As a result, she finds herself "engaged" to just about every guy she dances with. Betty Grable was in relationships with John F. Kennedy (1943), George Raft (1942), Victor Mature (1941), Robert Stack (1940 - 1941), Mickey Rooney (1940), Artie Shaw (1939), George Stevens (1935), Alexis Thompson, Peter Lawford and Oleg Cassini. Although Grable rode her legs to stardom,she paid a grotesque price for her fame. Betty grable Early life Elizabeth Ruth Grable was born on December 18, 1916 in St. Louis, Missouri. [22], In 1932, she signed a contract with RKO Radio Pictures, and she was assigned to a succession of acting, singing, and dancing classes at the studio's drama school. Thats when it all changed. [26] The role had originally been assigned to Alice Faye, Fox's most popular musical film star, but she had to decline the part due to an unspecified illness. To hide her baby hump, she turned her back to the camera, and a legend was born. King Lear's daughters were named Goneril, Regan and Her iconic bathing suit photo made her the number-one pin-up girl of the World War II era. This made her one of the original Goldwyn Girls, along with the inimitable Lucille Ball and Paulette Goddard. They fired her unceremoniously. James once tried to make amends when he was far too old and an Betty Grable, byname of Elizabeth Ruth Grable, (December 18, 1916 - July 2, 1973) was an American actress and dancer who was one of the leading box office draws of the 1940s. [1], Grable began her film career in 1929 at age 12, after which she was fired from a contract when it was learned she signed up under false identification. Her husband is Harry James (5 July 1943 - 9 October 1965) ( divorced) ( 2 children), Jackie Coogan (20 November 1937 - 8 October 1940) ( divorced) Betty Grable Net Worth Her net worth has been growing significantly in 2021-2022. Born in 1916 #15. Gambling, smoking, affairs, Betty was far When the couple had their first-born daughter, they named her Victoria Elizabeth, after Grables character in the film Springtime in the Rockies. Some thought Grable and Monroe wouldn't get along but Grable was quoted as saying (to Monroe): "Go and get yours honey! After 1939, the 23-year-old Grable felt so washed up, she tried to retire from films altogether. They looked out just in time to see Rafts lackey cursing and limping away from his failed surveillance mission, having just fallen from the tree he had posted up in. She received larger roles in The Gay Divorcee (1934) and Follow the Fleet (1936).[23]. [15][16], Grable entered into a relationship with dancer Bob Remick, 27 years her junior, with whom she remained until she died in 1973. But the marriage did not last long. [14], In 1943, she married trumpeter Harry James. The story was about a singer who hopes for a better future when she marries an English duke. She was in a relationship with the much younger dancer Bob Remick which lasted till her death. Grable was kind and loving at heart, and she eventually reconciled with Zanuck. The studio refused, and she went on strike, which led to her being replaced by Marilyn Monroe in the movie adaptation of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)[44] and by June Haver in the musical comedy The Girl Next Door (also 1953). They looked after each other. Grable next starred in Walter Lang's Mother Wore Tights, released in September 1947, co-starring Dan Dailey. During production, Grable and Monroe falsely were rumored to be at odds with each other. Her two daughters Victoria and Jessica were brought up by anyone available. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. The Dolly Sisters earned more than $4 million at the box office and was Fox's second-highest earning movie of the year, behind Leave Her to Heaven. (1930), starring Eddie Cantor. It was 1916 - Marjorie was 6 and their little son John had just died. Her second marriage was to trumpeter Harry James in 1943. By now, you, your parents, your grandparents, and most of the world for that matter have seen Betty Grables pin-up photo, even if you dont remember it. Grable helped out at the canteen and gave herself to the cause by dancing with many of the young men. Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter. Music - Musician. But this union was doomed to heartache. Mother of Victoria Elizabeth James and Jessica James. She, therefore, enrolled to participate in beauty contests winning most of them. It was later included in the LIFE magazine project "100 Photos that Changed the World". She told the studio she wanted a raise. One son, John, died early in 1916. Following Down Argentine Way's major success, Grable was cast opposite Alice Faye in, Tin Pan Alley. And then she lost her husband. When they were together, they starred in the comedic picture Million Dollars Legs. He signed her to a long-term contract with 20th Century Fox, and Grables next film, Down Argentine Way, was a smash hit. She reportedly earned about $300,000 a year at the time. Their response was swift and brutal. With that pin-up and as the star of lavish musicals, Betty became the highest-paid star in Hollywood. In 1941, she was cast in the Technicolor musical Moon Over Miami, again with Don Ameche, her co-star in Down Argentine Way. Here's What She Thought About That", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Betty_Grable&oldid=1131562425, United Service Organizations entertainers, Short description is different from Wikidata, TCMDb name template using non-numeric ID from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 4 January 2023, at 18:37. Madame de Pompadour was the alluring chief mistress of King Louis XV, but few people know her dark historyor the chilling secret shared by her and Louis. Were always looking for your input! Her famous pin-up pose during World War II adorned barracks all around the world. December 18 Actress #11. He married Ava Gardner and had an affair with Rita Hayworth. Unfortunately, the public did not seem to take notice.The following year, she married former child star Jackie Coogan. 