CINEFILER

Betty Grable

Born
December 18, 1916
Died
July 2, 1973
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, she signed with RKO Radio Pictures. The bit parts continued for the next three years until Grable was cast in By Your Leave. One of her big roles was in College Swing.. When she landed the role of Glenda Crawford in Down Argentine Way, the public finally took notice of her. Stardom came through comedies such as Coney Island and Sweet Rosie O'Grady. 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 in 1947. Later her studio 20th Century-Fox insured her legs for a million dollars. Betty continued to be popular until the mid-1950s, when musicals went into a decline. Her last film was How to Be Very, Very Popular. She then concentrated on Broadway and nightclubs. She was married to actor Jackie Coogan (1937–1939) and musician Harry James (1943–1965). Betty Grable died at age 56 of lung cancer on July 2, 1973.
Known For
How to Marry a Millionaire
(1953)
Loco Dempsey
Cavalcade
(1933)
Girl on Couch
The Gay Divorcee
(1934)
Guest
I Wake Up Screaming
(1941)
Jill Lynn
Full Filmography
Acting
Happy Days
(1929)
Chorus Woman
Whoopee!
(1930)
Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
New Movietone Follies of 1930
(1930)
Kiki
(1931)
Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Palmy Days
(1931)
Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Crashing Hollywood
(1931)
Ex-Sweeties
(1931)
Undetermined Minor Role
Once a Hero
(1931)
The Greeks Had a Word for Them
(1932)
Hat Check Girl (uncredited)
Probation
(1932)
Ruth Jarrett
The Kid from Spain
(1932)
Goldwyn Girl (uncredited)
Hold 'Em Jail
(1932)
Barbara Jones
Over the Counter
(1932)
Customer Who Wants to Buy a Baby (uncredited)
The Age of Consent
(1932)
Student at Dormitory (uncredited)
Hollywood Luck
(1932)
Lady! Please!
(1932)
Undetermined Minor Role (unconfirmed)
The Flirty Sleepwalker
(1932)
Blonde Girl
Hollywood Lights
(1932)
Cavalcade
(1933)
Girl on Couch
Child of Manhattan
(1933)
Lucy McGonagle
What Price Innocence?
(1933)
Beverly Bennett
Melody Cruise
(1933)
First Stewardess (uncredited)
The Sweetheart of Sigma Chi
(1933)
Band Singer with Ted Fio Rito
Air Tonic
(1933)
Betty Grable - Band Singer
The Gay Divorcee
(1934)
Guest
By Your Leave
(1934)
Frances
Student Tour
(1934)
Cayenne
Love Detectives
(1934)
Alice
Susie's Affairs
(1934)
Susie Lee
Elmer Steps Out
(1934)
School for Romance
(1934)
Student
Business Is a Pleasure
(1934)
Ferry-Go-Round
(1934)
Betty
The Nitwits
(1935)
Mary Roberts
A Quiet Fourth
(1935)
Old Man Rhythm
(1935)
Sylvia
A Night at the Biltmore Bowl
(1935)
Vocalist
This Band Age
(1935)
Betty - Band Singer
The Spirit of 1976
(1935)
Drawing Rumors
(1935)
Follow the Fleet
(1936)
Singer in Trio
Pigskin Parade
(1936)
Laura Watson
Don't Turn 'em Loose
(1936)
Mildred Webster
Collegiate
(1936)
Dorothy
Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs
(1936)
This Way Please
(1937)
Jane Morrow
Thrill of a Lifetime
(1937)
Gwen
College Swing
(1938)
Betty
Give Me a Sailor
(1938)
Nancy Larkin
Campus Confessions
(1938)
Joyce Gilmore
The Day the Bookies Wept
(1939)
Ina Firpo
Man About Town
(1939)
Susan Hayes
Million Dollar Legs
(1939)
Carol Parker
Down Argentine Way
(1940)
Glenda Crawford
Tin Pan Alley
(1940)
Lily Blane
I Wake Up Screaming
(1941)
Jill Lynn
Moon Over Miami
(1941)
Kathryn 'Kay' Latimer, also called Miss Adams
A Yank in the R.A.F.
(1941)
Carol Brown
Hedda Hopper's Hollywood No. 2
(1941)
Footlight Serenade
(1942)
Pat Lambert
Springtime in the Rockies
(1942)
Vicky Lane
Song of the Islands
(1942)
Eileen O'Brien
Coney Island
(1943)
Kate Farley
Sweet Rosie O'Grady
(1943)
Madeleine Marlowe/Rosie O'Grady
Pin Up Girl
(1944)
Lorry Jones
Four Jills in a Jeep
(1944)
Betty Grable
Wing and a Prayer
(1944)
(archive footage)
Take It or Leave It
(1944)
Herself
The Dolly Sisters
(1945)
Yansci 'Jenny' Dolly
Diamond Horseshoe
(1945)
Bonnie Collins
The All-Star Bond Rally
(1945)
Pat Lambert (archive footage)
Do You Love Me
(1946)
Barry's Fan in Taxi (uncredited)
Mother Wore Tights
(1947)
Mother
The Shocking Miss Pilgrim
(1947)
Cynthia Pilgrim
That Lady in Ermine
(1948)
Francesca / Angelina
When My Baby Smiles at Me
(1948)
Bonny Kane
The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend
(1949)
Freddie
My Blue Heaven
(1950)
Kitty Moran
Wabash Avenue
(1950)
Ruby Summers
The Costume Designer
(1950)
Self (archive footage)
Meet Me After the Show
(1951)
Delilah Lee
Call Me Mister
(1951)
Kay Hudson
How to Marry a Millionaire
(1953)
Loco Dempsey
The Farmer Takes a Wife
(1953)
Molly Larkins
How To Be Very, Very Popular
(1955)
Stormy Tornado
Three for the Show
(1955)
Julie Lowndes
Some of Manie's Friends
(1959)
Marilyn
(1963)
Self / Loco Dempsey (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Love Goddesses
(1965)
(archive footage)
Hollywood Blue
(1970)
(archive footage)
Showbiz Goes to War
(1982)
(archive footage)
Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend
(1986)
Self (from How to Marry a Millionaire [1953]) (archive footage)
The Casting Couch
(1995)
(archive footage)
Jackie Coogan: The First Child Star
(2015)
Self (archive footage)
This Is Bob Hope...
(2017)
Self (archive footage)
Data provided by TMDB