Doris Eaton Travis

As a young girl she began performing on Broadway. She grew up performing with her siblings. They were known as the seven little Eaton’s. In 1918, at the age of 14, she was the youngest girl cast by Mr. Ziegfeld to entertain in the Ziegfeld Follies on Broadway. The elaborate production featured some of the most talented girls from the twentieth century. Gowned in sparkling costumes the Ziegfeld Follies danced for presidents, dignitaries, celebrities, and into the hearts of the American public.

Doris was also an actress. She was in many films which included; At the Stage Door 1921, Tell your Children 1922, His Supreme sacrifice 1922, The call of the East 1922, The Broadway Peacock 1922, High Kickers 1923, Fashion Follies 1923, Taking the Count 1928, Street Girl 1929, The Very Idea 1929, Reckless Decision 1933, and the Man on the Moon 1999. Doris also went on to perform on stage in many musicals and even introduced the song “Singin’ in the Rain” in a 1929 Hollywood Music Box Review.

With the Great Depression in full swing many New York theaters were closing their doors and Doris accepted employment as a dance instructor with the Arthur Murray School in New York. She later launched the first franchise of the school in Michigan. She eventually owned 18 Murray Studios. She taught thousands of people to dance, one of whom was her husband, Paul Travis a successful inventor who made his fortune inventing the car door jamb and the car visor. There marriage went on to last over fifty years until his death in 2000 at age 99.

After retiring from the dance studio business in 1968, Mrs. Travis and her husband moved to Oklahoma where they started a horse ranch. They grew the ranch to over 880 acres. Many of the horses they raised had successful racing careers. Doris with the help of her nephew Joe, managed the day to day operations of the ranch until she was 104 years old.

Throughout her life there was no goal to large for worry including retuning to complete her high school degree in her 70’s and graduating Phi Beta Kappa at age 88 with a History major from the University of Oklahoma. In her hundredth year, Oakland University in Michigan gave Mrs. Travis an honorary doctorate degree.

Mrs. Eaton Travis was also the focus of a pictorial biography “Century Girl” in 2006 by Lauren Redniss. Her own memoir, “The Days We Danced” was published in 2003.

Doris was a Christian Scientist. Her strong belief in her church is what she attributed to her good health. It wasn’t until she was 100 years old that she saw her first doctor.

Just this month Doris appeared on stage at the Minskoff Theater for the annual Easter Bonnet Competition held by Broadway Cares/Equity Fight AIDS. She was even able to do a few high kicks.

Mrs. Eaton Travis had no children. She is survived by her nephew Joseph Eaton and a niece Diane Grand,grand nephews Michael Scadron, and Shawn and Jason Eaton, grand niece Julie Meyer, and great grand nephews Michael Ryan, Travis, and Sean Scadron, and many wonderful friends and fans.

A memorial service will be celebrated at 12 noon on Saturday June 12, 2010 at Guardian Angel Cemetery, 4701 South Rochester Rd., Rochester Hills, MI 48306 phone (248) 651-4023.

Those wishing to make a memorial donation are asked to consider the Ziegfeld Club, 593 Park Ave, New York, N.Y. 10021 or The First Church of Christ, Scientist Norman, 510 S Sante Fe, PO Box 1413, Norman OK 73070.