Betty Grable

Betty Grable
Photo from 1951
Born	Elizabeth Ruth Grable (1916-12-18)December 18, 1916 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Died	July 2, 1973(1973-07-02) (aged 56) Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Lung cancer
Other names	Frances Dean
Occupation	Actress, dancer, singer
Years active	1929–1973
Spouse(s)	Jackie Coogan (m. 1937–1939) (divorced) Harry James (m. 1943–1965) (divorced) 2 children
Partner(s)	Bob Remick (till her death)

Elizabeth Ruth "Betty" Grable (December 18, 1916 – July 2, 1973) was an American actress, dancer, and singer.

Grable was celebrated for having the most beautiful legs in Hollywood and studio publicity widely dispersed photos featuring them. Her iconic bathing suit poster made her the number-one pin-up girl of the World War II era. It was later included in the Life magazine project "100 Photos that Changed the World". Hosiery specialists of the era often noted the ideal proportions of her legs as thigh (18.5"), calf (12"), and ankle (7.5"). Grable's legs were famously insured by her studio for $1,000,000 with Lloyds of London.^{[citation needed]}

Grable appeared in several smash-hit musical films in the 1940s, most notable: Mother Wore Tights in 1947, with frequent co-star Dan Dailey. She came to prominence in 1939 when she signed with Twentieth Century-Fox and signed on to appear opposite Ethel Merman in the Broadway musical Du Barry Was a Lady. But it was not until she was called back to Hollywood to replace Fox's musical queen, Alice Faye, in Down Argentine Way, that she became a household name. Throughout her career, Grable was typecast in her stereotype-musical film roles, and when her career faltered in the 1950s, she found it hard to reinvent herself as a serious, trained actress. In 1958 she appeared as herself on The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour with then husband Harry James in an episode entitled "Lucy Wins A Racehorse".

She was known by several nicknames during her heyday in the '40s, including "the girl with the million dollar legs," "the quick-silver blonde," "the queen of the Hollywood musical," and "the darling of the forties." Grable died in 1973 at age 56 of lung cancer.

Early life

Elizabeth Ruth Grable was born in St. Louis, Missouri to John Conn Grable (1883–1954) and Lillian Rose Hofmann (1889–1964), both of German American descent. She was the youngest of three children. Most of her immediate ancestors were American, but her distant heritage was of Dutch, Irish, German and English stock.

Grable was propelled into the acting profession by her mother, making her debut at 12 years old as a chorus girl in the film Happy Days (1929). Her mother soon gave her a makeover, which included bleaching her hair platinum blonde.

Career

Early career (1930–1939)

For her next film, her mother got her a contract using false identification. When this deception was discovered, Grable was fired. Grable finally obtained a role as a 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 Award-winning The Gay Divorcee (1934), starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, where she was prominently featured in the number "Let's K-nock K-nees".

In the late 1930s, Grable signed a contract with Paramount Pictures, starring in several B-movies, mostly portraying co-eds. These films included Pigskin Parade (1936), This Way Please (1937), College Swing (1938), and Man About Town (1939). Despite playing leads, the typecasting proved to hurt her career.

In 1939, Grable appeared with her husband Jackie Coogan in Million Dollar Legs, a low-budget B-movie from whose title Grable's nickname was taken. Grable and Coogan divorced later that same year. When her contract at Paramount expired, Grable decided to quit acting, having grown tired of appearing in college films.

Film stardom at Twentieth Century-Fox (1940–1949)

Grable's iconic pose from 1943 was a World War II bestseller, showing off her "million dollar legs"

In a 1940 interview, Grable said that she was "sick and tired" of show business and had decided to retire. Later she received an unsolicited offer to go on a personal appearance tour, which she accepted. The tour led to Darryl F. Zanuck's offering her a long-term contract with Twentieth Century-Fox. "If that's not luck I don't know what you'd call it" Grable said. "I've had contracts with four studios in 10 years and each time I left one or was dropped, I stepped into something better." She played a part in Buddy DeSylva's Broadway show Du Barry Was a Lady (with Ethel Merman) and a part replacing Fox's suddenly ill leading musical star, Alice Faye, in Down Argentine Way.

Following Down Argentine Way's positive reviews and major success, Grable was cast opposite Alice Faye in Tin Pan Alley. Over the years, there have been rumors that there was a rivalry between Faye and Grable and that Grable ultimately replaced Faye as the studio's top musical star. In reality, the two actresses got along right away and became lifelong friends. Grable never actually replaced Faye; Faye chose to leave because she was dissatisfied with the studio's treatment of her and ultimately Grable became the studio's leading musical star.

