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| − | {{epname|Grable, Betty}}
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| − | {{Infobox actor
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| − | | bgcolour = silver
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| − | | name = Betty Grable
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| − | | image = Betty Grable in How to Marry a Millionaire trailer 2 cropped.jpg
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| − | | imagesize =
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| − | | caption = in ''How to Marry a Millionaire'' (1953)
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| − | | birthname = Elizabeth Ruth Grable
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| − | | birthdate = {{birth date|1916|12|18|mf=y}}
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| − | | location = [[St. Louis, Missouri]]
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| − | | deathdate = {{death date and age|1973|7|2|1916|12|18|mf=y}}
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| − | | deathplace = [[Santa Monica, California]]
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| − | | othername = Frances Dean
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| − | | homepage =
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| − | | academyawards =
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| − | | spouse = [[Jackie Coogan]] (1937-1940)<br/> [[Harry James]] (1943-1965) 2 children
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| − | }}
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| − | '''Betty Grable''' (December 18, 1916 – July 2, 1973) was an American dancer, singer, and [[actor|actress]].
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| − | Her [[icon]]ic bathing suit photo made her the number-one [[pin-up girl]] of the [[World War II]] era. It was later included in the ''[[Life magazine|Life]]'' magazine project "[[100 Photos that Changed the World]]." Grable was particularly noted for having the most beautiful legs in Hollywood and studio publicity widely dispersed photos featuring them. Hosiery specialists of the era often noted{{Fact|date=November 2008}} the ideal proportions of her legs as: thigh (18.5") calf (12"), and ankle (7.5").
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| − | Grable's legs were famously insured by her [[movie studio|studio]] for $1,000,000 with [[Lloyds of London]].{{Fact|date=November 2008}}
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| − | ==Early life==
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| − | She was born '''Elizabeth Ruth Grable''' in [[St. Louis, Missouri]] to John Conn Grable (1883-1954) and Lillian Rose Hofmann (1889-1964).<ref>[http://bettygrable.net/bio BettyGrable.net - Betty Grable Biography]</ref> She was the youngest of three children.
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| − | Most of Grable's recent ancestors were American, but her distant heritage included [[Dutch people|Dutch]], [[Irish people|Irish]], [[German people|German]] and [[English people|English]].<ref>[http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=geolarson2&id=I224911 http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=geolarson2&id=I224911] ''Worldconnect.rootsweb.com'' </ref><ref>[http://grableonline.tripod.com/faq-2.html http://grableonline.tripod.com/faq-2.html] ''Grableonline.tripod.com'' </ref> She was propelled into acting by her mother. For her first role, as a [[Chorus line|chorus girl]] in the film ''[[Happy Days (1929 film)|Happy Days]]'' (1929), Grable was only 12 years old (legally underage for acting), but, because the chorus line performed in [[blackface]], it was impossible to tell how old she was. Her mother soon gave her a make-over which included dyeing her hair platinum blonde.
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| − | ==Career==
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| − | For her next film, her mother got her a contract using a false [[identity document|identification]]. When this deception was discovered, however, Grable was fired. Grable finally obtained a role as a '[[Goldwyn Girls|Goldwyn Girl]]' in ''[[Whoopee!]]'' (1930), starring [[Eddie Cantor]]. Though Grable received no billing, she led the opening number, "Cowboys." Grable then worked in small roles at different studios for the rest of the decade, including the [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]]-winning ''[[The Gay Divorcee]]'' (1934), starring [[Fred Astaire]] and [[Ginger Rogers]].
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| − | In the 1940s – after small parts in over 50 [[Hollywood]] movies throughout the 1930s – Grable finally gained national attention on stage for her role in the [[Cole Porter]] [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] hit ''[[Du Barry Was a Lady]]'' (1939).
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| − | [[Image:Grable1.jpg|200px|left|150px]]
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| − | In 1940, Grable obtained a contract with [[20th Century Fox]], becoming their top star throughout the decade, with [[Technicolor]] movies such as ''[[Down Argentine Way]]'' (1940), ''[[Moon Over Miami (movie)|Moon Over Miami]]'' (1941) (both with [[Don Ameche]]), ''[[Springtime in The Rockies]]'' (1942), ''[[Coney Island (1943 film)|Coney Island]]'' (1943) with [[George Montgomery]], ''[[Sweet Rosie O'Grady]]'' (1943) with [[Robert Young (actor)|Robert Young]], ''[[Pin Up Girl]]'' (1944), ''[[Diamond Horseshoe]]'' (1945) with [[Dick Haymes]], ''[[The Dolly Sisters]]'' (1945) with [[John Payne (actor)|John Payne]] and [[June Haver]], and her most popular{{Fact|date=November 2008}} film, ''[[Mother Wore Tights]]'' (1947), with her favorite{{Fact|date=November 2008}} costar, [[Dan Dailey]].
