Biography for
Betty Grable More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

18 December 1916, St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Date of Death

2 July 1973, Santa Monica, California, USA (lung cancer)

Birth Name

Elizabeth Ruth Grable

Nickname

The Girl With the Million Dollar Legs
The Pin-Up Girl

Height

5' 4" (1.63 m)

Mini Biography

Elizabeth Ruth Grable was born on December 18, 1916, in St. Louis, Missouri. Her mother Lillian was a stubborn and materialistic woman who was 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. 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 in 1930, such as Whoopee! (1930), New Movietone Follies of 1930 (1930), Happy Days (1929/I) and Let's Go Places (1930). In 1932 she signed with RKO Pictures. 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 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 finally took notice of this shining bright star. Stardom came through comedies such 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 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, 20th Century-Fox, who had her under contract, insured her legs with Lloyds of London for a million dollars. Betty continued to be popular until the mid-50s, 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. Betty died of cancer on July 2, 1973, in Santa Monica, CA. Her life was an active one, devoid of the scandals that plagued many stars in one way or another. In reality, she cared for her family and the family life more than stardom. In that way, she was a true star.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Denny Jackson

Mini Biography

Chorine in early 30s films became one of Hollywood's most universally known stars of the 40s and was the archetypal "pinup girl."

IMDb Mini Biography By: Bill Takacs

Spouse

Harry James	(5 July 1943 - 9 October 1965) (divorced) 2 children
Jackie Coogan	(20 November 1937 - 8 October 1940) (divorced)

Trivia

Ex-husband, Harry James died on what would have been their 40th anniversary.

Dated Desi Arnaz

In the late 1940s, Fox studio insured her legs with Lloyds of London for a quarter million dollars.

In 1946-47, the Treasury Department noted that she was the highest paid woman in America, receiving $300,000 a year.

Interred at Inglewood Park Cemetery, Inglewood, California, USA.

Was one of the 20 original The Goldwyn Girls, among whom were Lucille Ball, Virginia Bruce, Ann Dvorak and Paulette Goddard.

Niece of actor Vinton Hayworth.

Suffered from "demophobia" (fear of crowds)

Voted Best Figure of 1941.

Wore size 5A shoes. (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)

Measurments: 34 1/2-24-36 (self-described 1940), 36-24-35 (at tie of her famous WWII pin-up poster), 36-23-35 (at a fit 112# in 1958), (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)

Had a relationship with George Raft for 2-1/2 years, and ended it because he could not get a divorce from his Catholic wife.

Was a somnambulist (sleep-walker)

Did Playtex 18-hour Shortie commercials in the 1960s using her famous pinup pose -- purportedly because she needed the money after her husband had spent her savings.

Singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka's song "Betty Grable" was totally dedicated to her memory

Portrayed by Jayne Mansfield in the biopic The George Raft Story (1961). However, at the time she wasn't public domain so the character's name was changed to Lisa.

She and Harry James had two daughters, Victoria Elizabeth James (b. March 3, 1944) and Jessica James (b. May 20, 1947).

In How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), her character makes a pointed reference to Harry James while listening to the radio at the lodge. (Grable was married to him at the time.) The song playing on the radio is "You'll Never Know," from Hello Frisco, Hello (1943), and was sung in the film by Alice Faye. It won the Oscar as Best Song in 1943. (Source: AMPAS).

In Italy, her films were often dubbed by Rosetta Calavetta and Dhia Cristiani. She was occasionally dubbed by Lidia Simoneschi and Clelia Bernacchi.

Her stepson, Tim James, was an attorney working with the then Attorey General of Texas and became responsible for enticing TV personality Marvin Zindler of Houston to investigate the famous Chicken Ranch brothel in La Grange, Texas - eventually closing it down. The story became the basis of the Broadway and movie musical, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982).

Personal Quotes

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.

I'm a song-and-dance girl. I can act enough to get by. But that's the limit of my talents.

The practice of putting women on pedestals began to die out when it was discovered that they could give orders better from there.

[on Alice Faye] Alice is a darling. Everybody loves her.

There's nothing mysterious about me.

My legs made me.

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