Anna Rebecca Pennington (December 23, 1893 – November 4, 1971) was an American actress, dancer, and singer who starred on Broadway in the 1910s and 1920s, notably in the Ziegfeld Follies and George White's Scandals.
Early life
Pennington was born in Wilmington, Delaware, on December 23, 1893, to John I. Pennington and his wife, Mary (Reeder) Pennington.[1]
Early career
There are differing accounts of Pennington's early career. She reportedly studied at Professor Walter G. Wroe's dance school in Philadelphia and performed in popular theaters as part of Wroe's Buds. She later studied with Caroline Littlefield and her daughter, future ballerina Catherine Littlefield, and became part of the Littlefield's dance group. It is said she was dancing with this group when Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr. recruited her for a Broadway show in 1911.[2][3]
In 1910, Pennington reportedly performed as part of the De Haven Sextet (composed of "the celebrated comedian Sydney Gibson and six young and pretty girls") at a Camden, New Jersey, theater.[4]
The De Haven Sextet (with Pennington) performed in Newark at Proctor's Park Place Theatre in February 1911;[5]
the group was on a national tour during 1910-1911.[6]
Pennington's first press mention in connection with The Red Widow was in 1912.[7]
Her first press mention associated with Ziegfeld was on May 31, 1913, announcing her casting in Ziegfeld Follies of 1913.[8]
Broadway stardom
Pennington achieved stardom in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1913 through her dancing, as well as her beauty, lively charm, and "dimpled knees." She tapped, did high kicks, and shook while doing classic tap and novelty dances.[9]
She first introduced the Black Bottom in the 1926 edition of George White's Scandals. Her performance launched an international craze that quickly rivaled that of the Charleston. There is no consensus about the dance's origins, but some version of it existed before Pennington made it famous.[10]
In summing up her career, one critic declared that "Pennington was the greatest of the solo female stage dancers who came to prominence in the Broadway revues of the 1910s and '20s."[12]
Motion pictures
Pennington appeared in over twenty films, from Susie Snowflake in 1916 to China Girl in 1943. While Pennington was already famous for her Broadway performances, Susie Snowflake succeeded in introducing her to a nationwide audience. Shannon Fife wrote the film to showcase her dancing and acting talents. The film received mostly positive reviews.[13]
Singing
Pennington often added songs to her dance routines. One of the highlights of the Ziegfeld Follies of 1914 was her song and dance routine Tango-Palace.[14] In her first talking film, Tanned Legs, she sang and danced You're Responsible with Allen Kearns.[15]
Two recordings of her singing are notably available:
While Pennington had several romances, she never married.[16]
Later years
Pennington kept performing later in life. At the age of 42, she appeared in George Jessel's Old New York show for the 1939 World's Fair,[17]
But as years passed, her age became increasingly an issue. In 1946, she told a reporter that she was still dancing at age 53. He wrote, "Imagine Ann Pennington being 53! Oh, time, why do you march on the way you do? You're breaking my heart!"[18]
In her final years, Pennington lived in poverty in New York City. She frequently visited local race tracks and spent any money she could acquire through loans or infrequent club performances. She became a familiar but unfortunate presence in the lobby of the Times Square Hotel and at the Horn & Hardart automat, often seen sitting alone with a cup of coffee.[19]
Death
Pennington died in New York City on November 4, 1971, aged 77. She was buried in the Actors’ Fund plot at Kensico Cemetery, Westchester County, New York. Her funeral was paid for by the Actors Benevolent Guild.[20]
