Jane Russell
| Jane Russell | |
|---|---|
Russell in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
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| Born |
Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell June 21, 1921 Bemidji, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Died | February 28, 2011 (aged 89) Santa Maria, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Respiratory failure |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Van Nuys High School |
| Occupation | Actress, model, singer |
| Years active | 1943–86 |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) |
Bob Waterfield (m. 1943–1968; divorced) Roger Barrett (m. 1968; his death) John Calvin Peoples (m. 1974–1999; his death) |
| Children | 1 daughter, 2 sons |
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Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell (June 21, 1921 – February 28, 2011) was an American film actress and one of Hollywood's leading sex symbols in the 1940s and 1950s.
Russell moved from the Midwest to California, where she had her first film role in 1943 in The Outlaw. In 1947, Russell delved into music before returning to films. After starring in multiple films in the 1950s, Russell again returned to music while completing several other films in the 1960s. She starred in more than 20 films throughout her career.
Russell married three times, adopted three children, and in 1955 founded Waif, the first international adoption program. She received several accolades for her achievements in films, including having her hand- and footprints immortalized in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese Theatre, and having a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Russell was born on June 21, 1921, in Bemidji, Minnesota. She was the eldest child and only daughter of the five children of Geraldine (née Jacobi; 1891 – 1986) and Roy William Russell (1890 – 1937). Her brothers are Thomas (b. 1924), Kenneth (b. 1925), Jamie (b. 1927), and Wallace (b. 1929).
Her father had been a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army, and her mother an actress with a road troupe; her mother was also the subject of a portrait by Mary Bradish Titcomb, Portrait of Geraldine J., which achieved some notoriety when purchased by Woodrow Wilson. The family later moved to Southern California and her father worked as an office manager.
Russell's mother arranged for her to take piano lessons. In addition to music, she was interested in drama and participated in stage productions at Van Nuys High School. Her early ambition was to be a designer of some kind, until the death of her father in his mid-40s, when she decided to work as a receptionist after graduation. She also modeled for photographers, and, at the urging of her mother, studied drama and acting with Max Reinhardt's Theatrical Workshop and with acting coach Maria Ouspenskaya.
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