168:, to cover the family's $ 45 monthly rent on an apartment. Marion Dean sold a complete meal from her restaurant, featuring "soup, salad, entree, vegetable, baked potato, bread, coffee, and dessert, for 35 cents per meal." JoAnn Dean began waitressing at her mother's restaurant when she was 12 years old, while her older brother worked as a dishwasher.
508:. Killingsworth did not want to commute from Balboa Island to Hollywood, so the move effectively ended her dancing career in the entertainment industry. In a 2014 interview, she reiterated that she had no regrets about the end of her dancing career due to the move to Newport Beach, "I’ve had a great life."
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and its overseas parks for a planned reunion. However, the company could not locate or identify
Disneyland's first Snow White from its opening day, since Killingsworth had been employed by ABC, rather than the Walt Disney Company, for the television special. Killingsworth remained unaware of Disney's
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at the time, "I didn't realize Disney was looking for me...If I had, I would have called somebody and said, 'Here I am. Here's Snow White'." Bob Roth, Disney's spokesperson at the time, confirmed that "I'm really quite certain this is the right person." The company gave her a jewelry box to mark the
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She suffered a crushed vertebra in her sleep at her Balboa home during the 1970s when she was in her early 50s. The unusual injury limited her mobility at the time. To compensate, Killingsworth took up painting. Most of her work featured scenery or wildlife from destinations she had visited,
559:. Guggenheim has noticed the painting hanging in her Newport Beach magazine office and paid $ 200 for the artwork. Most of her other paintings were gifted to friends and family. An exhibition of her art was held at her retirement community in Brea, California.
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planned 1987 Snow White reunion until she was told by a friend about the planned event. She contacted the company and attended the event. Killingsworth was one of approximately 50 former Snow Whites who attended the reunion. She told the
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for a show called "It
Happens on Ice" for two years. Killingsworth retired from ice skating at age 18 to focus on dancing in the entertainment industry. She then moved back to Los Angeles to pursue film acting and dancing roles.
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Her tenure as
Disneyland's first Snow White ended at the closing of the theme park's first day. It was the only time the actress played Snow White at Disneyland. According to Killingsworth, it remained her best known role.
379:, "I thought JoAnn looked like Disney's Snow White, with her dark bangs...She was very enthusiastic, bubbly and always in good spirits. I knew she'd do a good job." Killingsworth, a 5-foot-3 dancer with dark
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However, Killingsworth's role as
Disneyland's first Snow White remained largely forgotten until 1987, which marked the 50th anniversary of the release of Disney's 1937 animated feature film,
190:. She was successful in the audition and was chosen for the show. Once the Long Beach show was over, Dean was hired to skate in "It Happens on Ice," an ice "extravaganza" performing at the
578:, on June 20, 2015, at the age of 91. She was survived by her stepsons, Bill and Larry Killingsworth, and her brother, Donovan Dean. Her former husband, Jim Killingsworth, died in 1993.
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JoAnn Dean
Killingsworth appeared on screen in dozens of films. By her own estimation, Dean acted, performed and danced in more than 100 films during her career. Her
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to be lowered, opening the park "in the name of the children of the world." Killingsworth's Snow White and the other costumed Disney characters, including the
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for the opening ceremony. An additional 90 million television viewers watched the television special, which was broadcast nationwide on the
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upon the theme park's opening on July 17, 1955. Since Dean's debut in 1955, more than 100 actresses have played Snow White at
Disneyland.
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Her death came less than one month before the 60th anniversary of
Disneyland and her debut as the park's first ever Snow White.
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In 1955, Killingsworth, who was 31 years old at the time, received a phone call inviting her to play Snow White for a 90-minute
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738:"Legends: Princess Charming - Disneyland's first Snow White remembers dwarfs, dancing, and the golden age of Hollywood"
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432:(ABC). Killingsworth's Snow White was the only Disney Princess to receive her own float at the inaugural parade.
531:. The magazine ceased publication in 1977 following the couple's divorce. Killingsworth became a salesperson at
390:(ABC) television special on the opening day of Disneyland. Killingsworth had never heard of ABC, Disneyland, or
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from Africa. Killingsworth sold only one of her paintings, a piece featuring fish, to Robert
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The restaurant proved successful enough that Dean was able to enroll in dance lessons from the earnings.
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At the conclusion of the opening ceremony and television special, an announcer ordered
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She was soon performing on "Ice Queen of Norway," a traveling "Hollywood Ice Revue" created by the
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After leaving Henie's show, she teamed with Gene Nelson once again. The duo performed at the
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Killingsworth moved from Balboa Island to the Oakmont of Capriana retirement village in
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hair, was described as a bearing a strong resemblance to Disney's animated Snow White.
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Disney also launched a search for actresses who had played Snow White at Disneyland,
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30,000 guests and dignitaries attended Disneyland's opening ceremonies (and ABC
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Dean performed long-term with her professional dance partner, actor and dancer
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She also did some print modelling as well, appearing in advertisements.
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774:"JoAnn Dean Killingsworth, Disneyland's First Snow White, Dies at 91"
616:"JoAnn Dean Killingsworth, Disneyland's first Snow White, dies at 91"
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Killingsworth and her husband published two publications focusing on
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686:"JoAnn Dean Killingsworth dies at 91; Disneyland's first Snow White"
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in theaters and public appearances by the character, including the
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862:"Who is the fairest one of all? Disneyland's first Snow White"
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JoAnn Dean Killingsworth died from cancer at her home in
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tickets for the event. The temperature was 100 degrees.
105:(September 23, 1923 – June 20, 2015), was an American
357:. Nelson's then-wife, film and theater choreographer
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551:, and wild
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419:counterfeit
403:Walt Disney
355:Gene Nelson
297:, opposite
294:Red Garters
215:Gene Nelson
207:Sonja Henie
181:ice skating
150:Los Angeles
43:Minneapolis
944:Snow White
903:Categories
890:JoAnn Dean
873:2015-07-22
785:2015-07-22
749:2015-07-21
697:2015-07-22
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539:including
467:Snow White
440:drawbridge
371:Snow White
363:Disneyland
349:Snow White
277:Roy Rogers
260:State Fair
185:Long Beach
135:JoAnn Dean
129:Early life
123:Disneyland
119:Snow White
103:JoAnn Dean
91:Disneyland
87:Snow White
35:1923-09-23
475:Rose Bowl
399:simulcast
330:Doris Day
303:demitasse
269:in 1945;
263:in 1945;
257:in 1944;
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158:Hollywood
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266:Nob Hill
205:skater,
188:ice rink
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288:Sabrina
107:actress
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175:Career
111:dancer
85:First
570:Death
541:Spain
894:IMDb
322:for
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