Betty Hutton(1921-2007)
- Actress
- Writer
- Soundtrack
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 (1956). 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.
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 (1956). 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.