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 Esther Jane Williams was born on August 8, 1921 in Inglewood, California. Her youth was spent as a teenage swimming champion and she won three United States National championships. She eventually was spotted by a MGM talent scout while working in a Los Angeles department store. She made her film debut with MGM in an "Andy Hardy" picture called Andy Hardy's Double Life (1942). She became Mickey Rooney's love interest in the movie, and her character was called Sheila Brooks. Following this movie, stardom was not far away. MGM created a special sub-genre for her known as "Aqua Musicals". Her first swimming role was in Bathing Beauty (1944). This was a simple movie compared to her later big splashes such as Million Dollar Mermaid (1952), co-starring Victor Mature and Walter Pidgeon. Esther Williams was often called "America's Mermaid", as it appeared that she could stay underwater forever!Following the decline of the once lucrative MGM aqua musical, she attempted dramatic roles. The Unguarded Moment (1956), is one example of this new found dramatic confidence. It co-starred George Nader and John Saxon. Also, The Big Show (1961), co-starring Cliff Robertson and Robert Vaughn was another dramatic role. Overall, Esther's acting skills were limited and, as a musical star in the audience's eyes, she was unsuccessful. She retired from the movie industry in the 1960s, returning as a star guest in That's Entertainment! III (1994) discussing her appearance in MGM films. She certainly is recognized today for bringing enjoyment, escapism and entertainment on the big screen and has also a highly successful business in swimwear. Occasional television work discussing her contribution to the film industry is a treat for her fans from time to time.Esther Williams died at age 91 in her sleep on June 6, 2013 in her home in Los Angeles, California.
Bio:
Esther Jane Williams was born on August 8, 1921 in Inglewood, California. Her youth was spent as a teenage swimming champion and she won three United States National championships. She eventually was spotted by a MGM talent scout while working in a Los Angeles department store. She made her film debut with MGM in an "Andy Hardy" picture called Andy Hardy's Double Life (1942). She became Mickey Rooney's love interest in the movie, and her character was called Sheila Brooks. Following this movie, stardom was not far away. MGM created a special sub-genre for her known as "Aqua Musicals". Her first swimming role was in Bathing Beauty (1944). This was a simple movie compared to her later big splashes such as Million Dollar Mermaid (1952), co-starring Victor Mature and Walter Pidgeon. Esther Williams was often called "America's Mermaid", as it appeared that she could stay underwater forever!Following the decline of the once lucrative MGM aqua musical, she attempted dramatic roles. The Unguarded Moment (1956), is one example of this new found dramatic confidence. It co-starred George Nader and John Saxon. Also, The Big Show (1961), co-starring Cliff Robertson and Robert Vaughn was another dramatic role. Overall, Esther's acting skills were limited and, as a musical star in the audience's eyes, she was unsuccessful. She retired from the movie industry in the 1960s, returning as a star guest in That's Entertainment! III (1994) discussing her appearance in MGM films. She certainly is recognized today for bringing enjoyment, escapism and entertainment on the big screen and has also a highly successful business in swimwear. Occasional television work discussing her contribution to the film industry is a treat for her fans from time to time.Esther Williams died at age 91 in her sleep on June 6, 2013 in her home in Los Angeles, California.
