Betty Grable - Actresses, Career and Personal Life
Betty Grable's Personal Details
Betty Grable was an actress and dancer who was the topmost pin-up girl during the World War II era
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthday | December 18, 1916 |
| Died on | July 2, 1973 |
| Nationality | American |
| Famous | Film & Theater Personalities, Actresses |
| City/State | Missouri |
| Spouses | Harry James (m.1943-1965), Jackie Coogan (m.1937-1939) |
| Known as | Frances Dean |
| Childrens | Jessica James, Victoria Elizabeth James |
| Birth Place | St. Louis, Missouri, U.S |
| Epitaphs | Betty Grable James, 1916-1973 |
| Gender | Female |
| Father | John Conn Grable (1883–1954) |
| Mother | Lillian Rose Hofmann (1889–1964) |
| Sun Sign | Sagittarius |
| Born in | St. Louis, Missouri, U.S |
| Famous as | American actress |
| Died at Age | 56 |
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Betty Grable's photo
Who is Betty Grable?
Betty Grable was an American actress and dancer once known as the woman with the most beautiful legs in Hollywood. The No.1 pin-up girl of the World War II era, her photograph in a bathing suit pose went on to achieve iconic status and was included in the project "100 Photographs that Changed the World" by the ‘Life’ magazine. 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’. The daughter of a highly ambitious woman, Betty was groomed for stardom from a very young age. Her mother bleached her hair and gave her a makeover so that her daughter could make it big in Hollywood. Her first movie appearance was as a Goldwyn Girl in the musical comedy ‘Whoopee!’ Because of her youthful appearance she was soon typecast in movies playing the role of a college student. She became a very successful actress and soon became the highest paid female star in Hollywood. 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 legs—this picture soon achieved iconic status.
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Childhood & Early Life
She was born as Elizabeth Ruth Grable to John Conn Grable and Lillian Rose Hofmann. She was the youngest of three children.
Her mother groomed her for a career in show business from an early age. She motivated her daughter to sing, dance and act.
Betty made her debut as a chorus girl in the film ‘Happy Days’ in 1929 when she was 12 years old.
Her mother made her attend the Hollywood Professional School and learned dancing from the Ernest Blecher Academy.
She was chosen for the chorus in ‘Let’s Go Places’. The law at that time required the girls to be over 15 to dance in the chorus. Betty was just 13 but her mother arranged for her false identification papers so that she could perform. However, the deception was found out and she was disqualified.
Career
In 1930, she made her first film appearance as a Goldwyn Girl in ‘Whoopee!’. She led the opening number, ‘Cowboys’. This was followed by small roles in a number of films over the decade.
She signed a contract with Paramount Pictures in the late 1930s. She appeared in a number of B-movies like ‘Pigskin Parade’ (1936), ‘This Way Please’ (1937), ‘College Swing’ (1938). She played college students in most of these films and was thus typecast in this role.
In was in 1940 that she landed her first leading role—she was chosen to play Glenda Crawford—in the musical film ‘Down Argentine Way’ which also had Don Ameche, Charlotte Greenwood and Carmen Miranda in the star cast.
She played the title role in the musical film, ‘Sweet Rosie O’Grady in 1943. The story was about a singer who hopes for a better future when she marries an English duke. The movie was a big commercial hit.
In 1947, she starred in the highly popular film, ‘Mother Wore Tights’ in which she was cast opposite Dan Dailey. She played a vaudeville performer whose daughter is embarrassed of her mother’s profession. It was one of the highest grossing films of that year.
She played Ruby Summers in the ‘Wabash Avenue’ in 1950. The film was a remake of the 1943 film ‘Coney island’. She portrayed a burlesque queen in a dance hall in Chicago.
Her 1951 film ‘Meet Me After the Show’ was one of the last musicals she appeared in. The movie was about a Broadway actress who is so successful that her husband considers her more of an asset than a wife.
She starred along with Marilyn Monroe and Lauren Bacall as gold-diggers in the 1953 romantic comedy ‘How to Marry a Millionaire’. The screenplay was based upon two plays by Zoe Akins and Dale Eunson and Katherine Albert.
