Not only did they always deny the rumors of a rivalry, they became lifelong friends. In case it isnt clear just how much Betty Grable influenced American culture, get a load of this. Though James eventually divorced his first wife to make an honest woman out of Grable, dont go thinking this came from the goodness of his heart. The exhausted starlet took up on Broadway instead in the musical DuBarry Was a Lady. 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. Harry James (1943-1965) - Betty tied the knot with musician and trumpeter, Harry James, in 1943 and then gave birth to 2 daughters named Victoria Elizabeth James (born March 3, 1944) and Jessica James (born May 20, 1947-March 20, 2016). She appeared in a number of B-movies like Pigskin Parade (1936), This Way Please (1937), College Swing (1938). She received larger roles in The Gay Divorcee (1934) and Follow the Fleet (1936).[23]. 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. AfterPigskin Parade, she suddenly found herself typecast as a naive college student, starring in a series of humdrum roles and even duller films. Ouch. Thats right all you supermodels, Grable did it first. Like many manipulative stage mothers, she lied about Bettys age to producers, saying the tween had just turned 15. 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. "If that's not luck I don't know what you'd call it" Grable said. On Hallowe'en, she and . The second movie, I Wake Up Screaming, released in November, had Grable receiving top billing as Jill Lynn, the sister of a young model who is murdered. Every item on Calisphere has been contributed to the site by a California institution. And then she lost her husband. She often worried about starring opposite well-known leading men. When Monroe withdrew from the production, she was replaced with Sheree North. Grable was kind and loving at heart, and she eventually reconciled with Zanuck. Grable entered into a relationship with a dancer, Bob Remick, several years her junior. At the height of her fame, Betty was being paid around $300,000 a year. [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. Betty Grable was an adorable, rosy-cheeked, blonde little girl. Jackie Coogan as a child Coogan was born John Leslie Coogan in Los Angeles, California in 1914 to John Henry Coogan Jr. and Lillian Rita (Dolliver) Coogan. First Name Betty #9. Producers had originally offered her the part, but she had turned it down, stubbornly sticking to her no challenges rule. She made nationwide headlines when it was revealed she was working in a rectory. Look below the item for additional data you may want to include. The biggest box office star of the 1940s and the most desired WWII pin-up girl, acting-singing-dancing triple-threat Betty Grable became the stuff of Hollywood legend after her studio reportedly . 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". [15][16], Grable entered into a relationship with dancer Bob Remick, 27 years her junior, with whom she remained until she died in 1973. She played Cynthia Pilgrim, a college student who graduated at the top of her typewriting class during the first year of the Packard Business College. The book A House Full of Daughters has a plot set in a small Though Grable received no billing, she led the opening number, "Cowboys." Thrill of a Lifetime. [35], After five years of constant work, Grable was allowed time off for an extended vacation. Zanuck, who had been impressed by Grable's performance in DuBarry Was a Lady, was, at the time, in the midst of casting the female lead in the musical film Down Argentine Way (1940). He had five children (two by Tobin, two by Grable, one by Boyd) and (as of his death) 16 grandchildren. death. She opted to play the role of Miss Adelaide, but was passed over in favor of Vivian Blaine, who had played the role on Broadway. "[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. Betty's father, who went by the name Conn, was a stockbroker, and her mother focused her energy on show business aspirations for her daughters. Betty Grable getting cold cream applied to her legs by LIFE photographer Walter Sanders as he prepares her for a photo session at studio. At that years Academy Awards, actress Anne Baxter won the Oscar for her performance in The Razors Edge. 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 James once tried to make amends when he was far too old and an In 1950, Grable made two widely successful films; Wabash Avenue and My Blue Heaven. Her mother groomed her for a career in show business from an early age. 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. Grables last film with Paramount was the B comedyMillion Dollar Legs with her then-husband Jackie Coogan. The two reportedly remained friends until Grable's death. Grable stuck in his head so much that when Hefner returned home, he set to work on Playboywith her in mind. She was so insecure, she consistently turned down important movies that would stretch her acting skills, and was particularly wary about starring in movies opposite the most famous male actors. The film was an attempt by Fox to recapture Grable's reputation as the studio's biggest star, and although she was paired with Dale Robertson, the film was a critical and box-office flop. Is it any wonder that growing up too fast had grave consequences? 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. She was in eight celebrity relationships averaging approximately 4.5 years each. Mother of Victoria Elizabeth James and Jessica James. It has been estimated that five million pin-ups were circulated featuring Betty, and she came out of the war the highest-paid movie star in America. The film was an immediate hit, Grable's biggest success to date, grossing more than $2 million. [8] Describing her film career, Grable said "I became a star for two reasons, and I'm standing on them. Betty finally landed a substantial part in By Your Leave (1934). [62], Her iconic pin-up image was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential Photographs of All Time. These films helped to bring Grable's star back to the public but it seemed as if Betty's career was nearing its end. Critics, though, were not as accepting of the film. This went even more horrifically than you might think. 