Biography
Ruth Elizabeth Grable was born on December 18, 1916, in St. Louis,
Missouri. Her mother was a stubborn and materialistic woman who was
determined to make her daughter a star. Ruth, who later became
Betty, was enrolled in Clark's Dancing School at the age of 3. With
her mother's guidance, Betty studied ballet and tap-dancing. At 13,
Betty and her mother set out for Hollywood with the hopes of
stardom. Lillian lied about her daughter's age, and Ruth landed
several minor parts in films such as such as WHOPPEE!, NEW
MOVIETONE FOLLIES, HAPPY DAYS and LET'S GO PLACES, all in 1930. In
1932, she signed with RKO Studio. The bit parts continued for the
next three years. Betty finally landed a substantial part in 1934's
BY YOUR LEAVE. One of her big roles was in COLLEGE SWING, released
in 1936. Unfortunately, the public didn't seem to take notice. She
was beginning to think she was a failure. The next year, she
married former child star Jackie Coogan. His success boosted hers
but they divorced in 1940. When she landed the role of Glenda
Crawford in DOWN ARGENTINE WAY (1940), the public took notice of
this shining bright star. Stardom came through comedies such as
CONEY ISLAND and SWEET ROSIE O'GRADY, both in 1943. The public was
enchanted with Betty. Her famous pin-up pose during World War II
adorned barracks all around the world. With the pin-up and as the
star of lavish musicals, Betty became the highest paid star in
Hollywood. After the war, her star continued to rise. In 1947, the
US 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. Later, Fox Studio, who had her under contract,
insured her legs with Lloyd's of London for a million dollars.
Betty continued to be popular until the mid-fifties when musicals
went into a decline. Her last film, entitled HOW TO BE VERY, VERY
POPULAR, was released in 1955. She then concentrated on Broadway
and nightclubs. In 1965, she divorced bandleader Harry James, whom
she had wed in 1943. Betty died of cancer on July 5, 1973 in Santa
Monica, California, 30 years to the day she had wed James. (He died
on July 5, 1983.) Betty's life was an active one, minus the
scandals that plagued many stars in one way or the other. In
reality, she cared more for her family and the family life more
than stardom. In that way, she was a true star.
Biography courtesy of the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com).
|
Movie
Credits Click a movie's title to search for
it at Amazon.com
Love Goddesses, The (1965)
|
[ Louise Brooks ] [ Sophia Loren ] [ Claudette Colbert ] [ Rita Hayworth ] [ Hedy Lamarr ] [ Clara Bow ] [ Jean Harlow ] [ Marilyn Monroe ] [ Marlene Dietrich ] [ Elizabeth Taylor ] [ Brigitte Bardot ] [ Mae West ] [ Carole Lombard ] [ Dorothy Lamour ] [ Ingrid Bergman ] [ Myrna Loy ] [ Audrey Hepburn ] [ Greta Garbo ] [ Barbara Stanwyck ]
|
How to Be Very, Very Popular (1955)
|
[ Sheree North ]
|
Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Shower of Stars (1955)
|
[ Maureen O'Sullivan ] [ Dorothy Lamour ]
|
Three for the Show (1955)
|
Farmer Takes a Wife, The (1953)
|
How to Marry a Millionaire (1953)
|
[ Lauren Bacall ] [ Marilyn Monroe ]
|
Call Me Mister (1951)
|
Meet Me After the Show (1951)
|
Wabash Avenue (1950)
|
My Blue Heaven (1950)
|
[ Joan Cusack ] [ Colleen Camp ] [ Greta Blackburn ] [ Carol Kane ] [ Valerie Wildman ] [ Tatjana Simic ]
|
Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend, The (1949)
|
When My Baby Smiles at Me (1948)
|
That Lady in Ermine (1948)
|
Mother Wore Tights (1947)
|
[ Anne Baxter ]
|
Hollywood Bound (1947)
|
Shocking Miss Pilgrim, The (1947)
|
[ Marilyn Monroe ]
|
Hollywood Park (1946)
|
Do You Love Me (1946)
|
Dolly Sisters, The (1945)
|
Diamond Horseshoe (1945)
|
All-Star Bond Rally, The (1945)
|
Pin-Up Girl (1944)
|
Four Jills in a Jeep (1944)
|
Coney Island (1943)
|
Sweet Rosie O'Grady (1943)
|
Footlight Serenade (1942)
|
Song of the Islands (1942)
|
Springtime in the Rockies (1942)
|
Yank in the RAF, A (1941)
|
I Wake Up Screaming (1941)
|
Moon Over Miami (1941)
|
Down Argentine Way (1940)
|
Tin Pan Alley (1940)
|
Man About Town (1939)
|
[ Dorothy Lamour ]
|
Million Dollar Legs (1939)
|
Day the Bookies Wept, The (1939)
|
College Swing (1938)
|
Give Me a Sailor (1938)
|
Campus Confessions (1938)
|
Thrill of a Lifetime (1937)
|
[ Dorothy Lamour ]
|
This Way Please (1937)
|
Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs (1936)
|
Follow the Fleet (1936)
|
[ Lucille Ball ]
|
Don't Turn 'em Loose (1936)
|
Pigskin Parade (1936)
|
[ Judy Garland ]
|
Collegiate (1936)
|
Night at the Biltmore Bowl, A (1935)
|
[ Lucille Ball ]
|
Spirit of 1976, The (1935)
|
Nitwits, The (1935)
|
Drawing Rumors (1935)
|
Old Man Rhythm (1935)
|
[ Lucille Ball ]
|
Quiet Fourth, A (1935)
|
School for Romance (1934)
|
Business Is a Pleasure (1934)
|
By Your Leave (1934)
|
Elmer Steps Out (1934)
|
Gay Divorcee, The (1934)
|
Love Detectives (1934)
|
Student Tour (1934)
|
Susie's Affairs (1934)
|
Sweetheart of Sigma Chi (1933)
|
What Price Innocence? (1933)
|
Child of Manhattan (1933)
|
Melody Cruise (1933)
|
Cavalcade (1933)
|
Air Tonic (1933)
|
Hollywood Lights (1932)
|
Hold 'Em Jail (1932)
|
Greeks Had a Word for Them, The (1932)
|
[ Joan Blondell ]
|
Age of Consent, The (1932)
|
Probation (1932)
|
Over the Counter (1932)
|
Crashing Hollywood (1932)
|
Lady, Please (1932)
|
Kid from Spain, The (1932)
|
Hollywood Luck (1932)
|
Flirty Sleepwalker, The (1932)
|
Ex-Sweeties (1931)
|
Palmy Days (1931)
|
Kiki (1931)
|
Let's Go Places (1930)
|
Whoopee! (1930)
|
New Movietone Follies of 1930 (1930)
|
Happy Days (1930)
|
[ Georgina Spelvin ]
|
Amazon.com
100 Hot DVDs
Click here to buy movie posters!
If you are looking for pictures of hot female actresses or celebrities, check out
FemaleStars.comThey currently feature over 65,000 Nude Pics, Biographies, Video Clips, Articles, and Movie Reviews of famous stars. | |
Male
Co-Stars Who
have been seen in movies with Betty Grable |