Moira Shearer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Moira Shearer
Moira Shearer in 1954
Born	Moira Shearer King (1926-01-17)17 January 1926 Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland
Died	31 January 2006(2006-01-31) (aged 80) Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
Other names	Lady Kennedy
Years active	1938–1987
Spouse(s)	Sir Ludovic Kennedy ​ (m. 1950)​
Children	4

Moira Shearer King, also known as Lady Kennedy, was a famous Scottish ballet dancer and actress. She was born on January 17, 1926, and passed away on January 31, 2006.

Moira is best remembered for her amazing performances in two movies. These were The Red Shoes (1948) and Peeping Tom (1960).

Early Life and Dance Training

Moira Shearer King was born in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. She was the only child of Harold Charles King and Margaret Crawford Reid.

In 1931, when Moira was five years old, her family moved to Ndola, Northern Rhodesia. Her father worked there as a civil engineer. It was in Africa that Moira had her very first dance lessons. Her teacher had learned from a famous dancer named Enrico Cecchetti.

Moira came back to Britain in 1936. She trained in London for a few months with Flora Fairbairn. After that, she became a student of the Russian teacher Nicholas Legat. While at his studio, she met Mona Inglesby. Mona gave Moira a part in her new ballet called Endymion in 1938.

After three years with Legat, Moira joined the Sadler's Wells Ballet School. When World War II started, her parents took her to live in Scotland. In 1941, she joined Mona Inglesby's International Ballet for a tour. Then, in 1942, she moved to the Sadler's Wells Ballet.

Becoming a Film Star

Moira Shearer first became known to the public as Posy Fossil. This was for advertisements for the book Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild. Moira was training with Flora Fairbairn, who was a good friend of the author.

Moira became famous around the world with her first movie role. She played Victoria Page in the ballet film The Red Shoes (1948). Her red hair even matched the special red shoes in the movie! This role was so powerful that even though she acted in other films and danced for many years, most people remember her as "Vicky."

Moira stopped dancing ballet professionally in 1953. However, she kept acting. She played Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream at the 1954 Edinburgh Festival.

She worked again with director Michael Powell in two more movies. These were The Tales of Hoffmann (1951) and Peeping Tom (1960). The movie Peeping Tom was quite controversial when it came out.

In 1972, the BBC chose Moira to host the Eurovision Song Contest. This big music event was held in Edinburgh that year. Moira also wrote for The Daily Telegraph newspaper. She gave talks about ballet all over the world.

In 1987, the choreographer Gillian Lynne asked Moira to dance ballet again. Moira played L. S. Lowry's mother in a show called A Simple Man for the BBC.

Family Life

In 1950, Moira Shearer married a journalist and broadcaster named Ludovic Kennedy. They got married at the Chapel Royal in London's Hampton Court Palace.

Moira and Ludovic had four children. Their son was named Alastair. Their three daughters were Ailsa, Rachel, and Fiona.

Moira Shearer passed away at the Radcliffe Infirmary in Oxford, England. She was 80 years old.

Film Roles

See also

In Spanish: Moira Shearer para niños