Tap Dance 1934 (Dawn O'Day & Chorus)

From the short: PRIVATE LESSONS 1933
I'm still not entirely convinced that Dawn O'Day was really Ann Shirley.

[TiaBoyce-gpce]

The Dawn O’Day in your video was a tap dancer who made only three movies that I know of; she is not Anne Shirley. Anne Shirley was born Dawn Evelyn Paris, her mother chose Dawn O’Day as her stage name. Dawn Paris changed her stage name to Anne Shirley after playing that character in Anne of Green Gables. If anyone can dig up some bio on O’Day the tapper, holler!

Bill, I just did some IMDB research and was surprised to find that this Dawn O'Day was NOT the same one who became Anne Shirley. Glad that your comment finally forced me to find out the truth.

[bobcabo]

I agree. I just saw the full short yesterday and that looks nothing like Anne Shirley. Doesn't sound like her, isn't built like her and why would they hide her red hair . This film was 1934, the same year as Anne of Green Gables. She was only 16 years old.

[auletjohnast]

🔵THAT'S NOT DAWN O'DAY AKA ANN SHIRLEY!🔴

[andrewbarrett]

Could this be Cliff Hess at the piano visible at 1:00? The pianist here is really playing what we're hearing... not miming along or an actor. The view is at 1:00. The shot is unusual in that the pianist's head is cut off in the shot, to keep them anonymous. The style sounds like it *could* be Cliff Hess playing. Could there be any Vitaphone personnel documentation from the making of this motion picture that documents this for sure?

[TiaBoyce-gpce]

Anne Shirley’s first stage name was Dawn O’Day, same as the dancer in Private Lessons. Her second stage name was Anne Shirley, after her character in Anne of Green Gables. Her birth name was Dawn Evelyn Paris. (This is a repost cuz I didn’t see the first one. Did this one post? lol!)