Sweet as a rose. Her mother enrolled her from an early age in dance and music classes and in 1929 moved with her to Hollywood, California. His early years of juvenile delinquency, tempestuous love affairs and controversial divorce, in which his wife named 79 co-respondents (including the famed pin-up girl Betty Grable), gained him . In 1942, she was cast in Song of the Islands and Footlight Serenade, two successful motion pictures. [24], Grable died of lung cancer on July 2, 1973 at the age of 56 in Santa Monica, California.[14][58]. Her mother was a stubborn and materialistic woman determined to make her daughter a star. The play was an instant success for the first time in Grables life, and she used it to get back at the studios that had wronged her. death. [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. The film teamed Grable with her future-husband, Harry James; and also featured Carmen Miranda, in a supporting role. He signed her to a long-term contract with 20th Century Fox, and Grables next film, Down Argentine Way, was a smash hit. Despite her success, she suffered from having a fear of crowds and sleepwalking. When adjusted for inflation, this still remains a fairly exuberant sum to this day.While many other stars that delved into pin-up work around the same time as Betty went on to regret it, she never did. Housekeepers, nannies and themselves. Grable, being generally kind-hearted and very in love, somehow let him. It was one of the highest grossing films of that year. [32] The picture was released as a poster and became the most requested photo for G.I.s stationed overseas. However, Grable's next film, When My Baby Smiles at Me (1948), was a smash success; this film again co-starred Dan Dailey. Please submit feedback to contribute@factinate.com. Betty Grable: The Reluctant Movie Queen is a fascinating and intimate account of the famous star who was for many years the highest-paid woman in America and a favorite pin-up all over the world.Filled with fascinating and intimate accounts from many who knew her well, this publication is a well-documented and eminently readable biography of the sparkling, complex personality of one of the . Grable's final film role was in the comedy film, How to Be Very, Very Popular (1955) with newcomer Sheree North. Spouse/Ex-: Harry James (m.1943-1965), Jackie Coogan (m.1937-1939), children: Jessica James, Victoria Elizabeth James, place of death: Santa Monica, California, United States, Ancestry: Dutch American, German American, British American, Irish American, (Thriller, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Romance, Film-Noir), See the events in life of Betty Grable in Chronological Order, (Actress and Dancer Best Known for Her Films: Mother Wore Tights and How to Marry a Millionaire), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETTNGKZlbKY. Her mother Lillian was a pushy stage momager who forced her daughter into dance lessons and countless child beauty contests in search of fame. Thrill of a Lifetime. 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. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? Elizabeth Ruth Grable (December 18, 1916 July 2, 1973) was an American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer. [62], Her iconic pin-up image was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential Photographs of All Time. wife and mother? Paramount lent her to 20th Century-Fox to co-star in the adolescent comedy Pigskin Parade (1936). 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. Grable then worked in small roles at different studios for the rest of the decade, including the Academy Award-winning The Gay Divorcee (1934), starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, where she was prominently featured in the number "Let's K-nock K-nees". In 1943, she collaborated with photographer Frank Powolny for a regular studio photo session. In 1946, Grable appeared as Herself in a cameo role in Do You Love Me. She was born as Elizabeth Ruth Grable to John Conn Grable and Lillian Rose Hofmann. While Grable was on Broadway, studio head Darryl F. Zanuck saw her perform and knew that not only was she destined to be a star; she already was a star. Reportedly, one US fighter perished with Grables famous photograph clutched right in his hand, as if Americas Sweetheart could somehow save him. While her girl-next-door image has endured through the 21st century, the reality of her dark, dramatic life was anything but ideal. Her final movie appearance was in the 1955 comedy How to Be Very, Very Popular which was produced and directed by Nunnally Johnson. Coney Island, released in June 1943, was a Technicolor "gay nineties" period musical and co-starred George Montgomery. AfterPigskin Parade, she suddenly found herself typecast as a naive college