A lovely person inside and out, Jane Russell's trademark figure, much appreciated by rich playboy Howard Hughes, is what launched her career in her first film, "The Outlaw." The film brought her notorious publicity, and she proceeded from there in a number of movies often opposite the biggest of Hollywood stars.
She was in westerns, musical comedies, and film noir movies often playing a sultry, tough-talking woman who attracts the wrong kind of man but who finally ends up with the man of her choice.
Movies of Sizzling Jane Russell
1943 - The Outlaw Walter Huston is Doc Holiday. Russell is Rio, Billy the Kid's girlfriend.
1946 - Young Widow Jane Russell tries to cope with the loss of her husband to war.
1948 - The Paleface with Bob Hope. Russell is Calamity Jane married to cowardly dentist Bob Hope. Her antics make him a hero and a target.
1951 - His Kind of Woman with Robert Mitchum. Mitchum and Russell fall for each other, but there are mishaps and misunderstandings.
Double Dynamite with Frank Sinatra and Groucho Marx. Sinatra wants to marry Russell but he's too poor to afford a wife. He's accused of a shortage at the bank.
1952 - The Las Vegas Story with Victor Mature. Russell is married to rich, shady businessman Vincent Price but still in love with cop Victor Mature.
Macao with Robert Mitchum. Mitchum and Russell fall for each other, but there are mishaps and misunderstandings.
Son of Paleface with Bob Hope. Sequel to The Paleface. Bob can't find his father's gold.
Montana Belle, Russell is Belle Star
Road to Bali (Cameo)
1953 - Gentlemen Prefer Blondes with Marilyn Monroe. Classic remembered mostly for Monroe as a gold-digger and for her number, "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend."
1954 - The French Line with Gilbert Roland. Oil heiress Russell is seeking love and takes a cruise incognito so that men won't chase her for her money.
1955 - Underwater! with Gilbert Roland and Richard Egan. Two SCUBA divers search for sunken treasure off the coast of Cuba. Russell is Egan's wife.
Foxfire with Jeff Chandler
The Tall Men with Clark Gable. Russell is rescued by Gable and Robert Ryan from Indians.
Gentlemen Marry Brunettes with Jeanne Crain. Russell and Crain are sisters that play on Broadway as showgirls. They're getting nowhere in New York and so seek fame in Paris.
1956 - Hot Blood with Cornel Wilde. Wilde is tricked by his brother into an arranged marriage with fiery Russell.
The Revolt of Mamie Stover with Richard Egan. Russell is a prostitute run out of San Francisco.
1957 - The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown. A movie star is kidnapped as a publicity stunt...or is it a stunt?
1964 - Fate Is the Hunter with Glenn Ford, Rod Taylor. Drama surrounding a fatal airplane crash.
1966 - Johnny Reno with Dana Andrews. Andrews is a sheriff back in town to visit Russell.
Waco: Western cult classic with Howard Keel. Russell is married to a preacher but still attracted to Howard Keel.
1967 - The Born Losers A motorcycle gang torments the residents of a small California town.
1970 - Darker Than Amber. Rod Taylor as a heroic beach bum and Russell as Alabama Tigress.
2007 - Hollywood on Fire (documentary)
Russell wrote in her memoir “My Path and My Detours” (1985), that she gained strength from Christianity: "A higher power was always there telling me that if I could just hold tough a little longer, I’d find myself around one more dark corner, see one more spot of light and have one more drop of pure joy in this journey called life.”
2/28/2011: International news - Voluptuous Jane Russell dies of respiratory-related illness. She is survived by a daughter, 2 sons (all 3 adopted), 8 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.
Slideshow of Jane Russell photos
My son said, `Mother you can`t say the word bigot because that has to do with nationalities and things.` I said, `No darling, it`s a verb. It means I can`t stand these people who are trying to take the Ten Commandments off the wall, take prayer out of school and take prayer out of football games.` It`s too ridiculous. The Lord put this country together or we wouldn`t be like we are.'"
Video of Jane singing
Slideshow of Jane Russell photos
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