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DIED
July 02, 1973

RECENT CREDITS
How to Be Very, Very Popular (FILM)  Jul. 1, 1955
Three For the Show (FILM)  Apr. 1, 1955
How to Marry a Millionaire (FILM)  Jan. 1, 1953
College Swing (FILM)  Jan. 1, 1938
Cavalcade (FILM)  Jan. 1, 1933

BIOGRAPHY
One of the most famous of Hollywood's blonde superwomen, best known as WWII's most pinned up pin-up. Grable's luxurious legs (insured by Lloyd's of London for upwards of $1 million) and surprisingly wholesome appeal....
One of the most famous of Hollywood's blonde superwomen, best known as WWII's most pinned up pin-up. Grable's luxurious legs (insured by Lloyd's of London for upwards of $1 million) and surprisingly wholesome appeal brightened a number of bland but successful light musicals and dramas lensed in glowing Technicolor for Twentieth Century-Fox in the 1940s and early 50s. She had began in features at age 13 and worked steadily for a decade in mostly small roles in films including the Wheeler and Woolsey comedy "Hips Hips Hooray" (1934) and the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers musical "Follow the Fleet" (1936, as one of Rogers's backup singers). Broadway success in the late 1930s led to a leading role in "Down Argentine Way" (1940) when reigning Fox musical queen Alice Faye proved recalcitrant, and if Grable was never quite exceptional as actress, singer or dancer, her incredible athletic vivacity, eager-to-entertain professionalism, and sexy peaches-and-cream personality still register strongly today.

Some of Grable's films ("Song of the Island" 1942, "Pin Up Girl" 1944, "That Lady in Ermine" 1948) seem either interchangeable or downright mediocre today, but she was by far the most popular female star of the 1940s (and third overall behind only Bing Crosby and Bob Hope). Her better films still make for rousing entertainment, and include "Moon Over Miami" (1941), "Springtime in the Rockies" (1942), "Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe" (1945), "Mother Wore Tights" (1947) and "Meet Me After the Show" (1951). She more than held her own opposite Marilyn Monroe and Lauren Bacall in "How to Marry a Millionaire" (1953) and when her film career abruptly petered out as she neared 40, Grable worked on an intermittent basis on stage, TV and the straw hat and nightclub circuits. In the late 1960s she joined Carol Channing, Ginger Rogers, Martha Raye, Phyllis Diller and Pearl Bailey as one of the many middle-aged stars who played on Broadway and on tour in the musical "Hello, Dolly!". Married to actor Jackie Coogan from 1937 to 1940 and bandleader Harry James from 1943 to 1965.




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Recently Worked With...

How to Be Very, Very Popular
Released: Jul. 22, 1955

Three For the Show
Released: Apr. 1, 1955

Marilyn Monroe
How to Marry a Millionaire
Released: Jan. 1, 1953

College Swing
Released: Jan. 1, 1938

Cavalcade
Released: Jan. 1, 1933


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