Jane Russell Wiki, Biography, Age, Spouse, Height, Net Worth, Fast Facts

Russell moved from the Midwest to California, where she had her first film role in Howard Hughes’ The Outlaw (1943). In 1947, Russell delved into music before returning to films. After starring in several films in the 1950s, including Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), Russell again returned to music while completing several other films in the 1960s.

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 film. Her hand and footprints were immortalized in the forecourt of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. A star with her name was placed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Jane Russell Wiki, Biography

Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell was born on June 21, 1921, in Bemidji, Minnesota.^[1] She was the eldest child and only daughter of the five children of Roy William Russell (5 January 1890 – 18 July 1937) and Geraldine Jane Russell (née Jacobi) (2 January 1891 – 26 December 1986).^[2][3] Her brothers were Thomas Ferris Russell (16 April 1924 – 17 May 2007), Kenneth Steven Russell (2 September 1925 – 3 November 2009), James “Jamie” Hyatt Russell (10 February 1927 – 20 September 2017), and Wallace “Wally” Jacobi Russell (31 January 1929 – 28 September 2004).^[4] Her brother Jamie and Wally was also worked as an actor and director,^[5][6] Jamie died at Cedar River in Washington, USA, on 20 September 2017 at the age of 90,^[6] while Wally died at North Las Vegas, Nevada, on 28 September 2004 at the age of 75.^[7] Her second brother Thomas was born on 16 April 1924 in Burbank, Los Angeles, and died in Washington, Wisconsin, on 17 May 2007 at the age of 83.^[8] And her third brother Kenneth was born on 2 September 1925 in Beltrami, Minnesota, and died in El Dorado, California, on 3 November 2009 at the age of 84.^[9]

Russell’s father, Roy William Russell, was born on 5 January 1890 in Grand Forks, North Dakota, to French-English father William Douglas Russell (9 January 1860 – 8 July 1941) and Germany mother Pauline Abentroth (18 December 1865 – 25 December 1930).^[3] They were married on April 2, 1884 in Cass County, North Dakota. He has a younger brother named Harry Edward Russell who was born on 1896 in North Dakota, U.S.^[10][3] His father William was born on 9 January 1860 in Ontario, Canada, and died in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, on 8 July 1941 at the age of 81.^[11] While his mother Pauline was born on 18 December 1865 in Kreis Wongrowitz, Bromberg, and died in Burbank, Los Angeles, on 25 December 1930 due to hemorrhagic stroke at the age of 65.^[12] Roy was married to Geraldine Jacobi on March 22, 1918 in Kalamazoo, Michigan.^[13]

Russell’s mother, Geraldine Jane Jacobi, was born on 2 January 1891 in North Dakota, U.S, as the oldest child to Austrian father Gustav Reinhold Jacobi (4 October 1866 – 27 November 1949) and American mother Amelia May Hyatt (11 July 1871 – 11 November 1953).^[14] They were married on November 20, 1889 in Frontenac, Ontario.^[15] She has a two sisters and three brothers named Ernestine Jacobi (1893–1977), Gustav Reinhold Jacobi (1897–1975), Ruth Stroud Jacobi (1898–1980), John Stevenson “Jack” Jacobi (1901–1990), and Kenneth Jacobi (1904–1997).^[14] Her father Gustav was born on 4 October 1866 in North Frontenac, Ontario, and died in Los Angeles, California, on 27 November 1949 at the age of 83.^[16] While her mother Amelia was born on 11 June 1871 in Frontenac, Ontario, and died in Los Angeles, California, on 11 November 1953 at the age of 82.^[15] Geraldine was married to Roy William Russell on March 22, 1918 in Kalamazoo, Michigan.^[13]

Russell’s father, Roy, had been a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army, and her mother, Geraldine, an actress with a road troupe;^[17] her mother was also the subject of a portrait by Mary Bradish Titcomb, Portrait of Geraldine J., which received public attention when purchased by Woodrow Wilson.^[18] Russell’s parents lived in Edmonton, Alberta until shortly before her birth and returned to that city nine days after her birth, where they lived for the first one or two years of her life.^[19] The family then moved to Southern California where her father worked as an office manager.^[1]

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.^[20] Her early ambition was to be a designer of some kind, until the death of her father in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, on 18 July 1937 at the age of 47,^[3] 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 actress and acting coach Maria Ouspenskaya.^[1]

Her mother Geraldine was died in Colville, Stevens County, on 26 December 1986 at the age of 95.^[2]

Television

Russell moved into television, appearing in episodes of Colgate Theatre, Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse, Death Valley Days (the “Splinter Station”, 1960) and The Red Skelton Hour. In 1999, she remarked, “Why did I quit movies? Because I was getting too old! You couldn’t go on acting in those years if you were an actress over 30.”^[42]her last on screen was in Burned, Hunter season 2, 1985

Russell was referenced in a 1956 episode of The Honeymooners. Ralph Kramden (played by Jackie Gleason) arrives home “dead” tired, vowing to go straight to bed after dinner, quipping, “You couldn’t get me out of this house tonight if you told me that Jane Russell was runnin’ a party upstairs and she couldn’t get started until I arrived!” Later, Kramden becomes aware that his best friend and neighbor, Ed Norton, is in fact throwing a party upstairs and did not invite him. After being reminded by his wife, Alice, of his reluctance to attend even a party that Jane Russell was throwing, an insulted Kramden rants, “I was talking about Jane Russell: I said nothing about any party that Norton’s running!”