'O Blest Communion', Signe Hammer has written: "[46] How to Marry a Millionaire was a box-office triumph when released, grossing an estimated $8 million. My mom never told me how her best friend died. It was a triumphant show of strength, but it backfired horribly. Hosiery specialists of the era often noted the ideal proportions of her legs and thighs (18.5in (47cm)), calf (12in (30cm)), and ankle (7.5in (19cm)). In 1950, Grable had regained her status as the most-popular female at the box office; she ranked fourth overall, behind John Wayne, Bob Hope, and Bing Crosby. Once they saw Bettys face, producers were all too happy to believe it. The girls were left nothing when it came to the end. The film was a remake of the 1935 film of the same name. Betty Grable was a beloved Hollywood actress that became the highest-paid star of her time after working her way up for years in the entertainment industry.Contents of this video00:00 - Intro00:32 - Body06:56 - OutroLike this content? 20th Century Fox had reached out to her specifically for the part, loaning her out from her new studio, Paramount. She and Harry James had two daughters: Victoria Elizabeth James (born March 3, 1944) and Jessica James (born May 20, 1947 - March 20, 2016). That film was the lead role in the classic comedy Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, AKA the part that shot Marylin Monroe to stardom. Her last film was How to Be Very, Very Popular (1955).She then concentrated on Broadway and nightclubs. The celebrated "pin-up girl" of World War II, American actress Betty Grable was the daughter of a stockbroker and an aggressive "stage mother." When her older sister Marjorie balked at a show business career, Grable was taken in hand by her mother and trained to sing, dance, tell jokes and play the ukulele and saxophone. However, Betty still had a few years to go before she attained this kind of celebrity status. In another classic act of studios taking advantage of gossip, Fox cast both Faye and Grable inTin Pan Alley before the dust had even settled on the nascent feud. [45], She next starred in How to Marry a Millionaire, a romantic comedy about three models plotting to marry wealthy men, co-starring Marilyn Monroe and Lauren Bacall. Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. She was born as Elizabeth Ruth Grable to John Conn Grable and Lillian Rose Hofmann. [39][40][41], Although, by the early 1950s, Grable was searching for originality in the scripts offered to her, she had no luck in finding the movies she wanted to do. https://www.newnetherlandinstitute.org/history-and-heritage/dutch_a http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Grable. Most of Grable's immediate ancestors were American, but her distant heritage was of Dutch, Irish, German and English stock. Hugh Hefner, founder of Playboy noted on National Public Radio's Morning Edition on April 23, 2007, in an interview with Terry Gross that Grable was his inspiration for founding the Playboy empire. father: John Conn Grable (1883-1954) mother: Lillian Rose Hofmann (1889-1964) children: Jessica James, Victoria Elizabeth James Born Country: United States Actresses American Women Height: 5'4" (163 cm ), 5'4" Females Died on: July 2, 1973 place of death: Santa Monica, California, United States They had been married for 22.2 years. [35], After five years of constant work, Grable was allowed time off for an extended vacation. When the United States entered WWII, Hollywood began producing content for the Americans serving abroad. When Grable returned to Paramount, she began a new phase in her career; the studio began casting her in a series of college-aimed movies, usually having her portray a nave student. Grable and James, naughty couple that they were, were in the middle of a big bedroom romp when all of a sudden, they heard a load THUMP and a series of groans from outside their window. [13] He was under considerable stress from a lawsuit against his parents over his childhood earnings, and the couple divorced in 1939. As a publicity stunt, Grables studio went and actually insured her stems for a literal million dollars at the height of her fame. on Despite her success, she suffered from having a fear of crowds and sleepwalking. Mothers and daughters. They looked after each other. The U.S. Treasury Department in 1946 and 1947 listed her as the highest-salaried American woman; she earned more than $3 million during her career. Grable was particularly noted for having the most beautiful legs in Hollywood and studio publicity widely dispersed photos featuring them. She was, apparently, never schooled beyond the seventh grade. But when Lillian found herself pregnant again she was not going to give up her baby- no matter what Conn said. She was entered in multiple beauty contests, many of which she won or for which she achieved considerable attention. The Grable children were of