Tivia:
Aquatic filming had its dangers according to Esther. She once broke three neck vertebrae in a dive; suffered several broken eardrums over the years; nearly drowned once when she couldn't find an underwater trapdoor exit; was almost mutilated by an out-of-control outrigger; and was nearly overcome by waves created by a camera boat that came within inches of her water skis while shooting (pregnant) a scene in Cypress Gardens, Florida.Excerpts from her 1999 autobiography in major American magazines revealed that her one-time lover, actor Jeff Chandler, was obsessed about dressing in women's clothing. Williams' revelations about Chandler angered many readers. The book also revealed Williams took LSD under a doctor's supervision, after Cary Grant recommended it.Born in Los Angeles, Esther was the youngest of five children. Her family had come to Los Angeles from Salt Lake City, where her older brother Stanton Williams was "discovered" by actress Marjorie Rambeau and brought to Hollywood for films. Stanton, who was born in Salt Lake City, died suddenly at age 16 when he developed intestinal blockage and his colon burst.Was the national champion in the 100-meter freestyle and was a favorite to make the 1940 Olympic team. Unfortunately, she missed her opportunity due to the outbreak of World War II.An advisor to the International Olympic Committee at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles for the new sport of Synchronized Swimming.Esther was the youngest of five children. Claiming that her oldest sister, Maurine, was more of a mother to her while growing up, it was Maurine who became her first swimming coach. Esther later stated that her mother, Bula, tried "to get rid of me" while pregnant by purposefully going horseback riding and by once jumping off a chest of drawers.MGM's Louis B. Mayer claims he pursued Esther as an answer to 20th Century-Fox's box-office ice-skating film star Sonja Henie. Esther won her contract after making a screen test with Clark Gable.Before her stint in MGM musicals, she had been training as a competitive swimmer, and probably would've participated in the 1940 and/or 1944 Olympics (she would've been 18 and 22 years old respectively) if they hadn't been canceled because of World War II.Upon her death, she was cremated and her ashes scattered at sea in the Pacific Ocean.Her son Kimball Austin died at age 57 in May 2008.She was offered roles in both The Poseidon Adventure (1972) and The Towering Inferno (1974) by Irwin Allen. She turned down both.She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1560 Vine St. on February 8, 1960.Her son, Kim, was injured in a motorcycle accident. Both of his legs were shattered and he had to relearn how to walk.Once worked as a stock girl for I. Magnin in Los Angeles.A mother of three children, two sons and one daughter. Benjamin Stanton "Ben" Gage was born on August 6, 1949. Second son, Kimball was born on October 30, 1950. And only daughter, Susan Tenney "Susie" Gage was born on October 1, 1953.Stepmother of Lorenzo Lamas.She lent her name to a brand of swimming pools that are still sold today, Esther Williams Pools.Second husband was singer/actor Ben Gage, a "Big Band" vocalist who dubbed Victor Mature, George Montgomery, Dana Andrews and Cornel Wilde in various musical films. They had three children.In the 1950s, she was known as "America's Mermaid".Her first job was at age eight at a local (Inglewood, CA) neighborhood school's swimming pool counting towels.In honor of her 100th birthday on August 8, 2021, she was honored with a day of her filmography during the Turner Classic Movies Summer Under the Stars.Her movie career played a major role in the promotion of competitive and synchronized swimming, which she is credited with popularizing.Looking back, Esther claimed that the water was her favorite co-star. When she discovered her talent in swimming, she practiced dutifully in the ocean to gather strength and eventually won a spot on the prestigious Los Angeles Athletic Club swim team. She started gaining notice after appearing in aquatic revues, occasionally opposite such swimming notables as actor and Olympic swimming champion Johnny Weissmuller.Filed a lawsuit against MGM for use of some footage in That's Entertainment! (1974).She had two grandchildren, Austin and Erin, from her son Ben. She has a grandson, Thomas, from her daughter Susie.Was inducted into the Swimming Pool Hall of Fame in 1967.Miscarried what would have been her first child with second husband Ben Gage in September 1946 at four months pregnant.Met fourth and last husband, Edward Michael Bell, at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.She was a member of the Unity Church.In 2003 she co-produced Aquaria, a Las Vegas water spectacle.Received her first screen kiss by Mickey Rooney in Andy Hardy's Double Life (1942).She was a strong supporter of the Republican party. She appeared with Virginia Mayo at the 1953 Republican Rally and in past presidential elections she endorsed Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, John McCain, and Mitt Romney.Youngest of five children. The others were Stanton, June, Maurine and David.Was three months pregnant with her son Benjamin when she completed