Ruby Keeler

by Nancy Marlow-Trump

From the sidewalks of New York to the silver screen, Ruby Keeler tapped her way to fame. Only 13 when she made her first appearance in a chorus line, at age 23 she became Warner Bros.' first dancing star in the groundbreaking musical film 42nd Street. Yet her time in the spotlight was brief. After dancing her way through nine musicals in four years, she dropped from the public eye and went on to what she called her "greatest role," living a quiet life as a wife and mother. At age 60, Keeler made a triumphant return to the stage in the Broadway revival of No, No, Nanette. Her performance won ecstatic praise from critics, thrilled her longtime fans, and captured the hearts of thousands of new ones. It was a comeback that has never been equalled - by a star who can never be forgotten.