In 1941, she was cast in the Technicolor musical Moon Over Miami with Don Ameche. The film was a major success. Grable's next film was A Yank in the RAF, a World War II film, in which she co-starred with Tyrone Power, in her first serious leading role in a major Hollywood film. Following the success of this film, Grable was assigned to I Wake Up Screaming, in 1941, a black-and-white film noir co-starring Carole Landis and Victor Mature. Despite receiving critical acclaim especially for Grable's performance, the film was only mildly successful.

In 1942, Grable made three back-to-back musicals: Song of the Islands, Footlight Serenade and her biggest hit to date, Springtime in the Rockies. This film musical teamed Grable with her future husband, Harry James, and also featured Carmen Miranda in a supporting role. 1943 proved even more successful as Grable starred in two of her best-known Technicolor musicals, Sweet Rosie O'Grady and Coney Island. Coney Island was one of the five most successful films of the year.

In 1943, Grable was named by movie exhibitors as the most popular box office draw in the country. She was 20th Century Fox's top money maker, and Darryl F. Zanuck (Fox's chief) named Grable his "favorite" contract player. When Alice Faye left the studio in 1945, she became the studio's undisputed "queen of the lot."

Also in 1943, Grable's pin-up picture was taken and resulted in her being cast in Pin Up Girl. The film showcased Grable's photo in several brief glimpses. Pin Up Girl received poor reviews but was a tremendous box-office success. In 1945, she made Diamond Horseshoe with Dick Haymes. The film was a success, and Grable's next film The Dolly Sisters, co-starring June Haver, was one of Fox's biggest hits of the year.

In 1946, Grable appeared as herself in a cameo role in Do You Love Me, her only film appearance that year. Grable came back into the spotlight with the 1947 film, The Shocking Miss Pilgrim. The film was not a huge success, but her next project Mother Wore Tights, with one of her most frequent co-stars, Dan Dailey, was Fox's most successful film of 1947 and came to be known as Grable's "signature film".

Her next film, That Lady in Ermine (1948), co-starred Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and was only a moderate success. However, Grable's next film, When My Baby Smiles at Me (1948) (again co-starring Dan Dailey), was very successful. In 1949, Grable's film The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend was released but was a critical and box-office failure, and Grable's film career began to falter.

Motion picture decline & retirement (1950–1955)

In 1950, Grable made two successful films, Wabash Avenue and My Blue Heaven. Wabash Avenue was a remake of Grable's 1943 film Coney Island, and she again co-starred with Dan Dailey in My Blue Heaven.

In 1951, Grable made a film version of Call Me Mister, the 1946 Broadway revue about returning soldiers. A plot was added and new songs by Sammy Fain and Mack Gordon supplemented three Harold Rome songs retained from the revue. This was the last time Grable appeared in a film with Dan Dailey. Call Me Mister had only moderate box-office success. After the release of the 1951 musical Meet Me After the Show, for which she received good reviews for her comedic talent, Grable took a break from acting; she turned down the lead role in The Girl Next Door, a role that eventually went to June Haver.

In late 1952, Grable returned to acting, hoping to star with Jane Russell in Fox's film version of the Broadway musical comedy Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. However, Fox decided not to use Grable for the picture, in favor of newcomer Marilyn Monroe. She was then placed in a remake of The Farmer Takes a Wife, with Dale Robertson, a critically panned box-office failure.

Grable's last mainstream success for Fox was in How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), with Marilyn Monroe and Lauren Bacall. Some thought Grable and Monroe wouldn't get along, believing Grable was angered that Monroe had replaced her in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. However, Grable and Monroe got along extremely well. Grable was quoted as saying (to Monroe): "Go and get yours honey! I've had mine!" The picture had unusual billing: Grable was first in the film credits, Monroe first in the advertising.

Grable's last musical film appearance was in Three for the Show (1955) with Jack Lemmon. Three for the Show was released by Columbia Pictures, making the film Grable's first motion picture away from Fox since she signed with them fifteen years earlier.

Grable's final film role was in the comedy How to Be Very, Very Popular (1955) with newcomer Sheree North. This film was meant to reunite Grable with Marilyn Monroe, but Monroe turned it down, complaining the script was poor. Afterward, Grable wanted the role of Miss Adelaide in the 1956 film Guys and Dolls, but it went to Vivian Blaine.

