Betty 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.
In the 1940s, Grable was the quintessential Hollywood “Girl Next Door” and the most celebrated pinup of World War II. Her blend of wholesome charm and athletic talent made her the top-earning female star in Hollywood by the end of the decade.
Grable’s breakout came in 1940 with Down Argentine Way, where she replaced Alice Faye and became 20th Century Fox’s biggest star. She was voted the #1 box office draw in the world in 1943, outranking male icons like Clark Gable and Humphrey Bogart. She starred in a string of lavish hits including Moon Over Miami (1941), Coney Island (1943), Pin Up Girl (1944), and Mother Wore Tights (1947).
By 1947, the U.S. Treasury Department listed her as the highest-salaried woman in the United States, earning over $300,000 annually.
In 1943, she posed for her most famous photo, a back-view shot in a white bathing suit, looking back over her shoulder. This image became a symbol of home for millions of G.I.s and was famously painted onto bomber planes and tanks. Her studio, 20th Century Fox, famously insured her legs for $1 million with Lloyds of London as a publicity stunt.
Betty Grable continued her successful career while raising two daughters, Victoria (born 1944) and Jessica (born 1947), defying the era’s industry standard that motherhood ended a star’s “sex symbol” appeal.
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