Walter Sanders The LIFE Picture Collection/Shutterstock Betty Grable getting cold cream applied to her legs by LIFE photographer Walter Sanders as he prepares her for a photo session at studio. After Lubitsch's death early in production, Otto Preminger took over. The film followed the lines of other movies of the era, but it was not considered a propaganda movie by the studio. She made her film debut at the age of 12 as a chorus girl in the film Happy Days. In case it isnt clear just how much Betty Grable influenced American culture, get a load of this. [2] She had contracts with RKO and Paramount Pictures during the 1930s, and appeared in a string of B movies, mostly portraying college students. on Its your turn now.. Only, fame didnt come without drama. He and Betty Grable were engaged in 1935 and married on November 20, 1937, and they divorced on October 11, 1939. Wait, didnt I say this guy was a, and I quote, rabid gambler? She cared more for her family than stardom.Betty Grable died at age 56 of lung cancer on July 2, 1973 in Santa Monica, California, five days before Veronica Lake's death. 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. Grable's performance was reviewed favorably by most critics, and the film enjoyed reasonable financial success. enamored with themselves. Betty Grables sly smile turned toward the camera is one of the most iconic images in history. She had no talent but was determined to produce a star. Studio head Darryl Zanuck had only signed Grable onto Down Argentine Way because his original lead, starlet Alice Faye, had to drop out at the last minute. Fox, being a bunch of money-grubbing men, staunchly denied Grables request. Housekeepers, nannies and themselves. Grable's star continued to rise when she starred in Song of the Islands (1942), co-starring Victor Mature and Jack Oakie. Granted, beautiful Betty won most of the pageants, but Lillian didnt stop there. Body shape: Hourglass: Dress size (US): 8: Breasts-Waist-Hips: 36-23-35 inches (91-58-89 cm) What happened to Betty Grable's kids? In 1953, Grable returned to the silver screen for The Farmer Takes a Wife, with Dale Robertson and Thelma Ritter. These films included the moderately popular This Way Please (1937) and College Swing (1938). She played Ruby Summers in the Wabash Avenue in 1950. 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 . She led the opening number, Cowboys. 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). In 1950, Grable made two widely successful films; Wabash Avenue and My Blue Heaven. (1942) by Libbie Block.. Pin Up Girl capitalized on Grable's . Marilyn Monroe never forgot Grables kindnessand one day, she got the chance to repay her in a touching tribute. He had five children (two by Tobin, two by Grable, one by Boyd) and (as of his death) 16 grandchildren. Died July 2, 1973 of lung cancer in St. John's Hospital, CA. Her next film, That Lady in Ermine, (1948), co-starred Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.; and would become only a moderate success. The bit parts continued for the next three years. Please reach out to us to let us know what youre interested in reading. [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. But this union was doomed to heartache. She suffered from lung cancer and died of the disease in 1973. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/betty-grable-3794.php, American Female Film & Theater Personalities, 20th Century Film & Theater Personalities, 20th Century American Film & Theater Personalities. Above, Harry, Jessica, Vicki and Betty Grable . Grable died in 1973 at age 56 of lung cancer. With the Great Depression looming, Lillians frenzy to make her daughter into a star took an even more chilling turn. Your suggestions can be as general or specific as you like, from Life to Compact Cars and Trucks to A Subspecies of Capybara Called Hydrochoerus Isthmius. Well get our writers on it because we want to create articles on the topics youre interested in. In fact, grossly enough, he was known for his endurance and his indiscriminate taste. And that wasnt all. In fact, Grable and Monroe got along famously; Grable reportedly told Monroe: "Go and get yours, honey! We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message. Although she received no on-screen credit for her performance, she led the film's opening musical number, titled "Cowboys". It was later included in the LIFE magazine project "100 Photos that Changed the World". She also has a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame, and was inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians in 2009. http://www.house.mo.gov/famous.aspx?fm=52. 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. Wabash Avenue, was a up-to-date remake of Grable's 1943 film Coney Island, and, she again co-starred with Dan Dailey for My Blue Heaven; both films are known as musical classics. The first, A Yank in the R.A.F., released in September, co-starred heartthrob Tyrone Power, and cast her as Carol Brown, who works in the Women's Auxiliary Air Force during the day, but is employed as a nightclub singer in the evening. The film teamed Grable with her future-husband, Harry James; and also featured Carmen Miranda, in a supporting role. From the moment it came out it was iconic, and immediately became the most popular pin-up poster. Harry James, proud parent of Vicki and Jessica. There was just one problem. 