filming Neptune's Daughter (1949).She and teammate Virginia Hopkins were to take part in the 1940 Olympics, which was canceled due to World War II.Met first husband Leonard Kovner while a student at the University of Southern California. He was a premed student.Was four months pregnant with her son Kimball when she completed filming Pagan Love Song (1950).Was three months pregnant with her daughter Susan when she completed filming Easy to Love (1953).Stated that her favorite film was Ziegfeld Girl (1941).Returned to work seven months after giving birth to her daughter Susan to begin filming Jupiter's Darling (1955).Inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame, as a contributor, in 1966.Three stepchildren, from Lamas: Cristina, Alexandra "Alex" and Lorenzo.Younger sister of Stanton Williams.Grandstepmother of Shayne Lamas and A.J. Lamas.Her hobbies included cooking, singing, dining, fishing, traveling, spending time with her family, sailing, reading, petting animals, dancing and of course, swimming.Returned to work two months after giving birth to her son Benjamin to begin filming Duchess of Idaho (1950).Returned to work four months after giving birth to her son Kimball to begin filming Texas Carnival (1951).In Italy, all her films were dubbed by Dhia Cristiani, except Raw Wind in Eden (1958) where the talented Andreina Pagnani lent her voice to Williams.Her screen test at MGM was with Clark Gable for the lead in ����Somewhere I'll Find You��.She made her screen test at MGM with Clark Gable. |
| Name: |
Esther Williams |
Type: |
Actress,Writer,Soundtrack (IMDB) |
| Area: |
All World |
Platform: |
IMDB |
| Category: |
|
Business scope: |
Actress,Writer,Soundtrack |
| Products for sale: |
Actress,Writer,Soundtrack |
| Last update: |
2024-07-01 03:20:41 |
| Height: |
5' 8?' (1.74 m) |
| Biography: |
Esther Jane Williams was born on August 8, 1921 in Inglewood, California. Her youth was spent as a teenage swimming champion and she won three United States National championships. She eventually was spotted by a MGM talent scout while working in a L |
| Trivia: |
Aquatic filming had its dangers according to Esther. She once broke three neck vertebrae in a dive; suffered several broken eardrums over the years; nearly drowned once when she couldn't find an underwater trapdoor exit; was almost mutilated by an out-of-control outrigger; and was nearly overcome by waves created by a camera boat that came within inches of her water skis while shooting (pregnant) a scene in Cypress Gardens, Florida.Excerpts from her 1999 autobiography in major American magazines revealed that her one-time lover, actor Jeff Chandler, was obsessed about dressing in women's clothing. Williams' revelations about Chandler angered many readers. The book also revealed Williams took LSD under a doctor's supervision, after Cary Grant recommended it.Born in Los Angeles, Esther was the youngest of five children. Her family had come to Los Angeles from Salt Lake City, where her older brother Stanton Williams was "discovered" by actress Marjorie Rambeau and brought to Hollywood for films. Stanton, who was born in Salt Lake City, died suddenly at age 16 when he developed intestinal blockage and his colon burst.Was the national champion in the 100-meter freestyle and was a favorite to make the 1940 Olympic team. Unfortunately, she missed her opportunity due to the outbreak of World War II.An advisor to the International Olympic Committee at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles for the new sport of Synchronized Swimming.Esther was the youngest of five children. Claiming that her oldest sister, Maurine, was more of a mother to her while growing up, it was Maurine who became her first swimming coach. Esther later stated that her mother, Bula, tried "to get rid of me" while pregnant by purposefully going horseback riding and by once jumping off a chest of drawers.MGM's Louis B. Mayer claims he pursued Esther as an answer to 20th Century-Fox's box-office ice-skating film star Sonja Henie. Esther won her contract after making a screen test with Clark Gable.Before her stint in MGM musicals, she had been training as a competitive swimmer, and probably would've participated in the 1940 and/or 1944 Olympics (she would've been 18 and 22 years old respectively) if they hadn't been canceled because of World War II.Upon her death, she was cremated and her ashes scattered at sea in the Pacific Ocean.Her son Kimball Austin died at age 57 in May 2008.She was offered roles in both The Poseidon Adventure (1972) and The Towering Inferno (1974) by Irwin Allen. She turned down both.She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1560 Vine St. on February 8, 1960.Her son, Kim, was injured in a motorcycle accident. Both of his legs were shattered and he had to relearn how to walk.Once worked as a stock girl for I. Magnin in Los Angeles.A mother of three children, two sons and one daughter. Benjamin Stanton "Ben" Gage was born on August 6, 1949. Second son, Kimball was born on October 30, 1950. And only daughter, Susan Tenney "Susie" Gage was born on October 1, 1953.Stepmother of Lorenzo Lamas.She lent her name to a brand of swimming pools that are still sold today, Esther Williams Pools.Second