Betty Grable

In the late 1940s, 20th Century-Fox insured her legs with Lloyd's of London for $250,000.

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She suffered from demophobia (a fear of crowds) and was a sleepwalker.

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In 1946-47, the Treasury Department stated that she was the highest-paid woman in America, earning $300,000 a year.

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She was one of the 20 original Goldwyn Girls, a group that also included Lucille Ball, Virginia Bruce, Ann Dvorak and Paulette Goddard.

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Her stepson Tim James was a lawyer who worked with the then Texas Attorney General and was responsible for persuading Houston television personality Marvin Zindler to investigate the famous Chicken Ranch brothel in La Grange, Texas, which was eventually shut down. The story became the basis for the Broadway and film musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982).

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She was named the Best Figure of 1941. In her famous pin-up photograph, she was wearing a bracelet given to her by her then-suitor George Raft.

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She and Harry James had two daughters: Victoria Elizabeth James (born 3/3/44) and Jessica James (born 20.05.49, died 20.03.2016). She gave birth to both daughters by caesarean section and hoped to have more children, but doctors advised against a third operation.

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Samuel Goldwyn seriously considered her for Guys and Dolls (1955), but when her dog broke its leg, Grable cancelled her appointment with him. Annoyed by this, Goldwyn gave the role to the original Adelaide, his former 20th Century-Fox colleague Vivian Blaine.

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On 8 February 1960, she was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6525 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.

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At some point in the 1940s, she was reported to be earning $300,000 a year, which made her one of the highest-paid women in the world. Her films earned 20th Century-Fox more than $15 million.

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In the 1960s she made Playtex's 18-hour Shortie commercials using her famous pin-up pose; she reportedly needed the money after her husband spent their savings.

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At the 1972 Oscar ceremony, she presented alongside former 20th Century-Fox leading man Dick Haymes.

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She was portrayed by Jayne Mansfield in the biopic The George Raft Story (1961). However, because she was not in the public domain at the time, the character's name was changed to Lisa.

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She made her film debut at the age of 13 in the 20th Century Fox short Let's Go Places (1930). She lied about her age, claiming to be 15.

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Singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka's song "Betty Grable" was dedicated to her memory.

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Her former husband Harry James died on a date that was their 40th wedding anniversary.

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While attending Hollywood Professional School, she developed a musical play with her friend Emylyn Pique (born Juanita Emylyn Pique), who later took the name Mitzi Mayfair.

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She was offered the role of Anne Baxter in The Razor's Edge (1946) but turned it down. Baxter ultimately won an Oscar for the role of Sophie MacDonald.

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Posthumously, on 20 May 1990, she was awarded a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame at 6350 Delmar Boulevard in St. Louis, Missouri.

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When Shelley Winters dropped out of Pickup on South Street (1953), a pregnant Grable turned down the offer to appear in the film noir, and the role went to Jean Peters.

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In 1935 she had a white cat named "Whitey" that could limp on its front legs and "play dead." RKO Radio Pictures took some publicity photos with Whitey.

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By 1941 she had appeared in only two film roles: A Yank in the R.A.F. (1941) and I Wake Up Screaming (1941).

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She remained a Republican and a conservative throughout her life.

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After her death she was buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California.

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She was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians (2009).

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She is mentioned in the McHale's Navy comedy episode "Have Kimono, Will Travel" (1963).

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In Italy her films were usually dubbed by Rosetta Calavetta and Dhia Cristiani. She was occasionally dubbed by Lydia Simoneschi and Clelia Bernacchi.

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She appears on the cover of her official "Electric Swing Fever" music CD.

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