Betty Grable

American actress and pin-up girl (1916-1973)

Betty Grable was a legendary American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer. With over 40 films during the 1930s and 1940s that grossed more than $100 million, she was one of the highest-paid and most popular stars of her era. Grable’s iconic bathing suit photo made her the top pin-up girl of World War II, and her perfectly proportioned legs were famously insured for $1 million.

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About the Betty Grable

Elizabeth Ruth Grablewas 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 yearsshe placed among the Quigley Poll’s top 10 box office starsand the comedy How to Marry a Millionaireand ankle (7.5 in (19 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.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Betty Grable was an American actress, pin-up girl, dancer, model, and singer. She was a major film star throughout the 1930s and 1940s, appearing in 42 films that grossed more than $100 million.

Betty Grable’s famous bathing-suit poster made her the top pin-up girl of World War II, surpassing even Rita Hayworth. The photo was later included in the Life magazine project ‘100 Photographs That Changed the World’.

As a publicity stunt, Betty Grable’s legs were insured by her studio for $1 million due to their ideal proportions and popularity.

Two of Betty Grable’s greatest film successes were the musical ‘Mother Wore Tights’ (1947) and the comedy ‘How to Marry a Millionaire’ (1953), one of her later films.

For 10 consecutive years (1942–1951), Betty Grable 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.

Betty Grable began her film career in 1929 at age 12, but was later fired from a contract for having signed with a false identification. She studied acting and appeared in a string of B movies, mostly portraying college students, before coming to prominence in the Broadway musical ‘Du Barry Was a Lady’ (1939).

The U.S. Treasury Department listed Betty Grable as the highest-salaried American woman in 1946 and 1947, and she earned more than $3 million during her career.