Betty Hutton

Overview (5) Born October 27, 1910 in Carman, Manitoba, Canada Died January 2, 1963 in Encino, California, USA (stomach and liver cancer) Birth Name John Elmer Carson Nicknames Jackaboy King of the Double-Take Jack the Ribbee Height 6' 2" (1.88 m) Mini Bio (1) When Jack Carson arrived in Hollywood in 1937, he found work at RKO as an extra. His first major acting role came alongside Humphrey Bogart in the romantic comedy Stand-In (1937). After a few years, he developed into a popular character actor who would be seen in a large number of comedies, musicals and a few westerns. Not happy with the direction his career was heading, he went to Warner Brothers in 1941, where the quality of his supporting roles improved. It also did not hurt to be in films that starred James Cagney, such as The Strawberry Blonde (1941) and The Bride Came C.O.D. (1941). After three years, he starred with Jane Wyman in Make Your Own Bed (1944) and, again, in The Doughgirls (1944). Carson would play the nice guy with the heart of gold who was still a nice guy even when he was angry. He would take the double take and the quizzical look to a higher level, but he could also act in dramas. He provided a good portrayal of "Albert" in The Hard Way (1943) and was acclaimed for his performance in Mildred Pierce (1945). However, it was comedies that provided most of his work. He teamed up with his old friend, Dennis Morgan, for several films in the tradition of Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. It was in the 1940s that Carson would become popular as a wisecracking comedian on radio. This would lead him to television work in the 1950s, where he was one of 4 rotating hosts on All Star Revue (1950), until 1951, when he had left the show and the title was changed to "All Star Revue". He hosted and performed on The Colgate Comedy Hour (1950) from 1952-55. He would also help host The U.S. Royal Showcase (1952). He would appear on a number of shows during the 1950s, one of his most remembered being an episode of The Twilight Zone (1959), where he played a somewhat shady used-car salesman who came into possession of an old Model-A Ford that was "haunted" in that whoever owned it had to tell the truth, whether he wanted to or not. Although his movie career slowed in the 1950s, he still appeared in a number of prestige pictures, such as A Star Is Born (1954) with Judy Garland, The Tarnished Angels (1957) with Rock Hudson and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) with Paul Newman. Collapsed in August 1962 while in rehearsal for the play "Critic's Choice." An early diagnosis deemed it a stomach "disorder," but two months later, cancer was discovered while he was undergoing an unrelated operation. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Tony Fontana Spouse (4) Sandra Jolley (26 January 1961 - 2 January 1963) ( his death) Lola Albright (1 August 1952 - 10 November 1958) ( divorced) Kay St. Germain Wells (22 August 1940 - 3 April 1950) ( divorced) ( 2 children) Elizabeth (Betty) Alice Lindy (1938 - 1939) ( divorced) Trade Mark (2) Well known throughout industry for his famous "double take" Tall, beefy character who specialized in friendly but frequently untrustworthy types Trivia (20) Was writing a book about religion before he died. Died on the same day as Dick Powell. They died from different forms of cancer. Biography in: "Who's Who in Comedy" by Ronald L. Smith. Pg. 94-95. New York: Facts on File, 1992. ISBN 0816023387 Jack's 4th wife, Sandra Jolley, was the first wife of actor Forrest Tucker. He and Dennis Morgan made 11 movies together: Wings for the Eagle (1942), The Hard Way (1943), Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943), Shine on Harvest Moon (1944), Hollywood Canteen (1944), One More Tomorrow (1946), Two Guys from Milwaukee (1946), The Time, the Place and the Girl (1946), Always Together (1947), Two Guys from Texas (1948), and It's a Great Feeling (1949). Recorded for Design Records in 1957: "Jack Carson Sings Favorite College songs". He later sang for Capitol Records. Worked with Ginger Rogers in six RKO pics and lost her each time to one of her leading co-stars. He finally won her in The Groom Wore Spurs (1951). Had a four-year run on radio with "Everybody Loves Jack" (1943-1947). A pilot, Carson had volunteered to join the U.S. Army Air Corps but was rejected due to his height. He was turned down by the Army because he had flat feet. During WWII, he entertained Gen. Douglas MacArthur's troops in the South Pacific. He became briefly involved with Warner Bros. singing star Doris Day while appearing together in her very first movies Romance on the High Seas (1948), It's a Great Feeling (1949) and My Dream Is Yours (1949). He was 38 and she was 26. The relationship didn't work reportedly because he drank too much. While touring in vaudeville, he met his first wife, dancer Betty Alice Lindy. They later performed together in a song-and-dance act ("Lindy and Carson") for a year on the Orpheum Theatre circuit. They married in 1938 but divorced a year later. His first vaudeville teaming was with friend Dave Willock. He and Dave graduated from St. John's Academy in Delafield, Wisconsin, and teamed up while attending Carleton College. They sang, danced and told jokes and later went on radio. Collapsed in August of 1962 while in rehearsal for the play "Critic's Choice." An early diagnosis deemed it a stomach "disorder," but two months later, cancer was discovered while he was undergoing an unrelated operation. Younger son of Edward L. Carson, who worked in insurance. Carson's elder brother was actor Robert Carson. The boys were born in Canada but raised in Milwaukee. Carson was the uncle of Kit Carson and grandfather of Seth D. Webster, who is the son of Daniel Frank Webster. Carson's fourth wife, Sandra Jolley, was the first wife of actor Forrest Tucker. During the 1940s, he would often disappear from Hollywood for weeks at a time. Only his wife knew where he went, and she (Kay St. Germain Wells) would tell no one. Years later Carson revealed the secret: he had joined the Clyde Beatty circus as a clown and was traveling with their show. Audiences never knew it was him; "They loved me and my routines," he said,. He was awarded 2 Stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: For Radio at 6361 Hollywood Boulevard, and for Television at 1560 Vine Street in Hollywood, California. Carson's daughter with Kay St. Germain Wells, Germaine Catherine Carson, died of cancer on April 12, 2010. In his will, Carson inadvertently reversed her first and middle names, requiring her to apply for a legal alias or aka as Catherine Germaine Carson, a name she kept until her death. Stepfather of Brooke Tucker. There was an unsubstantiated claim that Carson had a bit role in "Follow the Fleet.". Was in four Oscar Best Picture nominees: Stage Door (1937), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939), Mildred Pierce (1945) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958). Personal Quotes (4) Fans are people who let an actor know he's not alone in the way he feels about himself. People will always laugh at somebody else's discomfort. But they only laugh because they have suffered the same indignity themselves or known darn well how it feels. Being a comedian is almost like being a doctor--the more troubles you discover and understand, the more gladness you can bring to an audience. [describing an actor who refused to perform a simple stunt] He's not exactly a coward, but most of his pluck is in his eyebrows. I was the guy in the movie who never won the girl, but I never complained because I usually lost her to my buddy Dennis Morgan -- and he was from Milwaukee, too!