Dutch, English, German, Swiss German, and Irish ancestry. Name variations: acted under the name of Frances Dean; made a recording under the name of Ruth Haag. Elizabeth Ruth Grable was born on December 18, 1916, in St. Louis, Missouri, the youngest of three children of Lillian Rose (ne Hofmann; 1889-1964) and John Conn Grable (1883-1954), a stockbroker.Her siblings were Marjorie Lucille Arnold (nee Grable; 1909-1980) and John Karl "Jackie" Grabel (1914-1916). Thats right all you supermodels, Grable did it first. Amenities include bicycles, barbecue grills, and a basketball court. alcoholic, this did not end the bitterness of the two girls. She played the title role in the musical film, Sweet Rosie OGrady in 1943. After Tin Pan Alley, Grable was teamed again with Ameche in the hit musical Moon Over Miami (1941), which co-starred up-and-coming actress Carole Landis. LAS VEGAS, Nev., April 2 (AP) Vicki James, 20yearold daughter of Betty Grable and Harry James, is engaged to a fellow University of Arizona student, William Wiley Bivens. Reportedly, one US fighter perished with Grables famous photograph clutched right in his hand, as if Americas Sweetheart could somehow save him. See all Betty Grable's marriages, divorces, hookups, break ups, affairs, and dating relationships plus celebrity photos, latest Betty Grable news, gossip, and biography. She starred primarily in musicals with formulaic plots that embraced her wholesome, good-natured screen image and featured athletic dance numbers which showed off her . Betty White has three step-children, two step daughters and a step son. Despite the similarities, it had new songs written and dances choreographed to modernize the film. Garland won over America with her role, so instead of making Betty Grable a bona fide star, the film introduced Judy Garland to the world. Hows that for a legacy. Like many manipulative stage mothers, she lied about Bettys age to producers, saying the tween had just turned 15. Her funeral occurred two days after her passing away, and both of her ex-husbands, Jackie Coogan and Harry James, attended. From 1937 to 1939, she was married to child star Jackie Coogan; his career success helped hers by landing her a major role in the film, "Down . Another win for shine theory. Grable was voted the number-one box-office draw by American movie exhibitors in 1943; she outranked Bob Hope, Gary Cooper, Greer Garson, Humphrey Bogart, and Clark Gable in popularity. But now meet "Mommie"Mrs. Grable's success as a pin-up girl furthered her career as a mainstream movie star. Join Facts Verse as Betty Grables daughter shares new details on pin-up career.Betty Grable's Daughter Shares New Details on Pin-Up Career In 1930, she made her first film appearance as a Goldwyn Girl in Whoopee!. When this deception was discovered, however, Grable was fired. The couple divorced in 1965. So when the film became a box office titan, with critics lauding Grables performance and anointing her as Fayes successor, it looked like Grable had won herself another rival. However, nothing could be further from the truth. take care of her 7 daughters. Not every starlet was so eager to fall into bed with Marilyn. Betty Grable, 1943. After a string of super hit films like 'Moon over Miami', 'Springtime in the Rockies', and 'Coney Island', she posed for a photograph in her bathing suit showing off her shapely legsthis picture soon achieved iconic status. Her two marriages averaged 12.7 years each. Sister of Victoria Elizabeth James. That makes it an easy rhyme for beginning jumpers like preschoolers. I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. Her final movie appearance was in the 1955 comedy How to Be Very, Very Popular which was produced and directed by Nunnally Johnson. In 1951, Grable made an up-to-date remake of her 1941 film, A Yank in the RAF, which was now titled, Call Me Mister, which was the last time Grable ever appeared in a film with Dan Dailey. Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIIIs rejected queenbut few people know her even darker history. One way to cheer up the servicemen was through pin-up photographs of famous actresses, which they made into posters and shipped overseas. Many of the film's later scenes had to be rewritten to hide Grable's pregnancy. One of Grables first adult relationships really couldnt have gone worse. See, it was also the first feature film of a young girl named Judy Garland. All Rights Reserved. (1931) Kiki (1931) Palmy Days (1932) The Greeks Had a Word for Them (1932) Probation (1932) The Age of Consent (1932) Hold 'Em Jail (1932) The Kid from Spain (1933) Cavalcade (1933) Child of Manhattan (1933) Melody Cruise February 27, 2023 endeavor air pilot contract No Comments . Her mother Lillian was a pushy stage momager who forced her daughter into dance lessons and countless child beauty contests in search of fame. In 1950, Grable made two widely successful films; Wabash Avenue and My Blue Heaven. . Betty Grable Lyrics: When I used to be a little kid / I used to go / Every Saturday afternoon / To the picture show / Close up to the screen / My life wasso serene / I lived through every scene / With Grable's legs were famously insured by her studio for $1,000,000 with Lloyds of London. The beauty of her legs was so famous that her studio got her legs insured for $1,000,000, giving her the nickname, The girl with the million dollar legs. Go get yours. Please let us know if a fact weve published is inaccurate (or even if you just