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| − | It was during her reign as box office queen (in 1943) that Grable posed for her famous pinup photo, which (along with her movies) soon became escapist fare among GIs fighting in [[World War II]]. The image was taken by studio photographer Frank Powolny, who died in 1986. <ref>[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DE1DB103CF932A25752C0A960948260 FRANK POWOLNY - New York Times<!-- Bot generated title —>]</ref> Despite solid competition from [[Rita Hayworth]], [[Dorothy Lamour]], [[Veronica Lake]], [[Carole Landis]] and [[Lana Turner]], Grable was indisputably the top pinup girl for American soldiers. She was wildly popular at home as well, placing in the top 10 box office draws for 10 years. By the end of the 1940s Grable was the highest-paid female star in Hollywood.
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| − | Her postwar musicals included: '' [[That Lady in Ermine]]'' (1948) with [[Douglas Fairbanks Jr.]], ''[[When My Baby Smiles at Me]]'' (1948) again with Dailey, ''[[Wabash Avenue]]'' (1950) (a remake of Grable's own ''[[Coney Island]]'') with [[Victor Mature]], ''[[My Blue Heaven]]'' (1950), and ''[[Meet Me After the Show]]'' (1951). Studio chief [[Darryl F. Zanuck]] lavished his star with expensive Technicolor films, but also kept her busy—Grable made nearly 25 [[musical film|musical]]s and comedies in 13 years. Her last big hit for Fox was ''[[How to Marry a Millionaire]]'' (1953) with [[Lauren Bacall]] and [[Marilyn Monroe]]. Grable next starred in ''[[Three For The Show]]'' (1955) with [[Jack Lemmon]] and this film was one of her last musicals.
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| − | Grable's later career was marked by feuds with studio heads. At one point, in the middle of a fight with Zanuck, she tore up her contract and stormed out of his office. Gradually leaving movies entirely, she made the transition to television and starred in [[Las Vegas, Nevada|Las Vegas]]. In 1967, she took over the lead in the touring company of ''[[Hello, Dolly! (musical)|Hello, Dolly!]]''. She starred in a 1969 musical called ''[[Belle Starr]]'' in London, but it was savaged by critics and soon folded.
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| − | Grable's last role was Billie Dawn in ''[[Born Yesterday]]'', and the last stage she performed on was the [[Alhambra Dinner Theatre]] in [[Jacksonville, Florida]] in February, 1973.<ref>[http://www.alhambradinnertheatre.com/new_insidescoop.htm Alhambra Dinner Theatre website: Inside scoop]</ref>
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| − | ==Personal life==
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| − | In 1937, Grable married another famous former child-actor, [[Jackie Coogan]]. He was under considerable stress from a lawsuit against his parents over his earnings, however, and the couple divorced in 1939.
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| − | In 1943, she married trumpeter and [[big band]] leader [[Harry James]]. The couple had two daughters, Victoria and Jessica. They endured a tumultuous 22-year marriage that was plagued by alcoholism and infidelity. The couple divorced in 1965. Grable entered into a relationship with a dancer, [[Bob Remick]], several years her junior. Though they did not marry, their romance lasted until the end of Grable's life.
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| − | ==Death==
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| − | Grable died of [[lung cancer]] at age 56 in [[Santa Monica, California]]. Her funeral was held July 5, 1973, 30 years to the day after her marriage to Harry James — who, in turn, died on what would have been his and Grable's 40th anniversary, July 5, 1983. She is interred in [[Inglewood Park Cemetery]], [[Inglewood, California]].
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| − | ==Legacy==
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| − | Grable has a star on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] at 6525 [[Hollywood Boulevard]]. She also has a star on the [[St. Louis Walk of Fame]].
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| − | [[Hugh Hefner]], founder of ''[[Playboy magazine|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.
