Classic Hollywood Beauties

(December 18, 1916 - July 2, 1973)

Betty Grable was born Elizabeth Ruth Grable on December 18, 1916, in St. Louis, Missouri. She was the youngest of three children (her brother died before Betty was born). By the age of five she was taking tap dancing and saxophone lessons. Betty's mother was determined to make her a star. She took her to Hollywood when she was a teenager. Betty often had to lie about her age to get work. She beat out hundreds of other hopefuls to become one of the "Goldwyn Girls". Betty got small roles in movies like The Gay Divorcee and Pigskin Parade. Betty married former child star Jackie Coogan in November 1937. They divorced three years later. In 1939 she starred on Broadway in the musical DuBarry Was A Lady. Betty was offered a contract with 20th Century Fox. She landed the lead in the 1940 musical Down Argentine Way. It was a smash and she became one of Hollywood's hottest actresses. More hit films followed including Moon Over Miami, Pin-Up Girl, and The Dolly Sisters. Betty dated Victor Mature and Tyrone Power. She fell in love with bandleader Artie Shaw and was devastated when he eloped with nineteen-year old Lana Turner. To make matters worse Betty discovered she was pregnant and had an abortion. In 1941 she became engaged to actor George Raft but ended the relationship when he could not get a divorce from his wife.

With Jackie Coogan

Betty became the most popular sex symbol of World War 2 after a pin-up she posed for became world famous. As a publicity stunt Betty's legs were insured for one million dollars. She married bandleader Harry James in July 1943. They had two daughters - Victoria was born in 1944 and Jessica was born in 1947. Betty and Harry's favorite pastime was horse racing and they owned several horses. By 1948 Betty was the highest paid woman in America. Despite all of her success Betty was growing tired of Hollywood and decided to stop making movies. Her final film was the 1955 musical How To Be Very, Very Popular. Betty later worked in Las Vegas and on Broadway. She made occasional appearances on television shows like The Lucy Desi Comedy Hour. During the 1960s Betty appeared in commercials for Geritol and Playtex. After years of putting up with Harry's gambling and cheating she divorced him in 1965. She began a romance with a young dancer named Bob Remick. Betty was a heavy smoker who often smoked three packs of cigarettes a day. She died from lung cancer on July 2, 1973. Although she had once been a millionaire Betty was nearly broke when she passed away. She is buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.

~ Original biography by Elizabeth Ann 2006

With her daughters

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

(November 2, 1917 - June 11. 2012)

Ann Rutherford became Hollywood's girl next door when she was cast as Mickey Rooney's girlfriend in the Andy Hardy movies. She appeared inmore than fifty films including a smallrole in Gone With The Wind. After marrying her second husbandshe stepped away from the spotlight. Ann passed away in 2012 at the age of ninety-four. She was awarded two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for moviesand television.

"There was a quality about Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer that was so special - it was just the most exciting studio in the world." ~ Ann

Ann (left) in Gone With The Wind

From The New York Daily News:

Ann Rutherford, who played Andy Hardy’s girlfriend and Scarlett O’Hara’s younger sister, then six decades later turned down a role in “Titanic,” died Monday in Beverly Hills. She was 94 and had been in declining health from heart problems. Born in British Columbia, Canada, Rutherford graduated from radio to the movies in the 1930s and acted in dozens of films. She regularly appeared as Polly Benedict, Mickey Rooney’s girlfriend in the “Andy Hardy” series.In 1939, she was cast as Scarlett O’Hara’s sister Careen in “Gone With the Wind.” Studio head Louis B. Mayer wanted her to turn down the part, which he considered insignificant, but Rutherford insisted that because she was a fan of the novel, she wanted to be in the film. Her movie career continued into the 1940s with films like “Pride and Prejudice.” By the end of the decade, she retired to raise her family. She returned in the 1970s to make a few more movies, but was better known for playing Suzanne Pleshette’s mother on “The Bob Newhart Show.” She turned down the role of Rose Calvert in James Cameron's 1997 film “Titanic,” leaving it to Gloria Stuart. She made a number of appearances at “Gone With the Wind” anniversary events over the years. Her death leaves just two major players from the film still alive: Olivia De Havilland, 95, who played Melanie Wilkes, and Alicia Rhett, 97, who played Melanie’s sister India.

A letter from Ann

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