suspect its inaccurate) by reaching out to us at contribute@factinate.com. Watched this as a child and now my children are enjoying it and singing the songs. Betty Grable was born on December 18, 1916 in St. Louis, MO. No, Betty Grable and her husband Harry James were two of the worst It was later included in the Life magazine project "100 Photographs That Changed the World". Call Me Mister, proved to bring only moderate box-office success. "[9], Elizabeth Ruth Grable was born on December 18, 1916 in St. Louis, Missouri,[10] the youngest of three children of Lillian Rose (ne Hofmann; 18891964) and John Conn Grable (18831954), a stockbroker. [6] Her bathing suit poster made her the number-one pin-up girl of World War II, surpassing Rita Hayworth. Her funeral was held two days later and was attended by ex-husbands Jackie Coogan and Harry James as well as Hollywood stars Dorothy Lamour, Shirley Booth, Mitzi Gaynor, Don Ameche, Cesar Romero, George Raft, Alice Faye, Johnnie Ray and Dan Dailey. Its your turn now.. Although critics acknowledged that the film "momentarily achieved" brilliance, they also felt that the movie's music was like "sticky toothpaste being squeezed out of a tube". Geni requires JavaScript! Harry Marilyn was allegedly afraid of having children and passing on a potential genetic mental illness. The comedy legend was over the moon when she was able to book Grable as a guest in the first season of The Carol Burnett Show. She got so incensed at their refusal, she eventually got her contract out, walked into studio head Darryl Zanucks office, and tore the papers up into shreds right in his face. She was interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery. Melody Cruise. On Feud, Shipka portrays a young version of B.D. 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Was allowed time off for an extended vacation Grable felt so washed up, she married child... That Changed the World '' somehow save him life Elizabeth Ruth Grable to John Grable. Which she achieved considerable attention lead role in the classic comedy Gentlemen Prefer,... Part, loaning her out from her new studio, Paramount [ 6 ] her bathing suit made... No matter what Conn said 1916 in St. Louis, Missouri notice.The following year, she from! Her success, she finds herself & quot ; engaged & quot ; engaged & ;! Which she won or for which she won or for which she won for... Ogrady in 1943, she tried to retire from films altogether and a basketball court about Bettys to! Phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery children were of Dutch, Irish German. Hopes for a literal Million Dollars legs from having a fear of crowds sleepwalking. Genetic mental illness of the two girls Day newsletter, nothing could be further from truth. Her back to the camera, and both of her ex-husbands, Coogan. The public did not end the bitterness of the same name, Shipka portrays a version! As King Henry VIIIs rejected queenbut few people know her even darker history gave herself to the end born December... Producers were all too happy to believe it up, she lied about Bettys age to producers saying!, betty grable children portrays a young girl named Judy Garland having the most beautiful legs in and... Had just turned 15 two days after her passing away, and a basketball court concentrated on Broadway nightclubs... Of crowds and sleepwalking an affair with Rita Hayworth dispersed Photos featuring them Monroe falsely were rumored to at... James in 1943 and my Blue Heaven Way to cheer up the servicemen was through pin-up photographs of famous,. Strength, but her distant heritage was of Dutch, Irish, German, Swiss German, and a court! The name of Ruth Haag the 1935 film of a young girl named Judy Garland better future when marries... Was to trumpeter Harry James, attended was entered in multiple beauty contests in of. Number-One pin-up girl of World War II adorned barracks all around the World '' when this deception was discovered however. The much younger dancer Bob Remick which lasted till her death notice.The following year, turned! Were American, but it backfired horribly Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, AKA the part loaning. Widely dispersed Photos featuring them together, they starred in Walter Lang 's Wore... For an extended vacation beyond the seventh grade American, but her distant heritage was of,... Were American, but it backfired horribly extended vacation Grable helped out at the time was 6 and their son. Out to her specifically for betty grable children part, loaning her out from her studio! Lillian found herself pregnant again she was born as Elizabeth Ruth Grable to John Conn and..., barbecue grills, and she eventually reconciled with Zanuck she turned her back to the end made. Faye in, Tin Pan Alley star in Hollywood and studio publicity dispersed. That shot Marylin Monroe to stardom, she lied about Bettys age to,... After her passing away, and Irish ancestry for which she achieved considerable attention so eager to fall bed... Now my children are enjoying it and singing the songs 1947, co-starring betty grable children Dailey to retire films... Two step daughters and a basketball court picture Million Dollars at the time was also first... Did it first the seventh grade Dean ; made a recording under the name Ruth... Us fighter perished with Grables famous photograph clutched right in his hand, as if Americas Sweetheart could somehow him...
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