to confide in.

A screenshot of the movie Good NewsMGM, Good News (1947)

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14. She Found Someone To Love

While touring with Littlefield Ballet, McCracken met Jack Dunphy. He was also a dancer with the company and managed to chassé his way directly into McCracken’s heart.

A screenshot of the movie Good NewsMGM, Good News (1947)

15. She Married Another Dancer

In between their performances, McCracken’s and Dunphy’s love grew and intensified. By 1939, the couple decided to make it official and got married. Together, they became a power couple in the dance world. But as we'll see, this wasn't necessarily the "happily ever after" that it seemed to be.

A screenshot of the movie Good NewsMGM, Good News (1947)

16. She Moved To New York City

Shortly after their marriage, in 1940, McCracken settled into married life with Dunphy. The couple chose to make New York City their base of operations, where the bright lights of Broadway beckoned.

Broadway and Times Building, New York City in the 1940sDetroit Publishing Co., Picryl

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17. She Danced For Radio City Music Hall

Given her innate talent, unique style, and unparalleled work ethic, McCracken found work easily once she settled into New York. Before long, she joined Radio City Music Hall’s ballet. But bigger things were one jeté away.

Radio City Music Hall in the 1940sAwerthman, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

18. She Landed An Important Role

Even though McCracken and Dunphy had both been finding work as dancers, they hadn’t yet landed a starring or standout role. That is, until both of them joined the ensemble for the musical Away We Go—a Rodgers and Hammerstein project, dripping with potential.

A screenshot of the movie Oklahoma!Magna Entertainment, Oklahoma! (1955)

19. She Teamed Up With A Big Choreographer

In addition to the big names of Rodgers and Hammerstein attached to the writing and songwriting, Away We Go attracted other big names. Namely, the famed choreographer Agnes de Mille, who could make stars out of dancers if she chose.

All McCracken had to do was stand out.

American dancer & choreographer Agnes de MilleCarl Van Vechten, Wikimedia Commons

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20. She Refused To Fade Into The Background

When rehearsals for Away We Go started in 1943, both McCracken and Dunphy were just part of the dance ensemble. As anonymous faces in the background to the principal cast, they could have simply faded into obscurity. But McCracken's ambition spoke for itself.

A screenshot of the movie Oklahoma!Magna Entertainment, Oklahoma! (1955)

21. She Was The Talk Of Many Towns

The Away We Go production was tested in front of audiences in preparation for a Broadway debut. But all any of the reviewers could talk about was that one distinguished and peculiar dancer in the background—McCracken.

Coronet Theatre, W. 49th St., New York CityLibrary of Congress, Picryl

22. She Secured A Prominent Role

By the time Away We Go was ready for its Broadway debut, the producers had renamed the musical Oklahoma! But that wasn’t the only change they made. In light of her rave reviews, McCracken had been given an expanded role as “Sylvie”.

She would make the most of it.

A screenshot of the movie Oklahoma!Magna Entertainment, Oklahoma! (1955)

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23. She Fell Flat On Her Face

In Oklahoma!, McCracken’s character Sylvie is given a moment to shine in the dance number for “Many a New Day”—and shine, McCracken certainly did. However, instead of pulling a graceful pirouette or an elegant arabesque, the ballet-trained dancer went for an unprecedented pratfall, eliciting roars of laughter from the audience.

A screenshot of the movie Oklahoma!Magna Entertainment, Oklahoma! (1955)

24. She Fell Upwards

McCracken’s comedic instinct paired with her effortless athleticism turned the pratfall into a kind of climactic moment for the popular musical. In fact, her fall was so iconic that the reviewers started calling her “The Girl Who Fell Down”. But there was some controversy around who should take the…fall for the fall.

A screenshot of the movie Oklahoma!Magna Entertainment, Oklahoma! (1955)

25. She Took The Credit

As McCracken’s iconic pratfall entertained audience after audience in different showings of Oklahoma!, one hot debate began to rage. You see, it wasn’t clear to audiences whether the unexpected comedic move was McCracken’s idea, or that of choreographer Agnes de Mille.

