Betty Hutton

Betty Hutton (February 26, 1921 – March 11, 2007) was an American stage, film, and television actress, comedienne and singer.

Hutton was born Elizabeth June Thornburg, daughter of a railroad foreman, Percy E. Thornburg (1896–1939) and his wife, Mabel Lum (1901–1967). While she was very young, her father abandoned the family for another woman. They did not hear of him again until they received a telegram in 1939, informing them of his suicide. Along with her older sister Marion, Betty was raised by her mother, who took the surname Hutton and was later billed as the actress Sissy Jones.

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.

The three started singing in the family's speakeasy when Betty was 3 years old. Troubles with the police kept the family on the move. They eventually landed in Detroit, Michigan. (On one occasion, when Betty, preceded by a police escort, arrived at the premiere of Let's Dance (1950), her mother, arriving with her, quipped, "At least this time the police are in front of us!") Hutton sang in several local bands as a teenager, and at one point visited New York City hoping to perform on Broadway, where she was rejected.

A few years later, she was scouted by orchestra leader Vincent Lopez, who gave Hutton her entry into the entertainment business. In 1939 she appeared in several musical shorts for Warner Bros., and appeared in a supporting role on Broadway in Panama Hattie (starring Ethel Merman) and Two for the Show, both produced by Buddy DeSylva.

Actress, Singer. Remembered for her extreme energy on stage and screen, described as, "A brassy, energetic performer with a voice that could sound like a fire alarm." Born Elizabeth June Thornburg in Battle Creek, Michigan, to Percy and Mabel Thornburg, the family was abandoned by their father, and their mother worked a variety of jobs to support the family. At age thirteen, Betty was employed as a singer in a Michigan summer resort and then worked with a local band of high school students. By age fifteen, Betty saved enough money and traveled to New York City hoping for a break on Broadway. The trip was an unsuccessful and brief one. She was told she'd never make it in show business. She returned home, and with sister Marion gained employment in Detroit nightclub, where bandleader Vincent Lopez scouted and soon hired the teen to be a vocalist with his band. While touring with Lopez, Betty performed the under the name 'Betty Darling', while her sister toured with bandleader Glenn Miller using the surname Hutton; Betty soon took the name as well. In 1938, Betty toured with Vincent Lopez in New York City, while recording vocals for RCA Victor's Bluebird Records. She then made her screen debut in the Warner Bros. Vitaphone short, "Queens of the Air." She made more Vitaphone short subjects, and made her first Paramount Pictures appearance, in the short, "Three Kings and a Queen" (1939). Betty continued to tour with Lopez as well as singing on his NBC radio program. By 1940, Betty left Lopez's band for a part in the Broadway show, "Two For The Show." She acquired the comic lead in another Broadway production, Cole Porter's "Panama Hattie," her understudy was a chorus girl named June Allyson. Just prior to opening night, by orders of star Ethel Merman, Hutton's big musical number was cut. Betty was upset, but continued her run after the show's producer Buddy DeSylva promised to hire her for his Paramount film musical, "The Fleet's In" (1942). Her following film, "Star Spangled Rhythm" (1942) solidified her place as cinemas newest queen of comedy. She appeared in nineteen films in ten years, from 1942 to 1952, including, "The Perils Of Pauline" (1947), "Let's Dance" (1950), and "Annie Get Your Gun" (1950) for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), which hired Hutton to replace Judy Garland in the role of Annie Oakley. Due to contractual disagreements with Paramount Pictures, "The Greatest Show On Earth" (1952) and "Somebody Loves Me" (1952) were her final films with the studio. With the popularity of the newest mode of entertainment, television, Betty negotiated her own show through Desilu Studios. "The Betty Hutton Show" was televised on CBS for thirty episodes during the 1959-1960 season, and later cancelled. It's primary competition was "The Donna Reed Show" on NBC. She worked sporadically on television as well as night club performances in Las Vegas. Her private life in turmoil, her fourth and final marriage ended in 1967. Hutton had trouble with alcohol and substance abuse, even attempting suicide after losing her singing voice in 1970, and having a nervous breakdown. She turned her personal life around in the 1970s, with the help of a Rhode Island Roman Catholic priest, Father Peter Maguire. She went on to earn a college degree from Salve Regina, a Catholic college for women in Newport, Rhode Island. By the late 1980s she was teaching acting to students at Boston's Emerson College. After decades in the New England area, she moved to Palm Springs, California in 1999. She hoped to become closer to her two daughters whom she alienated herself from during her bouts of alcoholism. It was not to be. Her children remained distant. During her career she garnered numerous award nominations for her acting and singing performances. For her contribution to the motion picture industry, she has a 'Star' on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6253 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, California. Betty Hutton succumbed to colon cancer in Palm Springs, California.

