Gower Champion

Gower Carlyle Champion June 22 1919 August 25 1980 was an American actor theatre director choreographer and dancer Champion was born on June 22 1919 in Geneva Illinois as the son of John W Champion and Beatrice Carlisle He was raised in Los Angeles California where he graduated from Fairfax High School He studied dance from an early age and at the age of fifteen toured nightclubs with friend Jeanne Tyler billed as Gower and Jeanne Americas Youngest Dance Team In 1939 Gower and Jeanne danced to the music of Larry Clinton and his Orchestra in a Warner Brothers Vitaphone film shortsubject The Dipsy Doodler released in 1940