The name Betty Grable is almost forgotten now, but there was a time when this American actress and dancer was one of the most prominent personalities in Hollywood. In the United States, she was the most famous blonde on screen during World War II. Throughout her career, Grable has appeared in almost 70 films, the most popular of which was the melodrama How to Marry a Millionaire.
Biography of the actress
The future celebrity was born on December 18, 1916 and became one of the most popular actresses of light comedies and musicals, which were so needed to raise the spirits of American audiences during World War II. Posters of a young blonde adorned the walls of many soldiers and sailors, her sunny smile reminded them of home.
Betty Grable was one of the highest paid celebrities in America. The peak of her career came in the 1940s. In 1943, her name appeared on posters along with the names of Cary Grant, Bing Crosby and Humphrey Bogart. Glory came to the young actress after participating in the films "Spring in the Rocky Mountains", "Coney Island", "Cover Girl". In them, she sang songs, danced and flirted with the celebrity heartthrobs of Hollywood. Betty Gable's income was $ 300,000 a year in 1946 and 1947.
Legs in a Million
Betty Grable had perfect legs, which she insured for $ 1,000,000. The legs of the actress and the dancer had the correct proportions, which was confirmed even by scientific research.
Girlfriend Marilyn Monroe
According to some rumors, the two blondes were sworn enemies. Grable's career, who was 10 years older than Monroe, was already drawing to a close, while Marilyn's popularity was just gaining momentum. The latter was even called "the new Betty Grable", which irritated both of them.
However, the joint appearance of two blondes on the screen in the film "How to Marry a Millionaire" marked the beginning of a strong and sincere friendship.
List of films with Betty Grable
For all the time of her work, the actress took part in more than 60 films. Some of them:
- Comedy musical "Merry Divorce" (1934);
- Comedy musical "Following the Fleet" (1936);
- musical comedy "Even in Argentinean" (1940);
- comedy musical "Moon over Miami" (1941);
- criminal melodrama "Nightmare" (1941);
- comedy western "Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend" (1949).
Betty Grable's personal life
The audience's interest in the aspiring actress increased significantly after she became the wife of Jackie Coogan, the "star child" from Charlie Chaplin's film "The Kid", in 1937. The marriage lasted 2 years and fell apart due to serious financial problems of Coogan.
In 1943, the actress married a second time to the trumpeter of the musical group Harry James. The couple had two daughters, Victoria and Jessica. However, after 20 years of marriage, the couple filed for divorce after long disagreements. Despite the fact that Betty Grable did not marry for the third time, she was in a relationship with a young dancer Bob Remick.
Throughout her life, Grable was a heavy smoker, which led to a serious illness - lung cancer, from which the actress died in 1973.
