Belita

Maria Belita Jepson-Turner (21 October 1923[lower-alpha 1] – 18 December 2005), known professionally as Belita, was a British Olympic figure skater, dancer and film actress.

Belita
Belita in 1940
Born
Maria Belita Jepson-Turner

(1923-10-21)21 October 1923[lower-alpha 1]
Garlogs, Nether Wallop, England
Died18 December 2005(2005-12-18) (aged 82)
Montpeyroux, Hérault, France
Years active1947–1963
Spouse(s)
Joel McGinnis
​
(
m. 1946; div. 1956)

James Berwick (né James Kenny)
​
(
m. 1967;
d. 
2000)

Biography

Born at Nether Wallop, Hampshire,[1] she skated (as Belita Jepson-Turner) for the United Kingdom in the 1936 Winter Olympics, where she was placed 16th in the singles, then her career turned towards Hollywood. She had classical Russian ballet training which carried over into her skating, and she was considered far superior to others skating at that time. As a young ballerina, she was partner to Anton Dolin, appearing with the Dolin-Markova Ballet.

She appeared in films including Never Let Me Go (1953) with Clark Gable and The Man on the Eiffel Tower (1949) opposite Charles Laughton. For a brief period, she was Monogram Pictures' highest-paid star. She made several highly profitable productions for Monogram, including Silver Skates (1943), Lady, Let's Dance (1944), and the film noir Suspense (1946).

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

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, France, where she died in 2005, aged 82.[2]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
1941Ice-CapadesIce Capades SkaterUncredited
1943Silver SkatesHerself
1944Lady, Let's DanceHerself
1946SuspenseRoberta Leonard, aka Roberta Elva
1947The GangsterNancy
1948The HuntedLaura Mead
1949The Man on the Eiffel TowerGisella Heurtin
1953Never Let Me GoValentina Alexandrovna
1956Invitation to the DanceThe Femme Fatale in 'Ring Around the Rosy'
1957Silk StockingsVeraUncredited
1958The KeyCanteen HostessUncredited
1963The TerraceHerself(final film role)
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References
  1. Belita Jepson-Turner. sports-reference.com
  2. "Belita". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 19 August 2016.

Notes
  1. Or 25 October 1923, sources differ.


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