Shirley Irene (Gordon) Moore was born October 21, 1921, in East Providence, Rhode Island, the daughter of Miriam Nickerson and Harold Gordon. Following her mother's marriage to Zare White, her name became Shirley Irene White. She was a dancer who learned the art of dancing from multiple instructors, beginning at the Eva Handy Hall Studio, from which she received a diploma. A 1941 article states she also studied at the Chester Hale Studio and with Ernest Carlos. In her youth, she was a beautiful, petite blonde. Shirley met actor Victor Moore at the Club Troika in Washington, D.C. while he was in the area performing in "Leave It to Me!" He later recalled "I was immediately attracted to her because she reminded me of my first wife...When she danced, I was attracted even more because she is a wonderful turner on her toes." She later adopted the stage name of Shirley Paige and danced with Gene Kelly in the original Broadway production of "Pal Joey." Shirley and Victor appeared in the revue "Keep 'Em Laughing" in 1942. In that production, Victor revived his old vaudeville sketch "Change Your Act, or Back to the Woods." Shirley and Company assisted him. Arthur Pollock was impressed with Shirley's performance in it, praising her as "A cunning girl and a first-rate dancer." Their marriage was announced in July 1943. The announcements claimed they were married January 16, 1942, in Chicago. The truth is far more interesting. A marriage license for V. Fred Moore and Shirley Irene Gordon was issued June 29, 1943, in Clark County, Nevada. Analysis of the signatures on said license reveals they are indeed those of the famed actor and dancer. The Clark County book of marriages for 1943 reveals they were married June 30, 1943, by Rev. F.C. Lovett in the presence of Shirley's mother and J. Edward Webb. The Moores, who resided in Manhattan and Beverly Hills, had a Pomeranian named Bambi. Per a 1947 issue of LIFE Magazine, they also had a pet duck named George. George was the subject of an article in the famous magazine. Shirley's mother Miriam also lived with them. Miriam described herself in a 1953 article as her son-in-law's "valet and maid." Victor and Shirley remained married until his death in 1962. The NYPL's guide to the Victor Moore papers, which provide unique insight into his career, state Shirley donated them in 1970. She was also the owner of the Victor Moore Terminal in Queens. Shirley remarried on January 19, 1967, to Solon Manuel in Raleigh, North Carolina. She divorced him in November 1968. Her last husband was Frederick Bradford West. They were married on September 1, 1987, in Punta Gorda, Florida. She kept the Moore surname. Shirley Irene Moore died July 11, 1989, in Port Charlotte, Florida. She was survived by her husband and cousins.

(Bio by Miranda, contributor number 48945532)

Sources

"Better Start Early, Says Shirley. That Is, If You Intend to Be A Ballet Dancer in 'Pal Joey'." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 4 May 1941, Section E, p. 6.

Birth certificate of Shirley Irene Gordon. Bk. 4, p. 77. Certified by City of East Providence Clerk.

Death certificate of Shirley I. Moore, registered 28 July 1989, Certificate No. 89-069586, Florida Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics. Copy in possession of the author (Miranda 48945532).

Handsaker, Gene. "Handsaker in Hollywood." Valley Times, 2 October 1946, p. 11.

Marriage Certificate of Shirley Irene Gordon and V. Fred Moore. Clark County Book of Marriages 1943 Bk. 42, p. 404. 30 June 1943. Copy in possession of author.

Marriage License and Marriage Record of Shirley Irene Moore and Frederick Bradford West. Application No. 87-694. September 1, 1987. Charlotte County Clerk, Charlotte County, Florida. Copy in possession of the author (Miranda 48945532).

"MOORE REVEALS WEDDING." The New York Times, 5 July 1943, p. 11.

"North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSZT-CSCT-J?cc=1726957: 28 November 2018). License and Certificate of Marriage for Shirley Irene Moore and Solon Manuel, License Number 200977, issued in Wake County, North Carolina, January 19, 1967. North Carolina State Archives Division of Archives and History.

Pollock, Arthur. "'Keep 'Em Laughing' Does That and More." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, 25 April 1942, p. 14.

Samuels, Charles. "How Old Is Your Husband?" Motion Picture, Aug. 1947, p. 102.

"Speaking of Pictures...Old Comedian Starts Young Duck On a Promising Career." LIFE, 9 June 1947.

Wilson, Earl. "Victor Moore's Valet is His Mother-in-Law." Los Angeles Daily News, 22 March 1953, p. 35.