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. However, she is best noted for her 1947 film Mother Wore Tights. Betty Saunders has written: In 1943, she married trumpeter Harry James. Also in 1943, Grable's famous pin-up picture was taken and resulted in Grable being cast in Pin Up Girl (1944). Uh. Elizabeth, who later became Betty, was enrolled in Clark's Dancing School at the age of three. Undaunted by this, Betty Grable was presented at the casting offices of Samuel Goldwyn Productions and was on her way with a contract; at the age of 13, she was playing a chorus girl in a Hollywood film. Hosiery specialists and retailers often cited her gams as having the perfect proportions for stockings, and Grable was under no illusions about what brought in the big bucks. 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. Grable died July 2, 1973, of lung cancer at age 56 in Santa Monica, California. Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection. Betty Grable's pinup snap made LIFE magazine's "100 Photos that Changed the World." (Getty Images) Grable set a record of 12 consecutive years in the top 10 of box office stars. Why do people say that forever is not altogether real in love and relationship. children and others? Her mother soon gave her a make-over which included dyeing her hair platinum blonde. Betty Grable was born in St. Louis. Immediate Family: Daughter of Harry James and Betty Grable. They endured a tumultuous 22-year marriage that was plagued by alcoholism and infidelity. The film was a moderate box-office success. [49], Grable thereafter found a new career starring in her own act in Las Vegas hotels and with her then husband, musician Harry James. She was entered in multiple beauty contests, many of which she won or for which she achieved considerable attention. The exhausted starlet took up on Broadway instead in the musical DuBarry Was a Lady. February 5, 2012 Greta Conn and Lillian Grable had a pact - no more children. Mass Market Paperback. She played the title role in the musical film, Sweet Rosie OGrady in 1943. Realizing her time was done, Grable stepped away from the limelight in 1955and went straight to her demise. Her iconic bathing suit photo made her the number-one pin-up girl of the World War II era. 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 town. She played a vaudeville performer whose daughter is embarrassed of her mothers profession. "If that's not luck I don't know what you'd call it" Grable said. The title Million Dollar Legs, is a name from which her nickname is taken. Did she mean-girl the bombshell and let her get photographed with chipped nails? It proved to be Grable's final film appearance. We want our readers to trust us. They briefly toured on vaudeville and his success boosted hers, but they divorced in 1940. Was she really a model 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. 'Tochter und mutter' In the difficult and uncertain days of World War II, a pinup poster of Betty Grable brought a slice of home to American servicemen stationed around the world. After the war, her star continued to rise. Yikes. Grable played the leading roles in these films, which led to her being typecast as an innocent and not-so-bright college student. B etty Grable was famed more for her shapely legs than for her acting and singing, as the star of dozens of Hollywood musicals was always ready to concede. Learn more about the collections in Calisphere. So, how much is Betty Grable worth at the age of 57 years old? Her life was an active one, devoid of the scandals that plagued many stars in one way or another. In 1952, Grable began renegotiating her contract with Fox. The couple had two daughters. Yet again, rumors swirled about the set environment during the shoot, with many whispering that the two sparring starlets detested each other. They were totally Grables last film with Paramount was the B comedyMillion Dollar Legs with her then-husband Jackie Coogan. 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 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Grable#Filmography. Grable, being generally kind-hearted and very in love, somehow let him. During World War II, GI locker doors and warship . Her mother was a stubborn and materialistic woman determined to make her daughter a star. Lillian's dream was to be a dancer. Betty Grable was interred in Inglewood Park Cemetery, in Inglewood, California. But that didnt mean her life was perfector even well-adjusted. Her parents were Lillian Rose and John Conn Grable. [24], Grable died of lung cancer on July 2, 1973 at the age of 56 in Santa Monica, California.[14][58]. wife and mother? 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. That film was the lead role in the classic comedy Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, AKA the part that shot Marylin Monroe to stardom. This went even more horrifically than you might think. View our statement on digital primary resources. We recommend you include the following information in your citation. The black-and-white image, taken in 1943, became the most requested . Her mother bleached her hair and gave her a makeover so that her daughter could make it big in Hollywood. This was said because Monroe was replacing Grable as 20th Century Fox's leading sex symbol movie-star; with Grable meaning she felt no threat, as she was nearing retirement. She and Harry James had two daughters: Victoria Elizabeth James (born March 3, 1944) and Jessica James (born