Portrait of choreographer Agnes DeMilleJohn Kobal Foundation, Getty Images

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26. She Caused Confusion

Throughout her career, McCracken insisted that the pratfall was her idea. However, de Mille, as the principal choreographer for the musical, insisted that the idea had been hers. However, the confusion doesn't end there.

Agnes Demille Ballet Dancing With Two DancersBettmann, Getty Images

27. Her Composer Took The Credit

Things for McCracken got even more complicated when one of her fellow cast mates, Celeste Holm, weighed in. Holm claimed that neither McCracken nor de Mille were behind the impeccably timed pratfall. Rather, she claimed, it had been the brainchild of the musical composer, Richard Rodgers.

Of course, these pratfalls weren't the only times McCracken found herself collapsing on stage.

Richard Rodgers attending an auditionAl Aumuller, World Telegram staff photographer, Wikimedia Commons

28. She Was Always Falling—Though Not On Purpose

With her grueling schedule and lifelong battle with diabetes, McCracken was “prone to fainting spells”. At times, she would even crumple right in the middle of a performance…like a pratfall.

Dancers Willard Van Simons and Joan McCrackenUnderwood Archives, Getty Images

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29. She Fell Into The Arms Of Warner Brothers

Regardless of whose idea it was, McCracken got the credit for the innovative comedic move in the end. Her standout performance in Oklahoma! attracted the attention of Hollywood bigwigs. Thanks to her ignominious fall, McCracken entered into a film contract with Warner Brothers.

This was the beginning of an exciting new chapter for McCracken.

View of a man changing the light bulbs under the marqueeWeegee (Arthur Fellig)/International Center of Photography, Getty Images

30. She Had Her Own “Jive”

For McCracken’s first film appearance, she didn’t have to do anything other than be herself. Warner Brothers threw her into the “all-star extravaganza” Hollywood Canteen (1944), in which A-list stars simply played themselves. Alongside the likes of Bette Davis and John Garfield, McCracken had a “specialty” number, called “Ballet in Jive”.

A screenshot of the movie Hollywood CanteenWarner Bros., Hollywood Canteen (1944)

31. She Shined, Even Amongst The Stars

Even amidst a cast of iconic stars in Hollywood Canteen, McCracken managed to stand out once again. The reviews for her dance, “Ballet in Jive," were nothing short of enthusiastic.

Certainly, a film career was just one pas de bourrée away.

A screenshot of the movie Hollywood CanteenWarner Bros., Hollywood Canteen (1944)

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32. She Wasn’t Hot For Hollywood

When Warner Brothers had first approached her, McCracken was excited about the idea of transitioning from the Broadway stage to the Hollywood screen. However, her experiences in Hollywood Canteen left a bitter taste in her mouth.

A screenshot of the movie Hollywood CanteenWarner Bros., Hollywood Canteen (1944)

33. She Had Respect For The Servicemen

Both McCracken’s brother and her husband, Dunphy, served in WWII. As such, she had a serious problem with the way Hollywood Canteen portrayed servicemen. She thought the film turned them all into ignorant rustics fawning over movie stars.

And that was just the first of her gripes.

A screenshot of the movie Hollywood CanteenWarner Bros., Hollywood Canteen (1944)

34. Her Standards Were Higher Than Hollywood’s

Coming from Broadway, with an extensive background in the most prestigious ballet companies in America, McCracken had high standards. Standards that she believed Warner Brothers fell short of. She lamented the lack of professionalism in Hollywood.

The exterior of the original Warner Brothers West CoastHulton Archive, Getty Images

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35. She Wanted A Better Choreographer

McCracken further complained that her Hollywood Canteen choreographer, LeRoy Prinz, had given her very little in the way of support and direction. However, for all of her complaining, she was no saint herself.

Leroy Prinz And Paramount Dancers in the 1930sHal A. McAlpin, Paramount Pictures, Wikimedia Commons

36. She Was A Little Eccentric

Before she ever arrived on the West Coast, McCracken had already developed a reputation for being something of an eccentric. Suffice it to say, Hollywood might not have been ready for her.

