Betty Grable

Also known as Elizabeth Ruth Grable

American actress and pin-up girl (1916–1973)

Film & TV

Saint Louis, Missouri, USA

Betty Grable (December 18, 1916 – July 2, 1973) was an American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer. Grable was enrolled in Clark's Dancing School at the age of three. At age 13, Grable and her mother set out for Hollywood with the hopes of stardom. There she landed several minor parts in films such as Whoopee!, New Movietone Follies of 1930, Happy Days and Let's Go Places. In 1932,…

Known for

Becoming Marilyn — (archive footage)2022
This Is Bob Hope... — Self (archive footage)2017
The Fabulous Allan Carr — Self (archive)2017
Jackie Coogan: The First Child Star — Self (archive footage)2015
Marilyn Monroe: In The Movies2012
Marilyn at the Movies — Self (archive footage)2011
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing — (archive footage)2009
Hidden Hollywood II: More Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Vaults — (archive footage)1999
Hidden Hollywood: Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Film Vaults — Self (archiveFootage)1997
The Casting Couch1995

via TMDB

Key facts

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.
Resting place: Inglewood Park Cemetery
Other name: Frances Dean
Occupations: Actress pin-up girl dancer model singer
Years active: 1929–1973
Works: Full list
Political party: Republican
Spouses: Jackie Coogan ( married</span>"}]]}'>m. 1937 ; divorced</span>"}]]}'>div. 1939 ) Harry James ( married</span>"}]]}'>m. 1943 ; divorced</span>"}]]}'>div. 1965 )
Partner: Bob Remick (? – her death)
Relatives: Virginia Pearson (second-cousin)
Awards: Hollywood Walk of Fame

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Instance of: human
Given name: Betty
Gender: female
Citizenship: United States
Place of birth: St. Louis
Place of death: Santa Monica
Spouse: Jackie Coogan
Occupation: coverperson
Languages spoken: English language
Award: star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
Field of work: dance
Instrument: voice
Official website: www.bettygrable.net
Image: Betty Grable 1940s.JPG
Work location: United States

Show 10 more facts

cause of death: lung cancer
place of burial: Inglewood Park Cemetery
Commons category: Betty Grable
date of birth: 1916-12-18
date of death: 1973-07-02
manner of death: natural causes
Commons gallery: Betty Grable
start of work period: 1929-00-00
name in native language: Betty Grable
relative: Virginia Pearson

Sources (8)

via Wikidata · CC0

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Encyclopedic overview

Elizabeth Ruth Grable (December 18, 1916 – July 2, 1973) was an American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer. Her 42 films during the 1930s and 1940s grossed more than $100 million, and for 10 consecutive years (1942–1951) she placed among the Quigley Poll's top 10 box office stars (a feat only matched by Doris Day, Julia Roberts and Barbra Streisand, although all were surpassed by Mary Pickford, with 13 years). The U.S. Treasury Department listed her as the highest-salaried American woman in 1946 and 1947, and she earned more than $3 million during her career.

Grable began her film career in 1929 at age 12 and was later fired from a contract for having signed with a false identification. She studied acting with Neely Dickson at the Hollywood Community Theater. She had contracts with RKO and Paramount Pictures during the 1930s and appeared in a string of B movies, mostly portraying college students. She came to prominence in the Broadway musical Du Barry Was a Lady (1939), which brought her to the attention of 20th Century-Fox.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Betty Grable” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.