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| − | ==Filmography==
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| − | Features:
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| − | *''[[Happy Days (1929 film)|Happy Days]]'' ([[1929 in film|1929]])
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| − | *''Let's Go Places'' ([[1930 in film|1930]])
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| − | *''New Movietone Follies of 1930'' (1930)
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| − | *''[[Whoopee! (film)|Whoopee!]]'' (1930)
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| − | *''[[Kiki (film)|Kiki]]'' ([[1931 in film|1931]])
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| − | *''[[Palmy Days]]'' (1931)
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| − | *''[[The Greeks Had a Word for Them]]'' ([[1932 in film|1932]])
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| − | *''Probation'' (1932)
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| − | *''The Age of Consent'' (1932)
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| − | *''Hold 'Em Jail'' (1932)
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| − | *''The Kid from Spain'' (1932)
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| − | *''[[Cavalcade (film)|Cavalcade]]'' ([[1933 in film|1933]])
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| − | *''[[Child of Manhattan (film)|Child of Manhattan]]'' (1933)
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| − | *''Melody Cruise'' (1933)
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| − | *''What Price Innocence?'' (1933)
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| − | *''The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi'' (1933)
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| − | *''[[The Gay Divorcee]]'' ([[1934 in film|1934]])
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| − | *''Student Tour'' (1934)
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| − | *''By Your Leave'' (1934)
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| − | *''The Nitwits'' ([[1935 in film|1935]])
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| − | *''Old Man Rhythm'' (1935)
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| − | *''Collegiate'' ([[1936 in film|1936]])
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| − | *''[[Follow the Fleet]]'' (1936)
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| − | *''Don't Turn 'em Loose'' (1936)
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| − | *''[[Pigskin Parade (film)|Pigskin Parade]]'' (1936)
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| − | *''[[This Way Please]]'' ([[1937 in film|1937]])
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| − | *''Thrill of a Lifetime'' (1937)
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| − | *''[[College Swing]]'' ([[1938 in film|1938]])
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| − | *''Give Me a Sailor'' (1938)
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| − | *''Campus Confessions'' (1938)
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| − | *''Man About Town'' ([[1939 in film|1939]])
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| − | *''Million Dollar Legs'' (1939)
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| − | *''The Day the Bookies Wept'' (1939)
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| − | *''[[Down Argentine Way]]'' ([[1940 in film|1940]])
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| − | *''[[Tin Pan Alley (film)|Tin Pan Alley]]'' (1940)
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| − | *''[[Moon Over Miami (film)|Moon Over Miami]]'' ([[1941 in film|1941]])
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| − | *''[[A Yank in the RAF]]'' (1941)
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| − | *''[[I Wake Up Screaming]]'' (1941)
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| − | *''Song of the Islands'' ([[1942 in film|1942]])
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| − | *''Footlight Serenade'' (1942)
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| − | *''[[Springtime in the Rockies]]'' (1942)
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| − | *''[[Coney Island (1943 film)|Coney Island]]'' ([[1943 in film|1943]])
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| − | *''[[Sweet Rosie O'Grady]]'' (1943)
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| − | *''Four Jills in a Jeep'' ([[1944 in film|1944]])
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| − | *''[[Pin Up Girl (film)|Pin Up Girl]]'' (1944)
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| − | *''Diamond Horseshoe'' ([[1945 in film|1945]])
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| − | *''[[The Dolly Sisters]]'' (1945)
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| − | *''Do You Love Me'' ([[1946 in film|1946]]) (Cameo)
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| − | *''The Shocking Miss Pilgrim'' ([[1947 in film|1947]])
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| − | *''[[Mother Wore Tights]]'' (1947)
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| − | *''That Lady in Ermine'' ([[1948 in film|1948]])
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| − | *''[[When My Baby Smiles at Me]]'' (1948)
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| − | *''[[The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend]]'' ([[1949 in film|1949]])
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| − | *''Wabash Avenue'' ([[1950 in film|1950]])
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| − | *''My Blue Heaven'' (1950)
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| − | *''[[Call Me Mister]]'' ([[1951 in film|1951]])
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| − | *''Meet Me After the Show'' (1951)
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| − | *''[[The Farmer Takes a Wife]]'' ([[1953 in film|1953]])
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| − | *''[[How to Marry a Millionaire]]'' (1953)
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| − | *''[[Three for the Show]]'' ([[1955 in film|1955]])
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| − | *''How to Be Very, Very Popular'' (1955)
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| − | Short Subjects:
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| − | *''Crashing Hollywood'' ([[1931 in film|1931]])
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| − | *''Ex-Sweeties'' (1931)
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| − | *''Once a Hero'' (1931)