Personal life

Grable married former child actor Jackie Coogan in 1937. He was under considerable stress from a lawsuit against his parents over his childhood earnings and the couple divorced in 1939.

In 1943, she married trumpeter Harry James. The couple had two daughters, Victoria and Jessica. Their marriage, which lasted for twenty-two years, was rife with alcoholism and infidelity before they divorced in 1965. Grable entered into a relationship with dancer Bob Remick, several years her junior, with whom she remained for the rest of her life.

Death

Grable died of lung cancer at age 56 in Santa Monica, California, on July 2, 1973. Her funeral was held two days later and attended by her ex-husband Harry James and Hollywood stars Dorothy Lamour, Shirley Booth, Mitzi Gaynor, Johnnie Ray, Don Ameche, Cesar Romero, George Raft, Alice Faye and Dan Dailey. "I Had the Craziest Dream," the ballad from Springtime in the Rockies, was played on the church organ. Grable was interred in Inglewood Park Cemetery, in Inglewood, California.

Legacy

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, she was inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians in 2009.

Hugh Hefner, founder of 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.

Trivia

Grable is briefly referenced during the season 3 episode of NCIS Frame Up. Special Agent Gibbs says ...my dad had her painted on the nose of his P-51...

Grable is also referenced during the season 2 episode of Community "Applied Anthropology and Culinary Arts". When pressed to say something awesome to warrant a handshake, Pierce exclaims "Betty Grable", much to the confusion of Troy and Abed. The scene concludes with Troy crying "Who's Betty Grable?".