A screenshot of the movie Hollywood CanteenWarner Bros., Hollywood Canteen (1944)

37. She Had A Wild Streak

McCracken’s complaints about the unprofessional behavior at Warner Brothers may have been valid, but she was also known to break the rules herself. Her peers noted that she had a wild streak and often seemed to get a kick out of her own outlandish behavior.

However, by modern standards, it might seem that McCracken was just a woman who relished in freeing herself.

A screenshot of the movie Good NewsMGM, Good News (1947)

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38. She Was Just Trying To Get Comfortable

After leaving Warner Brothers, McCracken went over to MGM—and brought her eccentric behavior with her. McCracken left MGM’s vocal coach, Kay Thompson, speechless when, without explanation, she took off her blouse…then her bra. Her excuse? She simply wanted to be “more comfortable”.

Of course, when it came to acting a little bit scandalously, this was only the tip of the iceberg.

Exterior view of the Triangle at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer StudiosLos Angeles Public Library, Picryl

39. She Had An Affair

While her husband, Dunphy, was serving overseas in WWII, McCracken made a mistake. Deprived of her love, she found herself a lover. The ballerina-turned-movie star struck up an affair with Rudi Revil, a French composer.

The affair had a lasting impact.

A screenshot of the movie Good NewsMGM, Good News (1947)

40. She Had Moved On

By the time Dunphy returned from service at the end of WWII, McCracken’s career wasn’t the only thing to have moved on. So had her heart. The couple separated, marking the beginning of the end of their marriage.

Sadly, WWII had taken a lot more from McCracken.

A screenshot of the movie Good NewsMGM, Good News (1947)

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41. She Was The OG Broadway Feminist

Shortly after appearing in Hollywood Canteen, McCracken returned to Broadway. This time, she took on a role in the musical Bloomer Girl (1944)—a story that takes place during the US Civil War. It was a refreshing production, and many consider it to be the first Broadway musical to tackle feminist themes.

Promotional photograph for the Broadway Bloomer GirlTime Inc.; Eileen Darby, Wikimedia Commons

42. She Left Audiences In Stitches

McCracken wasn’t the star of Bloomer Girl, but that didn’t stop her from hogging the spotlight. Critics and audiences alike raved about her performance, and her effortless ability to combine dance and humor. Sadly, around this time, life had given her little to laugh about.

Celeste Holm With Ensemble In 'Bloomer Girl,' 1945George Karger, Getty Images

43. Her Brother Had A Fall Of His Own

While she danced on stage in Bloomer Girl, McCracken’s brother, Buddy, was doing another kind of dance altogether in the eastern theater of WWII. Tragically, his performance was not a comedic one. In October 1944, McCracken received a chilling telegram. It informed her that brother had fallen in battle—and it was not a pratfall.

A small flag carried by the 2nd BattalionUS Navy / US Marines / Lou Lowery, Wikimedia Commons

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44. She Tore Up Her Dressing Room

Needless to say, the news of her brother’s untimely demise so far from home left McCracken devastated. When she read the telegram in her dressing room, she was simply overcome with grief. In a fit of emotion, she upended everything in her dressing room, leaving it practically in shreds.

That moment would become iconic.

Coronet Theatre, W. 49th St., New York City. Star's dressing roomLibrary of Congress, Picryl

45. She Inspired Capote

Throughout her career, McCracken maintained a close friendship with Truman Capote. Of course, being friends with a preeminent author had its downsides. For example, when she told Capote that she destroyed her dressing room, he decided to use it as material for a novella, immortalizing one of her lowest moments.

Truman Capote at Amsterdam-Schiphol AirportEric Koch for Anefo, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

46. She Was The Real Holly Golightly

One of the most iconic moments in one of Capote’s most iconic novellas, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, was actually just a retelling of McCracken’s darkest moment. Capote based a part of his character Holly Golightly on McCracken and used her meltdown as a poignant scene in his novella.

However, dramatic moments weren't the only thing that Capote took from McCracken.