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| − | *''Lady! Please!'' ([[1932 in film|1932]])
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| − | *''Hollywood Luck'' (1932)
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| − | *''The Flirty Sleepwalker'' (1932)
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| − | *''Hollywood Lights'' (1932)
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| − | *''Over the Counter'' (1932)
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| − | *''Air Tonic'' ([[1933 in film|1933]])
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| − | *''School for Romance'' ([[1934 in film|1934]])
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| − | *''Love Detectives'' (1934)
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| − | *''Elmer Steps Out'' (1934)
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| − | *''Business Is a Pleasure'' (1934)
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| − | *''Susie's Affairs'' (1934)
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| − | *''Ferry-Go-Round'' (1934)
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| − | *''This Band Age'' ([[1935 in film|1935]])
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| − | *''The Spirit of 1976'' (1935)
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| − | *''A Night at the Biltmore Bowl'' (1935)
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| − | *''Drawing Rumors'' (1935)
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| − | *''A Quiet Fourth'' (1935)
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| − | *''Screen Snapshots Series 15, No. 11'' ([[1936 in film|1936]])
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| − | *''Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs'' (1936)
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| − | *''Screen Snapshots Series 16, No. 7'' ([[1937 in film|1937]])
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| − | *''Screen Snapshots Series 16, No. 10'' (1937)
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| − | *''Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 4'' ([[1938 in film|1938]])
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| − | *''Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 1'' ([[1941 in film|1941]])
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| − | *''The All-Star Bond Rally'' ([[1945 in film|1945]])
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| − | *''Hollywood Park'' ([[1946 in film|1946]])
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| − | *''Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Shower of Stars'' ([[1955 in film|1955]])
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| − | ==Notes==
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| − | <references/>
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| − | ==References==
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| − | *Hulse, Ed. 1996. ''The Films of Betty Grable.'' Burbank, Calif: Riverwood Press. ISBN 1880756064
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| − | *McGee, Tom. 1994. ''Betty Grable: The Girl with the Million Dollar Legs.'' Vestal, N.Y.: Vestal Press. ISBN 1879511150
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| − | *Pastos, Spero. 1986. ''Pin-up: The Tragedy of Betty Grable.'' New York: Putnam. ISBN 0399131892
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| − | *Warren, Doug. 1981. ''Betty Grable, The Reluctant Movie Queen.'' New York: St. Martin's Press ISBN 0312077327
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| − | ==External links==
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| − | *[http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0002107/ Betty Grable] ''IMDb.com.''
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| − | *[http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/participant.jsp?participantId=74705 Betty Grable]. ''tcmdb.com.''
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| − | *[http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=42727 Betty Grable] ''IBDB.com.''
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| − | *[http://www.betty-grable.com Betty Grable: A Tribute] ''Betty-Grable.com.''
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| − | *[http://www.bettygrable.net Betty Grable: The Girl With The Million Dollar Legs] ''BettyGrable.net.''
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| − | *[http://www.vintagepeople.com/betty-grable Betty Grable] ''Vintage People.''
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| − | *[http://vintagemoviefan.freehomepage.com Betty Grable Photo Tribute] ''Vintagemoviefan.com''
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| − | *[http://grableonline.tripod.com/portrait-1.html Betty Grable Portraits] ''BettyGrableonline.com.''
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| − | *[http://www.stlouiswalkoffame.org/inductees/betty-grable.html Betty Grable] ''St. Louis Walk of Fame.''
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| − | *[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=409 Betty Grable Gravesite] ''FindAGrave.com.''
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| − | <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] —>
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| − | {{Persondata
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| − | |NAME= Grable, Betty
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| − | |ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Grable, Elizabeth Ruth
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| − | |SHORT DESCRIPTION=dancer, singer, actress
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| − | |DATE OF BIRTH= December 18, 1916
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| − | |PLACE OF BIRTH= [[St. Louis, Missouri]]
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| − | |DATE OF DEATH= July 2, 1973
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| − | |PLACE OF DEATH= [[Santa Monica, California]]
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| − | }}
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| − | {{DEFAULTSORT:Grable, Betty}}
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| − | [[Category:Art, music, literature, sports and leisure]]
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| − | [[Category:Biography]]
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| − | [[Category:Actors and playwrights]]
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| − | [[Category:Performing arts]]
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| − | {{Credit|260370128}}
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