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 Provedence, 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.

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.

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.

She has a street named after her in Beverly Hills, CA.

When DeSylva became a producer at Paramount Pictures, Hutton was signed to a featured role in The Fleet's In (1942), starring Paramount's number one female star Dorothy Lamour. Hutton was an instant hit with the movie-going public. Paramount did not immediately promote her to major stardom, however, but did give her second leads in a Mary Martin film musical, Star Spangled Rhythm (1943), and another Lamour film. In 1943 she was given co-star billing with Bob Hope in Let's Face It and with the release of The Miracle of Morgan's Creek the following year, Hutton attained major stardom. By the time Incendiary Blonde was released in 1945, she had supplanted Lamour as Paramount's number one female box office attraction.

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.

Hutton made 19 films from 1942 to 1952 including the hugely popular The Perils of Pauline in 1947. She was billed above Fred Astaire in the 1950 musical Let's Dance. Hutton's greatest screen triumph came in Annie Get Your Gun (1950) for MGM, which hired her to replace an exhausted Judy Garland in the role of Annie Oakley. The film, with the leading role retooled for Hutton, was a smash hit, with the biggest critical praise going to Hutton. (Her obituary in The New York Times described her as "a brassy, energetic performer with a voice that could sound like a fire alarm."). Among her lesser known roles was an unbilled cameo in Sailor Beware (1952) with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, in which she portrayed Dean's girlfriend, Hetty Button.

In 1944, she signed a recording contract with Capitol Records (she was one of the earliest artists to do so). Later she became disillusioned with Capitol's management and moved to RCA Victor.

Her career as a Hollywood star ended due to a contract dispute with Paramount following the Oscar-winning The Greatest Show on Earth (1952) and Somebody Loves Me (1952), a biography of singer Blossom Seeley. The New York Times reported that the dispute resulted from her insistence that her husband at the time, Charles O'Curran, direct her next film. When the studio declined, Hutton broke her contract. Hutton's last completed film was a small one, Spring Reunion, released in 1957, a drama in which she gave an understated, sensitive performance. Unfortunately, box office receipts indicated the public did not want to see a subdued Hutton.

Hutton got work in radio, appeared in Las Vegas and in nightclubs, then tried her luck in the new medium of television. In 1954, TV producer Max Liebman, of Your Show of Shows, fashioned his first "Color Spectacular" as an original musical written especially for Hutton, Satins and Spurs. It was an enormous flop with the public and the critics, despite being one of the first programs televised nationally by NBC in compatible color. In 1957, she appeared on a Dinah Shore show on NBC that also featured Boris Karloff; the program has been preserved on a kinescope. Desilu Productions took a chance on Hutton in 1959, giving her a sitcom, The Betty Hutton Show, directed by Jerry Fielding. It quickly faded.

Hutton began headlining in Las Vegas and touring across the country. She returned to Broadway briefly in 1964 when she temporarily replaced a hospitalized Carol Burnett in the show Fade Out – Fade In. In 1967 she was signed to star in two low-budget westerns for Paramount, but was fired shortly after the projects began. In the 1970s she portrayed Miss Hannigan in the original Broadway production of Annie while Alice Ghostley was on vacation.