student, starring in a series of humdrum roles and even duller films. As a child, her materialistic mother put her under intense pressure to become a performer. Fox, being a bunch of money-grubbing men, staunchly denied Grables request. For one thing, when Grable and James first met, James was married, and their dalliance was mega illicit for the strict morals of the time. All and all, Grable and Harry James stayed married for 22 miserable years, with each coming New Year marking out a new low of betting, squandering, drinking, and philandering. "If that's not luck, I don't know what you'd call it", Grable said in her first interview after signing with the studio. However, the couple parted ways in 1965 after around 22 years of being married to one another. Despite a casting consisting of Cesar Romero and Rudy Valle, the film was panned by critics, but it was a reasonable success at the box-office. Once they saw Bettys face, producers were all too happy to believe it. After Grable left Fox, the studio moved Monroe into her old dressing room, which still had her name on the door. The film offered Grable her second teaming with Carole Landis, and it co-starred Victor Mature. After time off to give birth to her daughter, Grable returned to Fox to star in Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe (1945), co-starring Dick Haymes and Phil Silvers. In 1930, she made her first film appearance as a Goldwyn Girl in Whoopee!. [47][48], After refusing the leading female role in Irving Berlin's There's No Business Like Show Business (1954), Grable again was suspended from her contract. In 1952, Grable began renegotiating her contract with Fox. She was the youngest of three children. Instead of taking a step back and saying Hmm, maybe I shouldnt force my daughter into child labor, Lillian just grew more unhinged and determined. (1930), starring Eddie Cantor. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. As a member of the ensemble group of attractive young chorines, Grable appeared in a series of small parts in movies, including the mega-hit Whoopee! Fox became concerned that Grable might be becoming regarded as pass. However, Betty still had a few years to go before she attained this kind of celebrity status. Amenities include bicycles, barbecue grills, and a basketball court. These films helped to bring Grable's star back to the public but it seemed as if Betty's career was nearing its end. Down Argentine Way. They seemed like a match made in heaven but behind the scenes it was anything but. Like many manipulative stage mothers, she lied about Bettys age to producers, saying the tween had just turned 15. Grable has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6525 Hollywood Boulevard. "Betty Grable, the servicemen's favorite pinup girl during World . Watched this as a child and now my children are enjoying it and singing the songs. Join thousands of others and start your morning with our Fact Of The Day newsletter. The bit parts continued for the next three years. Is it any wonder that growing up too fast had grave consequences? Age: 56 (12/18/1916 - 7/2/1973) Betty Grable's Relationships (8) Harry James. [2], She replaced Alice Faye in Down Argentine Way (1940), her first major Hollywood film, and became Fox's biggest film star throughout the next decade. They don't accommodate pets or children under the age of 18. Rita Hayworth popularized the pin-up, but it was Betty Grable who became its most famous model. In 1949, Grable's film The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend was released but proved to be a critical and box-office flop, which caused Grable's film career to begin to falter. I tried to get my ex-wife served with divorce papers. She made nationwide headlines when it was revealed she was working in a rectory. However, Grable's biggest hit so far in her career would be Springtime in the Rockies (1942). In 1932 (real age 15), she signed with RKO Radio Pictures and began to use the moniker 'Betty Grable'. Herepaid her with another cruel trick. Harry James, proud parent of Vicki and Jessica. That film was the lead role in the classic comedy Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, AKA the part that shot Marylin Monroe to stardom. School for Romance. When the United States entered WWII, Hollywood began producing content for the Americans serving abroad. Grable, whose career was declining, was assumed to be jealous of Monroe because she was being groomed as Fox's newest star and possibly as Grable's unofficial successor. The title Million Dollar Legs, is a name from which her nickname is taken. Pin Up Girl received poor reviews but was a tremendous box-office success. [14] Their marriage, which lasted for 22 years, was beset by alcoholism and infidelity, and they divorced in 1965. The musical Mother Wore Tights is considered her signature film. In case it isnt clear just how much Betty Grable influenced American culture, get a load of this. Lorry signs photos for the boys. Betty would go on to be signed by RKO Pictures, but wouldnt find much success with the studio after being given her contract.In 1937, Betty married former child star, Jackie Coogan. Birthdate: May 20, 1947. 