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 . Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. The film followed the lines of other movies of the era, but it was not considered a propaganda movie by the studio. The film was a lavish Technicolor musical and co-starred Don Ameche and Carmen Miranda. Later, the governor introduced her at a luncheon sponsored by 'The Red Stocking,' a local charity group. In the James household, every holiday is a special day for the children. This rhyme begins with the rope being swung back and forth instead of overhead. 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. She once admitted, People talk about my legs as if I were a centipede, ardently wishing that the public would focus more on her acting than her physical assets. Grable died in 1973 at age 56 of lung cancer. http://173.196.26.125/cdm/ref/collection/photos/id/30816, Betty Grable's youngest daughter at funeral service. After enduring a difficult marriage plagued by alcoholism and infidelity, the couple divorced in 1965. Soon after James and Grable started seeing each other, she had an unpleasant visit from the Ghost of Boyfriends Past. Lorry signs photos for the boys. Catherine of Aragon is now infamous as King Henry VIIIs rejected queenbut few people know her even darker history. Close to two months after her sudden death at age 40, the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office Public Information Officer tells . That wasnt all Grable did for Monroe. 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 the 1970s, only a handful of years after her career really went on the decline, doctors diagnosed Grable with lung cancer. 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. [11] Her siblings were Marjorie Lucille Arnold (nee Grable; 19091980) and John Karl "Jackie" Grable (19141916). Before taking her famed pin-up photo, Betty Grable was working on cheering up the servicemen in another manner. The 1943 image is unforgettable - her back to. As the Lily sisters, both Grable and Faye received favorable reviews for their performances. Ex-wife of Harry James and John Leslie "Jackie" Coogan Despite her success, she suffered from having a fear of crowds and sleepwalking. Grable, being generally kind-hearted and very in love, somehow let him. Betty Grable was an American actress and dancer once known as the woman with the most beautiful legs in Hollywood. She briefly returned to filming to make a cameo in Do You Love Me (1946), in which she appeared as a fan of her husband Harry James' character. They briefly toured on vaudeville and his success boosted hers, but they divorced in 1940. Death: March 20, 2016 (68) Eugene, Lane County, Oregon, United States. She has made more such leg art stills than any other actress.". But the marriage did not last long. take care of her 7 daughters. Most Popular #45061. For all her good-girl looks and apple pie charms, Grable lived one scrappy existence as a struggling starlet. However, the deception was found out and she was disqualified. Her mother was a stubborn and materialistic woman determined to make her daughter a star. Huh, I guess its as good as an inspiration as any. 1943 was a massive year for Betty Grable: She was the most valuable Hollywood star, ending the year as the top earner at the box office. He was under considerable stress from a lawsuit against his parents over his childhood earnings and the couple divorced in 1939. They had been married for 22.2 years. That Marilyn Was in Love with Betty Grable . She ranked at the top of the poll in 1943, and ranked second in 1947 and 1948. When the United States entered WWII, Hollywood began producing content for the Americans serving abroad. View source image These films included the moderately popular This Way Please (1937) and College Swing (1938). Naughty Facts About Bettie Page, The Original Pin-Up, Overheard Once, Forgotten Never: These Hurtful Comments Are Completely Brutal, Lawyers Reveal Their Most Jaw-Dropping Court Cases, These Cruel Teachers Are The Stuff Of Student Nightmares. Before he was a magazine mogul, Hugh Hefner served in WWII and, like practically all of his comrades, fell in love with Grables pin-up photo. It proved to be Grable's final film appearance. Hows that for a legacy. Harry James and Betty Grable - I Can't Begin To Tell You - released in 1945. We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message. Yeah, she wasthat big. Despite the similarities, it had new songs written and dances choreographed to modernize the film. She died of lung cancer, on July 2, 1973, in Santa Monica, California, USA. While in Las Vegas, she took the opportunity to begin starring in her own productions, and later productions with her husband Harry James. Following Down Argentine Way's major success, Grable was cast opposite Alice Faye in, Tin Pan Alley. Grable appeared in her first film made away from Fox in over 15 years Three for the Show (1955) for Columbia Pictures, and the movie featured up-and-coming talents Jack Lemmon and Marge and Gower Champion. The couple divorced in 1965. As the pin-up queen of the world, Grable lived a scandalous life thats the stuff of Hollywood movies. Housekeepers, nannies and themselves. She starred along with Dan Dailey as married vaudeville performers whose children are embarrassed of their parents profession. Besides the insatiable womanizing, Grables second husband Harry James had other horrific qualities to round out his nomination for Worst Husband Ever. 'Passionate attachments' -- subject(s): Fathers and 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 The law at that time required the girls to be over 15 to dance in the chorus. [14] Despite the studio's effort to introduce Grable to the mainstream movie audience, her performance was overlooked by audiences and critics in favor of Judy Garland. 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 1947, the United States Treasury Department noted that she was the highest paid star in America, earning about $300,000 a year - a phenomenal sum even by today's standards. 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. 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