Betty Hutton Born February 26, 1921 in Battle Creek, Michigan, USA Died March 11, 2007 in Palm Springs, California, USA (colon cancer) Birth Name Elizabeth June Thornburg Height 5' 4" (1.63 m) Mini Bio (1) Betty Hutton was born Elizabeth June Thornburg on February 26, 1921, in Battle Creek, Michigan. Two years later, Betty's father decided that the family way of life wasn't for him, so he left (he committed suicide 16 years later). Having to fend for themselves, Mrs. Thornburg moved the family to Detroit to find work in the numerous auto factories there, but times were hard and she decided to take advantage of Prohibition and opened a small tavern, at the time called a speakeasy. The police were always looking for those types of operation, both big and small, and when they detected one, they swooped in and closed it down. Mrs. Thornburg was no different from the other owners, they simply moved elsewhere. Poverty was a constant companion. In addition to that, Mrs. Thornburg was an alcoholic. At nine years old, Betty began singing publicly for the first time in a school production. Realizing the voice Betty had, her mother took her around Detroit to have her sing to any group that would listen. This was a small way of getting some money for the poor family. When she was 13, Betty got a few singing jobs with local bands in the area. Thinking she was good enough to make the big time, she left for New York two years later to try a professional career. Unfortunately, it didn't work out and Betty headed back to Detroit. In 1937, Betty was hired by Vincent Lopez who had a popular band that appeared on the local radio. Later, she would return to New York and it was here that her career took off. Betty found herself on Broadway in 1940, and it was only a matter of time before her career took off to bigger heights. The following year, she left New York for Hollywood, where she was to find new life in films. She was signed by Paramount Pictures and made her debut, at 21, in The Fleet's In (1942), along with Eddie Bracken, William Holden and Dorothy Lamour. Reviews were better than expected, with critics looking favorably upon her work. She had previously appeared in a few musical shorts, which no doubt helped her in her first feature film. She made one more musical in 1942 and two more in 1943. In 1944, she tried to break away from musicals and try her hand in a screwball comedy, The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1943). She proved - to herself, the public and the critics - that she was marketable outside musicals. In subsequent films, Betty was able to show her comedic side as well as her singing. In 1948, she appeared in her first big box-office bomb, Dream Girl (1948), which was ripped to shreds by critics, as was Betty's acting, and the movie flopped at the box office. It wasn't long before Betty became unhappy with her career. In truth, she had the acting talent, but the parts she got weren't the types to showcase that. Though she did appear in three well-received films later, Red, Hot and Blue (1949), Annie Get Your Gun (1950) and The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), her career was winding down. Later, after filming Somebody Loves Me (1952), Betty was all but finished. She had married Charles O'Curran that year and he wanted to direct her in an upcoming film. Paramount didn't like the idea and the temper tantrum-prone Betty walked out of her contract and movies. She did concentrate on the relatively new medium of television and the stage, but she never recovered her previous form. Her final film was a minor one, Spring Reunion (1957). Her TV series, The Betty Hutton Show (1959), didn't fare too well at all. Betty lived in quiet retirement in Palm Springs, California until her death on March 11, 2007. She was 86 years old. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Denny Jackson Spouse (4) Pete Candoli (24 December 1960 - 18 June 1967) ( divorced) ( 1 child) Alan Livingston (8 March 1955 - 22 October 1960) ( divorced) Charles O'Curran (18 March 1952 - 21 February 1955) ( divorced) Theodore Samuel Briskin (3 September 1945 - 16 January 1951) (divorced) ( 2 children) Trade Mark (1) Lisp, breathless voice Trivia (30) Energetic, "blonde bombshell" actress-singer of the 1940s. Younger sister of singer Marion Hutton. Prior to her first feature film role, she appeared, in 1939, in a number of musical short subjects for Vitaphone, filmed in New York. These included: One for the Book (1940) with Hal Sherman; Public Jitterbug No. 1 (1939) with Chaz Chase, Hal Le Roy and Emerson's Sextette; and Vincent Lopez and His Orchestra (1939). Also, Paramount featured her in a one-reeler, Three Kings and a Queen (1939). Starred in TV's first "spectacular", Satins and Spurs (1954), which debuted on September 12, 1954. It was a 90-minute musical comedy produced by Max Liebman. She played