Betty Grable
December 18, 1916 β July 2, 1973
β American actress,Β 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 (1942β1951) she placed among theΒ Quigley Poll's top 10 box office stars (a feat only matched byΒ Doris Day,Β Julia RobertsΒ andΒ Barbra Streisand, although all were surpassed byΒ Mary Pickford, with 13 years).
β She had contracts withΒ RKO, Paramount Pictures, and 20th Century Fox and co-starred with leading men such asΒ Victor Mature,Β Don Ameche,Β John PayneΒ andΒ Tyrone Power.
β Throughout her career, Grable was a celebratedΒ sex symbol. Her bathing-suit poster made her the top pin-up girl of World War II, surpassingΒ Rita Hayworth. The photo was later included in theΒ LifeΒ magazine project "100 Photographs That Changed the World". Hosiery specialists of the era often noted the ideal proportions of Grable's legs and thighs (18.5Β in (47Β cm)), calf (12Β in (30Β cm)) and ankle (7.5Β in (19Β cm)). Her legs were insured by her studio for $1 million as a publicity stunt. Describing her film career, Grable said: "I became a star for two reasons, and I'm standing on them."
β TheΒ U.S. Treasury DepartmentΒ listed her as the highest-salaried American woman in 1946 and 1947, and she earned more than $3 million during her career.