Filmography

List of acting credits in film, with directors and principal cast members

Title	Year	Role	Director	Co-stars	Notes
Happy Days	1929	Chorus Girl	Stoloff, BenjaminBenjamin Stoloff	Charles E. Evans Marjorie White Richard Keene	Uncredited
Let's Go Places	1930	Chorine	Strayer, Frank R.Frank R. Strayer	Joseph Wagstaff Lola Lane	Uncredited
New Movietone Follies of 1930	1930	Chorine	Stoloff, BenjaminBenjamin Stoloff	El Brendel Marjorie White	Uncredited
Whoopee!	1930	Goldwyn Girl	Freeland, ThorntonThornton Freeland	Eddie Cantor Ethel Shutta Eleanor Hunt	Uncredited
Kiki	1931	Goldwyn Girl	Taylor, SamSam Taylor	Mary Pickford	Uncredited
Palmy Days	1931	Goldwyn Girl	Sutherland, A. EdwardA. Edward Sutherland	Charlotte Greenwood Barbara Weeks Spencer Charters	Uncredited
Greeks Had a Word for Them, TheThe Greeks Had a Word for Them	1932	Hat Check Girl	Sherman, LowellLowell Sherman	Joan Blondell Madge Evans Ina Claire	Uncredited
Probation	1932	Ruth Jarrett	Thorpe, RichardRichard Thorpe	John Darrow Sally Blane	Grable's first credited role
Age of Consent, TheThe Age of Consent	1932	Student at Dormitory	La Cava, GregoryGregory La Cava	Dorothy Wilson Arline Judge	Uncredited
Hold 'Em Jail	1932	Barbara Jones	Taurog, NormanNorman Taurog	Bert Wheeler Robert Woolsey Edna May Oliver
Kid from Spain, TheThe Kid from Spain	1932	Goldwyn Girl	McCarey, LeoLeo McCarey	Eddie Cantor Lyda Roberti Robert Young	Uncredited
Cavalcade	1933	Girl on couch	Lloyd, FrankFrank Lloyd	Diana Wynyard Clive Brook Una O'Connor	Uncredited
Child of Manhattan	1933	Lucy McGonegle	Buzzell, EdwardEdward Buzzell	Nancy Carroll John Boles
Melody Cruise	1933	First Stewardess	Sandrich, MarkMark Sandrich	Charles Ruggles Phil Harris	Uncredited
What Price Innocence?	1933	Beverly Bennett	Mack, WillardWillard Mack	Jean Parker Minna Gombell Willard Mack
Sweetheart of Sigma Chi, TheThe Sweetheart of Sigma Chi	1933	Band Singer with Ted Fio Rito	Marin, Edwin L.Edwin L. Marin	Mary Carlisle Buster Crabbe
Gay Divorcee, TheThe Gay Divorcee	1934	Dance Specialty	Sandrich, MarkMark Sandrich	Fred Astaire Ginger Rogers
Student Tour	1934	Cayenne	Reisner, CharlesCharles Reisner	Jimmy Durante Charles Butterworth Maxine Doyle
By Your Leave	1934	Frances Gretchell	Corrigan, LloydLloyd Corrigan	Frank Morgan Genevieve Tobin
Nitwits, TheThe Nitwits	1935	Mary Roberts	Stevens, GeorgeGeorge Stevens	Bert Wheeler Robert Woolsey
Old Man Rhythm	1935	Sylvia	Ludwig, EdwardEdward Ludwig	Charles 'Buddy' Rogers George Barbier
Collegiate	1936	Dorothy	Murphy, RalphRalph Murphy	Joe Penner Jack Oakie Ned Sparks
Follow the Fleet	1936	Trio Singer	Sandrich, MarkMark Sandrich	Fred Astaire Ginger Rogers
Don't Turn 'em Loose	1936	Mildred Webster	Stoloff, BenjaminBenjamin Stoloff	Lewis Stone James Gleason Bruce Cabot
Pigskin Parade	1936	Laura Watson	Butler, DavidDavid Butler	Stuart Erwin Patsy Kelly Judy Garland
This Way Please	1937	Jane Morrow	Florey, RobertRobert Florey	Charles 'Buddy' Rogers
Thrill of a Lifetime	1937	Gwen	Archainbaud, GeorgeGeorge Archainbaud	The Yacht Club Boys
College Swing	1938	Betty	Walsh, RaoulRaoul Walsh	George Burns Gracie Allen Martha Raye Bob Hope Edward Everett Horton
Give Me a Sailor	1938	Nancy Larkin	Nugent, ElliottElliott Nugent	Bob Hope Jack Whiting Martha Raye
Campus Confessions	1938	Joyce Gilmore	Archainbaud, GeorgeGeorge Archainbaud	Eleanore Whitney William Henry	Grable received top billing for the first time
Man About Town	1939	Susan Hayes	Sandrich, MarkMark Sandrich	Jack Benny Dorothy Lamour
Million Dollar Legs	1939	Carol Parker	Grinde, NickNick Grinde	John Hartley Donald O'Connor Jackie Coogan Dorothea Kent
Day the Bookies Wept, TheThe Day the Bookies Wept	1939	Ina Firpo	Goodwins, LeslieLeslie Goodwins	Joe Penner
Down Argentine Way	1940	Glenda Crawford Glenda Cunningham	Cummings, IrvingIrving Cummings	Don Ameche Carmen Miranda Charlotte Greenwood
Tin Pan Alley	1940	Lily Blane	Lang, WalterWalter Lang	Alice Faye John Payne Jack Oakie
Moon Over Miami	1941	Kathryn 'Kay' Latimer	Lang, WalterWalter Lang	Don Ameche Robert Cummings Carole Landis
Yank in the RAF, AA Yank in the RAF	1941	Carol Brown	King, HenryHenry King	Tyrone Power
I Wake Up Screaming	1941	Jill Lynn	Humberstone, H. BruceH. Bruce Humberstone	Victor Mature Carole Landis
Song of the Islands	1942	Eileen O'Brien	Lang, WalterWalter Lang	Victor Mature Jack Oakie
Footlight Serenade	1942	Pat Lambert	Ratoff, GregoryGregory Ratoff	John Payne Victor Mature Jane Wyman
Springtime in the Rockies	1942	Vicky Lane	Cummings, IrvingIrving Cummings	John Payne Carmen Miranda Cesar Romero Harry James
Coney Island	1943	Kate Farley	Lang, WalterWalter Lang	George Montgomery Cesar Romero
Sweet Rosie O'Grady	1943	Madeline Marlowe Rosie O'Grady	Cummings, IrvingIrving Cummings	Robert Young Adolphe Menjou
Four Jills in a Jeep	1944	Herself	Seiter, William A.William A. Seiter	Kay Francis Carole Landis Alice Faye Martha Raye Carmen Miranda
Pin Up Girl	1944	Lorry Jones Laura Lorraine	Humberstone, H. BruceH. Bruce Humberstone	John Harvey Martha Raye
Diamond Horseshoe	1945	Bonnie Collins	Seaton, GeorgeGeorge Seaton	Dick Haymes Phil Silvers William Gaxton
Dolly Sisters, TheThe Dolly Sisters	1945	Yansci 'Jenny' Dolly	Cummings, IrvingIrving Cummings	John Payne June Haver
Do You Love Me	1946	Girl in Taxi (cameo)	Ratoff, GregoryGregory Ratoff	Maureen O'Hara Dick Haymes Harry James	Grable had a cameo as a fan of Harry James's character
The Shocking Miss Pilgrim	1947	Cynthia Pilgrim	Seaton, GeorgeGeorge Seaton	Dick Haymes Anne Revere
Mother Wore Tights	1947	Myrtle McKinley Burt	Lang, WalterWalter Lang	Dan Dailey Mona Freeman
Lady in Ermine, ThatThat Lady in Ermine	1948	Francesca Angelina	Lubitsch, ErnstErnst Lubitsch Otto Preminger (uncredited)	Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Cesar Romero	Lubitsch died early into production. Preminger finished the film but insisted on Lubitsch receiving full credit.
When My Baby Smiles at Me	1948	Bonny Kaye	Lang, WalterWalter Lang	Dan Dailey Jack Oakie June Havoc
The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend	1949	Winifred Jones	Sturges, PrestonPreston Sturges	Cesar Romero Rudy Vallee
Wabash Avenue	1950	Ruby Summers	Koster, HenryHenry Koster	Victor Mature Phil Harris	Remake of Grable's earlier hit Coney Island
My Blue Heaven	1950	Kitty Moran	Koster, HenryHenry Koster	Dan Dailey David Wayne Jane Wyatt Mitzi Gaynor
Call Me Mister	1951	Kay Hudson	Bacon, LloydLloyd Bacon	Dan Dailey Danny Thomas	Remake of Grable's earlier hit A Yank in the RAF
Meet Me After the Show	1951	Delilah Lee	Sale, RichardRichard Sale	Macdonald Carey Rory Calhoun Eddie Albert
Farmer Takes a Wife, TheThe Farmer Takes a Wife	1953	Molly Larkins	Levin, HenryHenry Levin	Dale Robertson Thelma Ritter
How to Marry a Millionaire	1953	Loco Dempsey	Negulesco, JeanJean Negulesco	Marilyn Monroe Lauren Bacall
Three for the Show	1955	Julie Lowndes	Potter, H.C.H.C. Potter	Jack Lemmon Marge Champion Gower Champion
How to Be Very, Very Popular	1955	Stormy Tornado	Johnson, NunnallyNunnally Johnson	Sheree North Robert Cummings Charles Coburn Tommy Noonan

