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Esther Williams

Actor

Esther Williams

Born August 8, 1921 in Inglewood, California, USADied June 6, 201327 films

Esther Jane Williams (August 8, 1921 – June 6, 2013) was an American competitive swimmer and actress. She set regional and national records in her late teens on the Los Angeles Athletic Club swim team. Unable to compete in the 1940 Summer Olympics because of the outbreak of World War II, she joined Billy Rose's Aquacade, where she took on the role vacated by Eleanor Holm after the show's move from New York City to San Francisco. While in the city, she spent five months swimming alongside Olympic gold-medal winner and Tarzan star Johnny Weissmuller. Williams caught the attention of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer scouts at the Aquacade. After appearing in several small roles, and alongside Mickey Rooney in an Andy Hardy film and future five-time co-star Van Johnson in A Guy Named Joe, Williams made a series of films in the 1940s and early 1950s known as "aquamusicals", which featured elaborate performances with synchronised swimming and diving.

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Every year from 1945 to 1949, Williams had at least one film among the 20 highest-grossing films of the year. In 1952, Williams appeared in her only biographical role, as Australian swimming star Annette Kellerman in Million Dollar Mermaid, which went on to become her nickname while she was at MGM. Williams left MGM in 1956 and appeared in a handful of unsuccessful feature films, followed by several extremely popular water-themed network television specials, including one from Cypress Gardens, Florida.

Williams was also a successful businesswoman. Before retiring from acting, she invested in a "service station, a metal products plant, a manufacturer of bathing suits, various properties and a successful restaurant chain known as Trails." She lent her name to a line of swimming pools, retro swimwear, and instructional swimming videos for children, and served as a commentator for synchronized swimming at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Esther Williams, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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The best way into Esther Williams's work
A Guy Named Joe posterFirst watchA Guy Named Joe19446.7as Ellen BrightA cocky U.S. Army Air Force pilot stationed in England during World War II falls for a daring female flier. After he's killed on a mission, he's sent back to Earth by a heavenly General…View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
Take Me Out to the Ball Game poster6.7Take Me Out to the Ball Game1949Ziegfeld Follies poster6.0Ziegfeld Follies1945

Filmography

27 films as actor
  1. 1963Magic FountainHyacinth Tower
  2. 1961The Big ShowHillary Allen
  3. 1958Raw Wind in EdenLaura
  4. 1956The Unguarded MomentLois Conway
  5. 1955Jupiter's DarlingAmytis
  6. 1953Easy to LoveJulie Hallerton
  7. 1953Dangerous When WetKaty Higgins
  8. 1952Million Dollar MermaidAnnette Kellerman
  9. 1952Skirts Ahoy!Whitney Young
  10. 1951Callaway Went ThatawayEsther Williams (uncredited)
  11. 1951Texas CarnivalDebbie Telford
  12. 1950Pagan Love SongMimi Bennett
  13. 1950Duchess of IdahoChristine Riverton Duncan
  14. 1949Neptune's DaughterEve Barrett
  15. 1949Take Me Out to the Ball GameK.C. Higgins
  16. 1948On an Island with YouRosalind Rennolds
  17. 1947This Time for KeepsNora Cambaretti
  18. 1947FiestaMaria Morales
  19. 1946Till the Clouds Roll ByEsther Williams - Signing Autographs (uncredited)
  20. 1946Easy to WedConnie Allenbury
  21. 1946The Hoodlum SaintKay Lorrison
  22. 1945Ziegfeld FolliesEsther Williams (segment "A Water Ballet")
  23. 1945Thrill of a RomanceCynthia Glenn
  24. 1944Bathing BeautyCaroline Brooks
  25. 1944A Guy Named JoeEllen Bright
  26. 1942Andy Hardy's Double LifeSheila Brooks
  27. 1942InflationMrs. Smith