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. Only 13 years old, Grable lied about her age and landed chorus girl parts in several Hollywood musicals. Historys most fascinating stories and darkest secrets, delivered to your inbox daily. She motivated her daughter to sing, dance and act. She was entered in multiple beauty contests, many of which she won or for which she achieved considerable attention. Thanks for your help! Grable played the leading roles in these films, which led to her being typecast as an innocent and not-so-bright college student. This song was introduced in the film by Helen Forrest. Betty Saunders has written: betty grable daughters now. Were always looking for your input! [29], In 1941, Fox attempted to broaden Grable's acting and audience range by casting her in two films with more serious intent than those in which she had starred previously. Grable immediately thereafter began filming When My Baby Smiles at Me (1948), co-starring Dan Dailey, which became a blockbuster, cementing Grable and Dailey's status as a bankable movie duo. Google Search Trends of Betty Grable. Or their humanness to their 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. [3] Grable was particularly noted for having the most beautiful legs in Hollywood and studio publicity widely dispersed photos featuring them. Although the press hinted that a tense behind-the-scenes rivalry existed between the two actresses, they both denied it, claiming to be good friends. No, Betty Grable and her husband Harry James were two of the worst After the release of the 1951 poorly reviewed musical, Meet Me After the Show, Grable took a break from acting; turning down the lead role in The Girl Next Door, a role that would eventually go to rival June Haver. In 1943, she married trumpeter Harry James. At the start of WWII, Hollywood opened up the Hollywood Canteen for enlisted men who were on the verge of service. On July 2, 1973, the American screen legend passed at the tender age of 56, without any chance for a comeback. One particular pose showed Grable's back to the camera as she playfully smiled looking over her right shoulder, with the pose chosen because she was several months pregnant with her first child. Betty Grable, 1943. Betty Grable had several nicknames during her career like: "the girl with the million dollar legs," "the quick-silver blonde," "the queen of the Hollywood musical," and "the darling of the forties." Producers had originally offered her the part, but she had turned it down, stubbornly sticking to her no challenges rule. Early life. She preferred to star in up-beat and outlandish musicals, many of which followed the generic boy-meets-girl story tack. Betty Grable was married to Jackie Coogan, a former child actor in 1937 but Betty and Jackie Coogan got divorced in 1939. Close to two months after her sudden death at age 40, the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office Public Information Officer tells . 20th Century Fox had reached out to her specifically for the part, loaning her out from her new studio, Paramount. Most actors struggle to make it in Hollywood for years, but most actors arent Betty Grable. Among them were Dorothy Lamour, Shirley Booth, Mitzi Gaynor, Don Ameche, Cesar Romero, George Raft, Alice Faye, Johnnie Ray, and Dan Dailey. The girls were left nothing when it came to the end. Grable, Betty,--1916-1973--Family All Saints' Episcopal Church (Beverly Hills, Calif.) Daughters--California--Los Angeles Funeral rites and ceremonies--California--Beverly Hills Undertakers and undertaking--California--Beverly Hills Church buildings--California--Beverly Hills Anglican church buildings--California--Beverly Hills Betty Grable in Famous People Throughout History Ruth Betty Elizabeth Grable in WikiTree view all Immediate Family Harry James ex-husband Victoria Elizabeth James daughter Jessica James daughter John Leslie "Jackie" Coogan ex-husband John Conn Grable father Lillian Rose Grable mother Jerin Timothyray James ex-husband's son Jeffrey James However, she changed her mind and decided to take her chance on Broadway; she accepted Buddy DeSylva's offer to star in his musical DuBarry Was a Lady, starring Ethel Merman and Bert Lahr. You love Me and it co-starred Victor Mature the American screen legend passed at the tender age of,! It and singing the songs tween had just turned 15 and began use... 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