Short subjects

• Crashing Hollywood (1931)
• Ex-Sweeties (1931)
• Once a Hero (1931)
• Lady! Please! (1932)
• Hollywood Luck (1932)
• The Flirty Sleepwalker (1932)
• Hollywood Lights (1932)
• Over the Counter (1932)
• Air Tonic (1933)
• School for Romance (1934)
• Love Detectives (1934)
• Elmer Steps Out (1934)
• Business Is a Pleasure (1934)
• Susie's Affairs (1934)
• Ferry-Go-Round (1934)

• This Band Age (1935)
• The Spirit of 1976 (1935)
• A Night at the Biltmore Bowl (1935)
• Drawing Rumors (1935)
• A Quiet Fourth (1935)
• Screen Snapshots Series 15, No. 11 (1936)
• Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs (1936)
• Screen Snapshots Series 16, No. 7 (1937)
• Screen Snapshots Series 16, No. 10 (1937)
• Screen Snapshots Series 18, No. 4 (1938)
• Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 1 (1941)
• The All-Star Bond Rally (1945)
• Hollywood Park (1946)
• Screen Snapshots: Hollywood Shower of Stars (1955)

Stage work

• Du Barry Was a Lady (1939)
• Guys and Dolls (1962)
• Hello, Dolly! (1967)
• Guys and Dolls (1968)
• Born Yesterday (1968)
• Belle Starr (1969)
• Born Yesterday (1973)

External links

• Betty Grable at the Internet Movie Database
• Betty Grable at the TCM Movie Database
• Betty Grable at the Internet Broadway Database
• Betty Grable | PlaybillVault.com
• BettyGrable.net
• Betty Grable Basics
• Betty Grable Photo Tribute
• Betty Grable Portraits
• St. Louis Walk of Fame
• Photographs and literature