a rodeo queen who falls for a magazine writer, played by Kevin McCarthy. Reactions by critics and viewers were so negative that she announced her retirement from show business (one of the many times.) Reportedly did not get along with Annie Get Your Gun (1950) co-star Howard Keel. He thought she cared more about her career than her co-stars. Daughters with Ted Briskin: Lindsay Briskin (born on November 23, 1946) and Candice Candy Briskin (born on April 15, 1948). Mother, with Pete Candoli, of daughter Caroline Candoli (born on June 19, 1962). She became a devout Catholic after a stay in a clinic for an addiction to sleeping pills. In 1974, began work as a cook and housekeeper at St Anthony's rectory in Providence, Rhode Island. Daughter, Carolyn, with Pete Candoli. Her one big musical number in the Broadway show "Panama Hattie" was cut just before opening night by orders of star Ethel Merman. Hutton was so upset, the show's producer Buddy G. DeSylva promised to make her a star in movies at Paramount and he kept his word. The incident was later used in both the book and film Valley of the Dolls (1967). Turned down the role of Ado Annie in Oklahoma! (1955). Was considered for the role of "Delilah" in Cecil B. DeMille's 1949 film Samson and Delilah (1949). The part went to Hedy Lamarr, instead. Sister-in-law of Vic Schoen. Her marriages to manufacturer Ted Briskin, dance director Charles O'Curran, recording company executive Alan Livingston and jazz-man Pete Candoli all ended in divorce. None of her daughters attended her funeral. Best remembered by the public for her roles as energetic brassy sassy blonds. Was best friends in college with rock musician Kristin Hersh. Was elected Mother of Year in 1956 by the City of Hope charity. In that capacity she toured the US raising money and volunteers for that good cause. Profiled in book, "Funny Ladies", by Stephen Silverman. [1999] Hutton was a lifelong Republican and was an avid supporter of Ronald Reagan in particular. Ex-sister-in-law of Jay Livingston. Was Max Factors Star of the Year, 1946. Received a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars in 2013. Ana Gasteyer paid homage to Hutton in an April 2013 TV advertisement for Weight Watchers by paroding her song "Orange Colored Sky" as well as acting out Hutton's characteristics sporting a 1940's style outlook and background. Was discovered by a New York newspaper in the early 1970s working for a soup kitchen and later a rectory as a house cleaner. She gave out her first interviews in years stating she had been counseled by the Catholic priests at this parish who helped her with her addictions to alcohol and prescription drugs and to find new meaning to her life after Hollywood. She gave similar credence to this story to Robert Osborne in 2000 when he interviewed her for a television back story on his show on TCM. There is conflicting information about her death date with most newspaper obituaries stating March 11, 2007 while her gravestone and the Social Security Death Index state March 12, 2007. Because of her energetic style, Bob Hope referred to her as "A vitamin pill with legs". She was mentioned in the Film Noir classic Sunset Boulevard: When William Holden's character tries selling his baseball script, the producer suggests turning it into a "Betty Hutton picture" but centering on women's softball (all the while not wanting the story at all). Daughter of Percy (1896-1937) and Mabel (née Lumm) Thornburg (1901-1967). Both were born and raised in Nebraska. Personal Quotes (12) I worked out of desperation. I used to hit fast and run in hopes that people wouldn't realize that I really couldn't do anything. I don't know where it's all going to lead. I have no idea where I'm going. I would just like to be happy. Some kind of fun lasts longer than others. Then the ceiling fell in and the bottom fell out I went into a spin and I started to shout I've been hit. This is it. This is it! I . . T . . . IT! I don't even have many friends anymore because I backed away from them. When things went wrong for me I didn't want them to have any part of my trouble. I think things are going to go right for me again. I'm not old. I'm old enough, but I photograph young, thank God, and I still have a public. I still get fan mail. I was a commodity, like a hot dog. It was like hot dogs and Betty Hutton. I am not a great singer and I am not a great dancer, but I am a great actress, and nobody ever let me act except [director] Preston Sturges. He believed in me. My husbands all fell in love with Betty Hutton. None of them fell in love with me. [on Annie Get Your Gun (1950)] The cast was awful to me. They wanted Judy [Judy Garland]. [The film] was the end of me. When I'm working with jerks with no talent, I raise hell until I get what I want. Professionally, my career was great, but never was the scene offstage great for me.