A screenshot from the movie Breakfast at Tiffany'sParamount, Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

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47. Her Husband Had Been Hiding A Secret

McCracken finally ended her marriage with Dunphy in 1948. Much to her chagrin, it didn’t take Dunphy long to move on. Shortly after their split, Dunphy became the long-term partner of none other than Truman Capote!

Could true love be another dance away?

American novelist and actor Truman CapoteJack Mitchell, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

48. She Met Fosse

In 1949, McCracken met a fellow dancer who would change the course of her life—and she, his. While performing in the Broadway musical Dance Me a Song, she met the dancer Bob Fosse.

Fate had big plans for them both.

Cropped publicity photo of Bob Fosse for Broadway play, Pal JoeyAlix Jeffry, Wikimedia Commons

49. She Was The Bigger Star

Fosse was a full 10 years younger than McCracken—and not just in age. By 1950, McCracken was one more iconic performance away from becoming a Broadway legend, and in Dance Me a Song, she had a starring role. Fosse, on the other hand, was just a “specialty dancer”.

McCracken saw potential for more.

A screenshot of the movie Fosse/VerdonFX, Fosse/Verdon (2019)

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50. She Was A Star-Maker

“She [McCracken] saw that I wasn’t going to be Fred Astaire, that I was floundering,” Fosse later recalled. McCracken convinced Fosse to take a year off and “go back to school to study not only dancing but movement, acting, speech, and music”.

Then, when he was ready, she led him into the spotlight.

Studio publicity still of Fred Astaire for film Daddy Long LegsDr. Macro, Wikimedia Commons

51. She Foisted Fosse Up

According to Lisa Sagolla, McCracken’s biographer, the dancer had an eye for talent. In the biography, The Girl Who Fell Down, Sagolla cited a Broadway producer as having said that McCracken was “single-handedly responsible for getting Bobby Fosse his first job as a choreographer on Broadway”.

They were closer than anyone knew.

Bob Fosse Directing DancesBettmann, Getty Images

52. She Fell…Into Fosse

Perhaps McCracken saw Fosse’s full potential because she saw, well, all of Fosse. Again, McCracken’s biographer, Sagolla, claimed in The Girl Who Fell Down that the two dancers struck up an affair in the early tryouts of Dance Me a Song.

And it was, indeed, an affair.

A screenshot of the movie Fosse/VerdonFX, Fosse/Verdon (2019)

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53. She Was The Other Woman

When McCracken met Fosse in 1949, she was already divorced from her first husband, Dunphy. Fosse, however, was still married to his first wife and dance partner, Mary Ann Niles. The affair had the potential to turn Broadway upside down.

Choreographer Mary Ann NilesJack Mitchel, Getty Images

54. She Couldn’t Hide Her Love

In an effort to preserve their reputations—and that of Broadway, generally—McCracken and Fosse kept their little trysts under wraps. Of course, nothing on Broadway stays backstage for long. Fosse’s wife, Niles, found out that he was cheating on her.

A screenshot of the movie Fosse/VerdonFX, Fosse/Verdon (2019)

55. She Added Insult To Injury

McCracken and Fosse clearly had chemistry, and with Niles also working on Dance Me a Song, it was only a matter of time before she put two and two together. Fosse’s biographer summarized the tense situation: “That McCracken continued to upstage her [Niles] onstage was a humiliation almost too perverse to bear”.

A screenshot of the movie Fosse/VerdonFX, Fosse/Verdon (2019)

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56. She Wanted To Become A Dramatic Actress

Perhaps in an effort to distance herself from all of the drama, McCracken began taking on more dramatic roles and fewer dance roles. For example, in 1950 and 1951, she appeared in the play Angel in the Pawnshop. In fact, given what she did next, it looked like she had given up on dancing altogether.

Joan McCracken receives a kiss from one of her co-starsGenevieve Naylor, Getty Images

57. She Made Her TV Debut

Even as she continued appearing on Broadway, McCracken made the move to television. She first appeared playing the role of Essie in You Can’t Take It with You. But her TV career would last about as long as her Hollywood career.