Marriages

Hutton's first marriage was to camera manufacturer Ted Briskin on September 3, 1945. The marriage ended in divorce in 1950. Two daughters were born to the couple, Lindsay Diane Briskin (born 1946) and Candice Elizabeth Briskin (born 1948).

Hutton's second marriage in 1952 was to choreographer Charles O'Curran. They divorced in 1955. He died in 1984.

She married for the third time in 1955. Husband Alan W. Livingston, an executive with Capitol Records, was the creator of Bozo the Clown. They divorced five years later, although some accounts refer to the union as a nine-month marriage.

Her fourth and final marriage in 1960 was to jazz trumpeter Pete Candoli, a brother of Conte Candoli. Hutton and Candoli had one child, Carolyn Candoli (born 1962) and then divorced in 1967 (some accounts place the year as 1964).

Life after Hollywood

After the 1967 death of her mother in a house fire and the collapse of her last marriage, Hutton's depression and pill addictions escalated. She divorced her fourth husband, jazz trumpeter Pete Candoli, and declared bankruptcy. Hutton had a nervous breakdown and later attempted suicide after losing her singing voice in 1970. After regaining control of her life through rehab, and the mentorship of a Roman Catholic priest, Father Peter Maguire, Hutton converted to Roman Catholicism and took a job as a cook at a rectory in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. She made national headlines when it was revealed she was working in a rectory.

In 1974, a well-publicized "Love-In for Betty Hutton" was held at New York City's Riverboat Restaurant, emceed by comedian Joey Adams, with several old Hollywood pals on hand. The event raised $10,000 (USD) for Hutton and gave her spirits a big boost. Steady work, unfortunately, still eluded her.

Hutton appeared in an interview with Mike Douglas and a brief guest appearance in 1975 on Baretta. In 1977, Hutton was featured on The Phil Donahue Show. Hutton was then happily employed as hostess at a Newport, Rhode Island jai alai arena.

She also appeared on Good Morning America, which led to a 1978 televised reunion with her two daughters. Hutton began living in a shared home with her divorced daughter and grandchildren in California, but returned to the East Coast for a three week return to the stage. She followed Dorothy Loudon as the evil Miss Hannigan in Annie on Broadway in 1980. Hutton's rehearsal of the song "Little Girls" was featured on Good Morning America.

A ninth grade drop-out, Hutton went back to school and earned a Master's Degree in psychology from Salve Regina University. During her time at college, Hutton became friends with Kristin Hersh and attended several early Throwing Muses concerts. Hersh would later write the song "Elizabeth June" as a tribute to her friend, and wrote about their relationship in further detail in her memoir, Rat Girl.

Her last known performance, in any medium, was on Jukebox Saturday Night, which aired on PBS in 1983. Hutton stayed in New England and began teaching comedic acting at Boston's Emerson College. She became estranged again from her daughters.

After the death of her ally, Father Maguire, Hutton returned to California, moving to Palm Springs in 1999, after decades in New England. Hutton hoped to grow closer with her daughters and grandchildren, as she told Robert Osborne on TCM's Private Screenings in April 2000, though her children remained distant. She told Osborne that she understood their hesitancy to accept a now elderly mother. The TCM interview first aired on July 18, 2000. The program was rerun as a memorial on the evening of her death in 2007, and again on July 11, 2008, April 14, 2009, and as recently as January 26, 2010.

Death

Hutton lived in Palm Springs, California until her death, at 86, from colon cancer complications. Hutton is buried at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California.

For her contribution to the motion picture industry, Betty Hutton has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame located at 6253 Hollywood Boulevard.

Hit songs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Hutton#Hit_songs

Filmography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Hutton#Filmography

Awards and nominations

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Hutton#Awards_and_nominations

• Reference: WikiTree Genealogy - SmartCopy: Mar 19 2017, 4:41:51 UTC