- Born
- Died
- Birth nameElizabeth Ruth Grable
- Nicknames
- The Girl With the Million Dollar Legs
- The Pin-Up Girl
- America's Ideal Girl
- The Quicksilver Blonde
- Height5′ 4″ (1.63 m)
- Elizabeth Ruth Grable was born on December 18, 1916 in St. Louis, Missouri, to Lillian Rose (Hofmann) and John Conn Grable, a stockbroker. She had German, English, Irish, and Dutch ancestry. Her mother was a stubborn and materialistic woman determined to make her daughter a star. Elizabeth, who later became Betty, was enrolled in Clark's Dancing School at the age of three. With her mother's guidance, Betty studied ballet and tap dancing.
Betty and her mother set out for California with the hopes of stardom. She attended the Hollywood Professional school but Lillian lied about her daughter's age and Betty (real age 13), landed several minor parts as a chorus girl in early musicals (Whoopee! (1930), New Movietone Follies of 1930 (1930), Happy Days (1929) and Let's Go Places (1930)), initially billed as 'Frances Dean'. In 1932 (real age 15), she signed with RKO Radio Pictures and began to use the moniker 'Betty Grable'. The bit parts continued for the next three years. Betty finally landed a substantial part in By Your Leave (1934). One of her big roles was in College Swing (1938). Unfortunately, the public did not seem to take notice.
The following year, she married former child star Jackie Coogan. They briefly toured on vaudeville and his success boosted hers, but they divorced in 1940. When she landed the role of Glenda Crawford in Down Argentine Way (1940), the public finally took notice of this shining bright star. Stardom came in such comedies as Coney Island (1943) and Sweet Rosie O'Grady (1943).
The public was enchanted with Betty. Her famous pin-up pose during World War II adorned barracks all around the world. With that 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 United States 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, 20th Century-Fox, who had her under contract, insured her legs with Lloyds of London for a million dollars. She continued to be popular until the mid-1950s, when musicals went into a decline. Her last film was How to Be Very, Very Popular (1955).
She then concentrated on Broadway and nightclubs. In 1965, she divorced band leader Harry James, whom she had wed in 1943. Her life was an active one, devoid of the scandals that plagued many stars in one way or another. 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. She was interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Denny Jackson
- SpousesHarry James(July 5, 1943 - October 9, 1965) (divorced, 2 children)Jackie Coogan(November 20, 1937 - October 8, 1940) (divorced)
- ParentsJohn Conn GrableLillian Rose Grable
- Platinum blonde hair
- Blue eyes and pale skin
- Her sexy legs
- In the late 1940s, 20th Century-Fox insured her legs with Lloyds of London for $250,000.
- Suffered from "demophobia" (fear of crowds) and was a somnambulist (sleepwalker).
- In 1946-47, the Treasury Department noted that she was the highest-paid woman in America, receiving $300,000 a year.
- Was one of the 20 original The Goldwyn Girls, among whom were Lucille Ball, Virginia Bruce, Ann Dvorak and Paulette Goddard.
- Samuel Goldwyn considered her seriously for Guys and Dolls (1955), but when her dog broke its leg, Grable canceled an appointment with him. A miffed Goldwyn then gave the original Adelaide, former 20th Century-Fox co-worker Vivian Blaine, the role.
- The woman's vision is deep-reaching, the man's far-reaching. With the man the world is his heart, with the woman the heart is her world.
- You're better off betting on a horse than betting on a man. A horse may not be able to hold you tight, but he doesn't wanna wander from the stable at night.
- There are two reasons why I am successful in show business and I am standing on both of them.
- It's loud, it's cheap, it's gaudy. It's like everything I've ever done - I LOVE IT!
- I'm strictly an enlisted man's girl.
- Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall (1948) - $12,500
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