On the sitcom Maude (the episode “The Wallet”), Walter Findlay (played by Bill Macy) carries a lipstick impression and autograph of Jane Russell on a cocktail napkin in his wallet as a good luck charm.

Later career

Russell made her first movie appearance in a number of years in Fate Is the Hunter (1964), in which she was seen as herself performing for the USO in a flashback sequence. She was second-billed in two A.C. Lyles Westerns, Johnny Reno (1966) and Waco (1966), and starred in Cauliflower Cupids, filmed in 1966 but not released until 1970. She had a character role in The Born Losers (1967) and Darker Than Amber (1970).

In 1971, Russell starred in the musical drama Company, making her debut on Broadway in the role of Joanne, succeeding Elaine Stritch. Russell performed the role of Joanne for almost six months. Also in the 1970s, Russell started appearing in television commercials as a spokeswoman for Playtex “‘Cross-Your-Heart Bras’ for us full-figured gals”, featuring the “18-Hour Bra”, still one of International Playtex’s best-known products even as of early March 2011. She had a semi-recurring guest role in The Yellow Rose (1983) on television and guest-starred on Hunter (1986). Russell wrote an autobiography, Jane Russell: My Path and My Detours (1985).^{[citation needed]}

In 1989, Russell received the Women’s International Center Living Legacy Award.^[17] Her handprints and footprints are immortalized at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre,^[43] and she has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6850 Hollywood Boulevard.^[44] Russell was voted one of the 40 Most Iconic Movie Goddesses of all time in 2009 by Glamour (UK edition).^[45]

Portrayals

Russell was portrayed by Renee Henderson in the CBS miniseries Blonde (2001), based on the novel by Joyce Carol Oates and portrayed leaving her imprints at Grauman’s along with Marilyn Monroe in the HBO film Norma Jean & Marilyn (1996), starring Ashley Judd and Mira Sorvino.

Personal life

Russell described herself as “vigorously pro-life”.^[46] She was unable to have children, after a botched abortion in her teenage years left her infertile.^[47]

Russell was married three times, first to Bob Waterfield, from 1943 until their divorce in July 1968. He was a UCLA All-American, Cleveland Rams quarterback, Los Angeles Rams quarterback, Los Angeles Rams head coach, and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Two months after their divorce, Russell married actor Roger Barrett who died of a heart attack only two months later in November 1968. She married real-estate broker John Calvin Peoples on January 31, 1974, living with him until his death from heart failure in Santa Barbara, California, on April 9, 1999.^[48][49] In the late 1970s, Russell and Peoples moved to Sedona, Arizona, where they owned Dude’s nightclub, and Russell revived her nightclub act.^[50] They spent the majority of their married life residing in Santa Maria, California.

In February 1952, Russell and Waterfield adopted a baby girl, whom they named Tracy. In December 1952, they adopted a 15-month-old boy, Thomas, whose birth mother, Hannah McDermott, had moved to London to escape poverty in Northern Ireland, and, in 1956, they adopted a nine-month-old boy, Robert John. In 1955, she founded Waif, an organization to place children with adoptive families, and which pioneered adoptions from foreign countries by Americans.^[51] At the height of her career, Russell started the “Hollywood Christian Group”, a weekly Bible study at her home which was attended by many of the leading names in the film industry.^{[citation needed]}

In the film Philomena (2013), Russell’s photograph appears on a wall; a character states that Russell bought a child for £1000 from the tainted Sean Ross Abbey in Ireland featured in this true-life movie, but this claim is countered in at least one recent British report, which states that in the mid-1950s, Russell and her husband “rather informally adopted a son from a woman living in London, but originating in Derry, Northern Ireland. There was a major scandal and a court case, after which Russell was allowed to formalise the adoption.”^[52]

Contrary to popular belief, Russell never tried to convert Marilyn Monroe to religion. When Monroe said, “Jane tried to convert me (to religion), and I tried to introduce her to Freud”, she was referring to the time Russell tried to take her to a bible study for Hollywood stars as an alternative to church. In an interview, Russell later said “I certainly wasn’t trying to convert her to religion because I don’t like religion”.^[53] Russell appeared occasionally on the Praise the Lord program on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, a Christian television channel based in Costa Mesa, California.

Russell was a prominent supporter of the Republican Party, and attended Dwight D. Eisenhower’s inauguration, along with such other notables from Hollywood as Lou Costello, Dick Powell, June Allyson, Hugh O’Brian, Anita Louise and Louella Parsons. She was a recovering alcoholic who had gone into rehab at the age of 79, and described herself in a 2003 interview, saying, “These days, I am a teetotal, mean-spirited, right-wing, narrow-minded, conservative Christian bigot, but not a racist.”^[1][54]

Russell resided in the Santa Maria Valley along the Central Coast of California. She died at her home in Santa Maria.^[49] of a respiratory-related illness on February 28, 2011.^[55][51][56] Her funeral was held on March 12, 2011, at Pacific Christian Church, Santa Maria.^[49][57]

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Net Worth

The Estimated Net worth is $80K – USD $85k.