Her final movie appearance was in the 1955 comedy ‘How to Be Very, Very Popular’ which was produced and directed by Nunnally Johnson. The plot revolved around two showgirls who witness the murder of their fellow performer but do not want to get involved in the investigation.
Major Works
The musical ‘Mother Wore Tights’ is considered her signature film. She starred along with Dan Dailey as married vaudeville performers whose children are embarrassed of their parents’ profession. The film was a commercial super hit and earned more than $5 million at the box office.
Personal Life & Legacy
She tied the knot with actor Jackie Coogan in 1937 and divorced him in 1939. Her second marriage was to trumpeter Harry James in 1943. The couple had two daughters. After enduring a difficult marriage plagued by alcoholism and infidelity, the couple divorced in 1965.
She was in a relationship with the much younger dancer Bob Remick which lasted till her death.
She suffered from lung cancer and died of the disease in 1973.
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Betty Grable biography timelines
- // 18th Dec 1916She was born as Elizabeth Ruth Grable to John Conn Grable and Lillian Rose Hofmann. She was the youngest of three children.
- // 1929Betty made her debut as a chorus girl in the film ‘Happy Days’ in 1929 when she was 12 years old.
- // 1930In 1930, she made her first film appearance as a Goldwyn Girl in ‘Whoopee!’. She led the opening number, ‘Cowboys’. This was followed by small roles in a number of films over the decade.
- // 1940In was in 1940 that she landed her first leading role—she was chosen to play Glenda Crawford—in the musical film ‘Down Argentine Way’ which also had Don Ameche, Charlotte Greenwood and Carmen Miranda in the star cast.
- // 1943She played the title role in the musical film, ‘Sweet Rosie O’Grady in 1943. The story was about a singer who hopes for a better future when she marries an English duke. The movie was a big commercial hit.
- // 1947In 1947, she starred in the highly popular film, ‘Mother Wore Tights’ in which she was cast opposite Dan Dailey. She played a vaudeville performer whose daughter is embarrassed of her mother’s profession. It was one of the highest grossing films of that year.
- // 1950She played Ruby Summers in the ‘Wabash Avenue’ in 1950. The film was a remake of the 1943 film ‘Coney island’. She portrayed a burlesque queen in a dance hall in Chicago.
- // 1951Her 1951 film ‘Meet Me After the Show’ was one of the last musicals she appeared in. The movie was about a Broadway actress who is so successful that her husband considers her more of an asset than a wife.
- // 1953She starred along with Marilyn Monroe and Lauren Bacall as gold-diggers in the 1953 romantic comedy ‘How to Marry a Millionaire’. The screenplay was based upon two plays by Zoe Akins and Dale Eunson and Katherine Albert.
- // 1955Her final movie appearance was in the 1955 comedy ‘How to Be Very, Very Popular’ which was produced and directed by Nunnally Johnson. The plot revolved around two showgirls who witness the murder of their fellow performer but do not want to get involved in the investigation.
- // 2nd Jul 1973She suffered from lung cancer and died of the disease in 1973.
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Betty Grable's FAQ
What is Betty Grable birthday?
Betty Grable was born at 1916-12-18
When was Betty Grable died?
Betty Grable was died at 1973-07-02
Where was Betty Grable died?
Betty Grable was died in Santa Monica, California, U.S
Which age was Betty Grable died?
Betty Grable was died at age 56
Where is Betty Grable's birth place?
Betty Grable was born in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S
What is Betty Grable nationalities?
Betty Grable's nationalities is American
Who is Betty Grable spouses?
Betty Grable's spouses is Harry James (m.1943-1965), Jackie Coogan (m.1937-1939)
Who is Betty Grable childrens?
Betty Grable's childrens is Jessica James, Victoria Elizabeth James
Who is Betty Grable's father?
Betty Grable's father is John Conn Grable (1883–1954)
Who is Betty Grable's mother?
Betty Grable's mother is Lillian Rose Hofmann (1889–1964)
What is Betty Grable's sun sign?
Betty Grable is Sagittarius
How famous is Betty Grable?
Betty Grable is famouse as American actress