Belita Jepson-Turner (21 October 1923 – 18 December 2005), known professionally as Belita, was a British Olympic figure skater, dancer and film actress.

Biography

Born at Nether Wallop, Hampshire,Belita Jepson-Turner
sports-reference.com to Major William Jepson-Turner and wife Gladys Olive Lyne-Stivens. She skated (as Belita Jepson-Turner) for the United Kingdom in the

1936 Winter Olympics The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games (german: IV. Olympische Winterspiele) and commonly known as Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936 ( bar, Garmasch-Partakurch 1936), were a winter multi-sport event held from 6 to 16 ...

, where she was placed 16th in the singles, then her career turned towards

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood, ...

. She had classical Russian ballet training which carried over into her skating. As a young ballerina, she was partner to

Anton Dolin Anton Dolin may refer to: * Anton Dolin (ballet dancer) Sir Anton Dolin (27 July 190425 November 1983) was an English ballet dancer and choreographer. Biography Dolin was born in Slinfold in Sussex as Sydney Francis Patrick Chippendall Healey ...

, appearing with the Dolin-Markova Ballet. She appeared in films, making several highly profitable productions for

Monogram Pictures Monogram Pictures Corporation was an American film studio that produced mostly low-budget films between 1931 and 1953, when the firm completed a transition to the name Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. Monogram was among the smaller studios i ...

, including skating in ''Silver Skates'' (1943) and ''

Lady, Let's Dance ''Lady, Let's Dance'' is a 1944 black-and-white film directed by Frank Woodruff that was nominated for two Oscars. Produced by Monogram Studios, the film is unique as an ice skating musical. ''Lady, Let's Dance'' stars ice skater Belita as herse ...

'' (1944), skating and playing the dramatic lead in and the

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...

Suspense Suspense is a state of mental uncertainty, anxiety, being undecided, or being doubtful. In a dramatic work, suspense is the anticipation of the outcome of a plot or of the solution to an uncertainty, puzzle, or mystery, particularly as it aff ...

'' (1946), and the female lead in '' The Gangster'' (1947). For a brief period, she was Monogram's highest-paid star. Later she worked with A-list stars

Charles Laughton Charles Laughton (1 July 1899 – 15 December 1962) was a British actor. He was trained in London at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and first appeared professionally on the stage in 1926. In 1927, he was cast in a play with his future w ...

in ''

The Man on the Eiffel Tower ''The Man on the Eiffel Tower'' is a 1950 American Ansco Color film noir mystery film directed by Burgess Meredith and starring Charles Laughton, Franchot Tone, Meredith, and Robert Hutton. It is based on the 1931 novel '' La Tête d'un homme'' ...

'' (1949, and Clark Gable in '' Never Let Me Go'' (1953). In 1957 she danced with Fred Astaire in ''

Silk Stockings ''Silk Stockings'' is a musical with a book by George S. Kaufman, Leueen MacGrath Leueen MacGrath (3 July 1914 – 27 March 1992) was an English actress and playwright and the second wife of George S. Kaufman, from 1949 until their divor ...

''. Belita accepted an invitation from skating coach Rupert Whitehead to perform in a club carnival in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1948. In 1956, she retired from skating, and three years later gave up show business altogether. She appeared briefly on the ice at

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...

in New York City in 1981 in a short production based on "Solitude" by

Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous jazz orchestra from 1923 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Ellington was based ...

Personal life

In 1946, Belita married Joel McGinnis; they divorced in 1956. She remarried, to Irish actor James Berwick (né James Kenny; 1929–2000), in 1967; they remained married until his death. Both marriages were childless. Belita retired to live in

Montpeyroux, Hérault Montpeyroux (; oc, Montpeirós) is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France. Population See also *Communes of the Hérault department The following is a list of the 342 Communes of France, communes of ...

, France, where she died in 2005, aged 82.

Filmography

References

Notes

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Belita 1923 births 2005 deaths British expatriate actresses in the United States British expatriates in France British female single skaters English film actresses Figure skaters at the 1936 Winter Olympics Olympic figure skaters of Great Britain People from Test Valley