Title Page | Collection Summary | Biographical/Organizational Note | Scope and Content | Arrangement
Biographical Note
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1919, Sept. 2 | Born Marjorie Celeste Belcher in Los Angeles, California |
| 1934 | Modeled for Walt Disney's animated film Snow White and the seven dwarfs. |
| 1937 | Silver screen debut in short film Sunday night at the Trocadero, directed by George Sidney. Married Disney animator Art Babbitt (1907-1992), whom she later divorced 1940. |
| 1938 | First professional stage production role dancing in Blossom time at the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera. |
| 1939 | Danced in the Three Stooges vaudeville circuit tour. |
| 1940 | Modeled for Disney films Fantasia and Pinocchio. |
| 1942 | Purported marriage to television media personality Alexander King (1899-1965). No documentation has been found to confirm marriage. |
| 1943 | Broadway debut in the Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe musical What's up, directed and choreographed by George Balanchine (listed as "Marjorie Beecher" in program). |
| 1945 | Formed "Gower and Bell" dance team with Gower Carlyle Champion (1919-1980). Performed as the Fair Witch in the Broadway play Dark of the moon by Howard Richardson and William Berney. |
| 1946 | Starred in Jerome Kern's musical Sally at the Paper Mill Playhouse, New Jersey. Appeared on Broadway in Duke Ellington's only musical, Beggar's holiday. |
| 1947 | Married Gower Champion, divorced 1973. |
| 1948-1950 | Assistant to the choreographer (Gower Champion) for Broadway production Lend an ear, starring Carol Channing. |
| 1950 | Marge and Gower appeared in the Paramount film Mr. Music with Bing Crosby. |
| 1951-1955 | Marge and Gower starred and danced in five MGM musical films:
|
| 1955 | Marge and Gower danced in the Columbia Pictures film Three for the show. Marge and Gower starred on Broadway and in CBS television special of 3 for tonight, directed by Gower Champion and co-starring Harry Belafonte. |
| 1956 | Birth of first child, Gregg Ernest Champion. |
| 1957 | Marge and Gower Champion Show, a television situation comedy, premiered on CBS. |
| 1961 | Starred in Invitation to a march at the La Jolla Playhouse. |
| 1962 | Birth of second child, Blake Champion. |
| 1964-1970 | Special assistant on Hello, Dolly!, directed and choreographed by Gower Champion. |
| 1965 | Starred in High button shoes at the St. Louis Municipal Opera Theatre. |
| 1966 | Starred in The women with Gloria Swanson and Julie Adams. |
| 1968 | Returned to film with MGM's The party, directed by Blake Edwards. |
| 1969 | Presented with the Los Angeles Times Woman of the Year award. |
| 1969-1973 | Involved with the Mafundi Institute, located in the Watts district of Los Angeles. |
| 1969-1976 | Worked with John West and Marilee Zdenek creating liturgical dance performances and programing. |
| 1970 | Choreographed Jean Genet's The blacks for the Mafundi Institute. |
| 1972 | Publication of Catch the new wind, co-authored with Zdenek. |
| 1974 | Publication of God is a verb, with words by Zdenek and action by Marge Champion. |
| 1975 | Dance supervisor for Paramount film The Day of the locust, directed by John Schlesinger. Choreographer for Columbia television film Queen of the Stardust Ballroom, for which she won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography. |
| 1976 | Danced with the San Francisco Ballet in "N.R.A.", choreographed by Robert Gladstein. |
| 1977 | Married television and film director Boris Sagal (1923-1981). |
| 1978 | Choreographer on Warner Bros. television mini-series, The awakening land, directed by Boris Sagal. Directed two-woman play Women and other people. |
| 1980 | Gower Champion died on the opening day of 42nd Street, which he was directing. |
| 1981 | Boris Sagal killed when he walked into the blades of a helicopter while working on location. |
| 1982 | Directed RKO television movie I do! I do!. |
| 1985 | Appeared in ABC television's Night of 100 stars II celebrity benefit for the Actors Fund of America. Provided additional staging for Tonight at 8:30 at the Williamstown Theater Festival. |
| 1987 | Blake Champion died at the age of 25. Choreographic associate for Broadway's Stepping out, directed by and starring Tommy Tune. Established Boris Sagal Director's Fellowship at Williamstown Theatre Festival. |
| 1988 | Directed and choreographed Stepping out at the Berkshire Theatre Festival. |
| 1989 | Directed Lute song at the Berkshire Theatre Festival. |
| 1990 | Starred in No, no, Nanette at the St. Louis Municipal Opera Theatre. Choreographed She loves me at the Berkshire Theatre Festival. |
| 1991 | Received the Legends of the Dance Award at Florida State's Triple Crown Ballroom Dance Championship. |
| 1992 | Established "Blake's Barn," an exhibition and archives space at Jacob's Pillow, in memory of her son. |
| 1997 | Received the Commonwealth Award from the state of Massachusetts. |
| 2001 | Appeared in Broadway revival of Follies. |
| 2009 | Inducted into National Museum of Dance's Hall of Fame, Saratoga, New York. Starred alongside Donald Saddler in documentary short Keep dancing. |