Person Biography:
Charles Collins was a talented actor, dancer, and saxophone player born on January 7, 1904, on a farm in Frederick, Oklahoma. He was a self-taught saxophone player and learned to dance, which led him to pursue a career in the performing arts.
After graduating from business school, Collins worked as an accountant but continued to nurture his passion for dancing. He made his Broadway debut as a dancer in "Artists and Models" at the age of 23 and later formed a dancing act with fellow dancer Nitza Vermille. The duo performed in vaudeville and made appearances in London revues.
Collins met his wife, Dorothy Stone, while performing in the Broadway musical "Ripples" in 1930. They married a year later and put together a nightclub dance act. They also appeared in several Broadway musicals, including "Smiling Faces" and "As Thousands Cheer."
Collins' early film career included roles in the short films "Shave It with Music" (1932) and "Paree, Paree" (1934),as well as the low-budget musical "Dancing Pirate" (1936). However, he failed to capitalize on these opportunities and went on to appear in another feature film, "Swing Hostess" (1944),opposite Martha Tilton.
In later years, Collins and his wife returned to Broadway, appearing in shows such as "Sea Legs" (1937),"Hooray for What!" (1938),and "You Can't Take It With You" (1945). They also toured in various stage shows and entertained the troops overseas.
After Dorothy's death in 1974, Collins met and lived with his longtime companion, Catherine Garvin. He continued to work as a talent agent and appeared in a 1984 episode of "The Master" on TV. Collins passed away at the age of 95 in Santa Barbara, California, due to complications from pneumonia.