husband was singer/actor Ben Gage, a "Big Band" vocalist who dubbed Victor Mature, George Montgomery, Dana Andrews and Cornel Wilde in various musical films. They had three children.In the 1950s, she was known as "America's Mermaid".Her first job was at age eight at a local (Inglewood, CA) neighborhood school's swimming pool counting towels.In honor of her 100th birthday on August 8, 2021, she was honored with a day of her filmography during the Turner Classic Movies Summer Under the Stars.Her movie career played a major role in the promotion of competitive and synchronized swimming, which she is credited with popularizing.Looking back, Esther claimed that the water was her favorite co-star. When she discovered her talent in swimming, she practiced dutifully in the ocean to gather strength and eventually won a spot on the prestigious Los Angeles Athletic Club swim team. She started gaining notice after appearing in aquatic revues, occasionally opposite such swimming notables as actor and Olympic swimming champion Johnny Weissmuller.Filed a lawsuit against MGM for use of some footage in That's Entertainment! (1974).She had two grandchildren, Austin and Erin, from her son Ben. She has a grandson, Thomas, from her daughter Susie.Was inducted into the Swimming Pool Hall of Fame in 1967.Miscarried what would have been her first child with second husband Ben Gage in September 1946 at four months pregnant.Met fourth and last husband, Edward Michael Bell, at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.She was a member of the Unity Church.In 2003 she co-produced Aquaria, a Las Vegas water spectacle.Received her first screen kiss by Mickey Rooney in Andy Hardy's Double Life (1942).She was a strong supporter of the Republican party. She appeared with Virginia Mayo at the 1953 Republican Rally and in past presidential elections she endorsed Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, John McCain, and Mitt Romney.Youngest of five children. The others were Stanton, June, Maurine and David.Was three months pregnant with her son Benjamin when she completed filming Neptune's Daughter (1949).She and teammate Virginia Hopkins were to take part in the 1940 Olympics, which was canceled due to World War II.Met first husband Leonard Kovner while a student at the University of Southern California. He was a premed student.Was four months pregnant with her son Kimball when she completed filming Pagan Love Song (1950).Was three months pregnant with her daughter Susan when she completed filming Easy to Love (1953).Stated that her favorite film was Ziegfeld Girl (1941).Returned to work seven months after giving birth to her daughter Susan to begin filming Jupiter's Darling (1955).Inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame, as a contributor, in 1966.Three stepchildren, from Lamas: Cristina, Alexandra "Alex" and Lorenzo.Younger sister of Stanton Williams.Grandstepmother of Shayne Lamas and A.J. Lamas.Her hobbies included cooking, singing, dining, fishing, traveling, spending time with her family, sailing, reading, petting animals, dancing and of course, swimming.Returned to work two months after giving birth to her son Benjamin to begin filming Duchess of Idaho (1950).Returned to work four months after giving birth to her son Kimball to begin filming Texas Carnival (1951).In Italy, all her films were dubbed by Dhia Cristiani, except Raw Wind in Eden (1958) where the talented Andreina Pagnani lent her voice to Williams.Her screen test at MGM was with Clark Gable for the lead in ����Somewhere I'll Find You��.She made her screen test at MGM with Clark Gable. |
| Trademarks: |
Being an acclaimed swimming champion, her films usually had elaborate dance sequences involving swimming. |
| Quotes: |
I was called America's mermaid, because it appeared that I could stay underwater indefinitely.
<br />
<hr>
All they ever did for me at MGM was change my leading man and the water in my pool.
<br />
<hr>
No one had ever done a swimming movie before so we just made it up as we went along. I ad-libbed all my own underwater movements.
<br />
<hr>
I don't know to this day how I managed to fit into those bathing suits when I was pregnant, but I did.
<br />
<hr>
The popular "Andy Hardy" series movies were MGM's tests for its promising stars such as Judy Garland, Lana Turner and Donna Reed. If you didn't make it in those pictures, you were never heard from again. |
| Salaries: |
Raw Wind in Eden (1958) - $250,000
<br />
<hr>
The Unguarded Moment (1956) - $200,000 |
| Job title: |
Actress,Writer,Soundtrack |
| Others works: |
(1959) Unsold pilot: Starred in a pilot for a proposed anthology series called, "The Esther Williams Show".
(12/25/53) Radio: Appeared on "The Bob Hope Show".
(10/25/53) Radio: Appeared (as "Whitney Young") on a "Lux R |
| Spouse: |
Edward Michael Bell (October 24, 1994 - June 6, 2013) (her death)Fernando Lamas (December 31, 1969 - October 8, 1982) (his death)Ben Gage (November 25, 1945 - April 20, 1959) (divorced, 3 children)Dr. L |
| Children: |
Benjamin Stanton GageKimball GageSusan Tenney GageLorenzo LamasKimball AustinAlexandra Lamas |
| Relatives: |
Stanton Williams (Sibling)
Shayne Lamas (Grandchild) |
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