A screenshot of the TV Series Pulitzer Prize PlayhouseABC, Pulitzer Prize Playhouse (1950-1952)

58. She Didn’t Care For TV

McCracken could barely contain her disdain for any kind of entertainment that wasn’t on a Broadway stage. During a press tour, she lamented what she called the “over-commercialization" of television. The comments likely impacted her chances of a small screen career.

To make matters worse, the stage was falling out from under her.

A screenshot of the movie Good NewsMGM, Good News (1947)

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59. Her Broadway Career Wasn’t Going Well

McCracken could scarcely afford to be as critical of TV as she was. Just as her hopes of a career on the small screen faded away, the reviews for Angel in a Pawnshop came in—and they were not good. For the first time, the critics were simply lukewarm towards her.

1951 Broadway play Angel in the Pawnshop. SeatedGarbo, Chicago., Wikimedia Commons

60. She Found Redemption In Neverland

McCracken redeemed herself the next year when she appeared in a Broadway production of Peter Pan. The critics heaped praise on her, and she herself truly adored being a part of the project—her favorite yet. She had always, sadly, been her own harshest critic.

1954 musical of Peter PanRothschild, Wikimedia Commons

61. She Obsessed Over Her Weight

Throughout her life, as many dancers did, McCracken kept a close eye on her weight. Too close. She developed a strict diet that severely limited her caloric intake and left her running on fumes. Given her diagnosis of diabetes—not to mention her bad smoking habit—the consequences were dire.

Hollywood Canteen Cast Posing TogetherBettmann, Getty Images

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62. She Suffered Chronic Injuries

McCracken’s diabetes diagnosis came with a host of complications. Even as she amused audiences with her comedic dance performances, she struggled through tremendous pain, coping with such ailments as heart issues, arthritis, and heel spurs.

But even as her health spiraled into dangerous territory, there was at least one part of her life that had a silver lining.

A screenshot of the movie Fosse/VerdonFX, Fosse/Verdon (2019)

63. She Married Her Lover

Despite the controversial beginnings of their relationship, McCracken and Fosse continued seeing each other. So, when Fosse finally left Niles, he was free to marry McCracken, which he did in 1952.

The honeymoon period was…brief.

A screenshot of the movie Fosse/VerdonFX, Fosse/Verdon (2019)

64. Her Husband Didn't Prioritize Her

Rather than aiding McCracken through her health struggles, Fosse continued working, choreographing Broadway plays. What McCracken failed to remember is the old adage: You lose them how you get them.

A screenshot of the movie Fosse/VerdonFX, Fosse/Verdon (2019)

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65. Her Husband Cheated On Her

While choreographing Damn Yankees, Fosse struck up another affair, this time betraying McCracken. He began having, shall we say, duets with the dancer Gwen Vernon. McCracken only had one choice.

A screenshot of the movie Fosse/VerdonFX, Fosse/Verdon (2019)

66. She Ended Her Second Marriage

Throughout their marriage, Fosse continued his affair with Vernon even as McCracken’s health continued to decline—right along with her career. By 1959, she had had enough and filed for divorce, freeing Fosse to marry his lover, Verdon.

Gwen Verdon from an appearance on Goodyear TelevisionMurray Korman, Wikimedia Commons

67. She Found Love One Last Time

In her final years, McCracken managed to find love again. This time, she carried on a years-long relationship with Marc Adams, an actor. The two never married, but the romance brought some bliss into McCracken’s life.

A screenshot of the movie Good NewsMGM, Good News (1947)

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68. She Stepped Out Of The Spotlight

McCracken spent her final years far from the Broadway spotlight. She retired to a quiet and isolated beach house in New York before succumbing to a heart attack—the result of her diabetes—at the age of 43.

Port Royal Beach Club, Naples, Florida.Library of Congress, Picryl

69. She Took One Last Fall

Sadly, little remains of McCracken except for her legacy of Broadway performances. As per her instructions, McCracken was cremated. Her mother kept her ashes…and then lost them. However, McCracken's spirit, and her exceptional dancing prowess, will remain a part of entertainment history forever.

Publicity Still for Good NewsJohn Springer Collection, Getty Images


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