May 20, 1947 - March 20, 2016). One way to cheer up the servicemen was through pin-up photographs of famous actresses, which they made into posters and shipped overseas. The film was a major success, as was Grable's next film A Yank in the RAF, a World War II film; that was her first serious leading role in a major Hollywood film. Most people who knew her during her time at the top were impressed by her morality, convinced she was 'more show than go' in most of her romances. Subscribe here: https://www.youtube.com/factsverse?sub_confirmation=1 Or, watch more videos here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkXAntdjbcSKgHx6EQVOwNKVz1cR2hKVDo you think you know a lot about TV? Pin Up Girl co-starred comedians Martha Raye and Joe E. Brown and was released in April 1944 to overwhelming success at the box-office. Her famous pin-up pose during World War II adorned barracks all around the world. Betty Grable was a Sagittarius and was born in the G.I. [62], Her iconic pin-up image was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential Photographs of All Time. On July 2, 1973, the American screen legend passed at the tender age of 56, without any chance for a comeback. John passed away at barely two years of age the same year Betty was born. When the film did not become the hit Paramount had hoped for, the studio released her from her contract and Grable began preparing to leave Hollywood for a simpler life. She was the youngest of three children born to Lillian Rose (ne Hofmann; 1889-1964) and John Charles Grable (1883-1954), a stockbroker. It was 1916 - Marjorie was 6 and their little son John had just died. In the 1970s, only a handful of years after her career really went on the decline, doctors diagnosed Grable with lung cancer. In retaliation, Zanuck fired Grable from the next film she had lined upand in so doing, he changed cinema history. In actuality, though Betty Grable and Alice Faye had never even met each other before shooting began on Tin Pan Alley, the actresses got along famously almost immediately after encountering each other on set. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. She became a very successful actress and soon became the highest paid female star in Hollywood. http://173.196.26.125/cdm/ref/collection/photos/id/30816, Betty Grable's youngest daughter at funeral service. Walter Sanders The LIFE Picture Collection/Shutterstock Original caption: "Betty poses the legs for a still shot on a studio beach set. Generation. The success of the movie led to her re-teaming with Mature in Footlight Serenade (1942), also co-starring John Payne, in which she played a glamorous Broadway star. 25 Feb/23. Thanks for your help! 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). 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. She starred along with Dan Dailey as married vaudeville performers whose children are embarrassed of their parents profession. They looked after each other. Nicknamed Betty as a child, she was pressured by her mother to become a performer. Critics called the film a "slight, but cheerful, item", and proclaimed it "does serve to bring Betty Grable back to the screen". Theres no accounting for taste, and theres definitely no accounting for Betty Grable and Harry Jamess taste in baby names. In a 1940 interview, she said that she was "sick and tired" of show business and had decided to retire, but changed her mind - she received an unsolicited offer to go on a personal appearance tour, which she accepted and which led to Darryl F. Zanuck offering her a bigger contract, which she accepted, and which was followed by a part in Buddy DeSylva's Broadway show Du Barry Was a Lady and a part replacing the suddenly ill Alice Faye in Down Argentine Way. Later, 20th Century-Fox, who had her under contract, insured her legs with Lloyds of London for a million dollars. As the starlet once quipped, I became a star for two reasons, and Im standing on them.. In a 1940 interview, Grable stated she was "sick and tired" of show business and that she was considering retirement. As the Lily sisters, both Grable and Faye received favorable reviews for their performances. Betty decorates the dinner table to suit the occasion, whether it is a birthday or Valentine's Day. In 1937, Grable married another famous former child actor, Jackie Coogan. 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. With that pin-up and as the star of lavish musicals, Betty became the highest-paid star in Hollywood. 2006. Among the luminaries attending her funeral were her ex-husband Harry James, Dorothy Lamour, Shirley Booth, Mitzi Gaynor, Johnnie Ray, Don Ameche, Cesar Romero, George Raft, Alice Faye and Dan Dailey. On July 2, 1973, at age 56, she died of lung cancer. He was under considerable stress from a lawsuit against his parents over his childhood earnings and the couple divorced in 1939. Hollywood defined by their popularity? Try our quiz and enter to win $500!Click below to check the trivia question Betty Grable had been pushed into performing by her mother and started performing as a chorus girl at the age of just 13 due to her mother lying about her age. But this led to one utterly harrowing story. 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 film was moderately successful and quickly was followed by Meet Me After the Show (1951), co-starring Macdonald Carey, Rory Calhoun, and Eddie Albert. 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.