Watch Online Sex symbol Jane Russell, Marilyn Monroe's co-star in 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,' dies at 89BY Leo Standora Monday, February 28th 2011, 10:03 PMMovies,Entertainment,Arts, Entertainment, and Media,Roger Barrett,John Peoples,Clark Gable,Bob Waterfield,Bob Hope,Betty Grable,United States,California,The Howard Hughes Corporation,The Outlaw,Marilyn Monroe,Jane Russell
Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell in 'His Kind of Woman.' Below, Russell with Marilyn Monroe in the hit 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.'Jane Russell, the buxom brunette bombshell who became one of Hollywood's leading sex symbols of the 1940s and 1950s, died Monday of respiratory failure in her California home. She was 89.
Buck Waterfield, one of Russell's three adopted children, said she "passed away peacefully," with her family and other loved ones at her side.
Multimillionaire producer-industrialist Howard Hughes discovered Russell and put her in her first movie, "The Outlaw," which stuck her with the sexpot image based on her bosom--she reportedly wore a size 38-D bra.
In publicity shots for the film, the sultry Russell languished on a bed of straw, looking petulant as her tight-fitting peasant blouse slipped off one shoulder.
Shocked censors held up "The Outlaw" for almost three years before a limited release in 1943.
Despite her popularity - Russell and Betty Grable were the top pinup choices for GIs - the Minnesota-born actress was disappointed with her career.
Russell wrote in her autobiography,"The truth is that, more often than not, I've been unhappy about the pictures I've been in. Except for comedy, I went nowhere in the acting department."
Some of her comedy turns were with Bob Hope, who once introduced the actress as "the two and only Miss Russell." They teamed up in 1948 in the Western spoof "The Paleface," which led to a sequel.
In 1953 Russell paired with Marilyn Monroe in her biggest hit, "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes."
"Jane tried to convert me (to religion) and I tried to introduce her to Freud," Monroe said.
Russell also had a hit with Clark Gable in "The Tall Men" in 1955. But many of her movies were quickly forgotten.
In 1952, however, as a dance hall girl in "Montana Belle," Russell sang, which led to a career singing in nightclubs and on television.
At the height of her career, Russell started the "Hollywood Christian Group", a weekly Bible study at her home for Christians in the film industry.
Asked about the apparent conflict between her faith and her image, Russell replied, "Christians have bosoms, too, you know,"
Russell's marriage to football hero Bob Waterfield was tempestuous. They had no biological children, due to an inept back-alley abortion Russell had in her youth, so they adopted.
The couple divorced after 25 years, and Russell married actor Roger Barrett who died died three months later. In 1971, Russell married John Peoples, a retired Air Force colonel who died in 1999.
By all accounts a doting and devoted mother, Russell founded the World Adoption International Fund in 1955. It helped pioneer the practice of U.S. couples adopting from foreign countries.
Just two years ago, pointing out that true stars never dim, Glamour U.K. named Russell one of the 40 Most Iconic Movie Goddesses of All Time.
“Me and Ranveer can never be boyfriend girlfriend,” said actress Anushka Sharma on the chat show Koffee With Karan, where Ranveer Singh was the other guest on the couch. The entire episode proved that the couple share a very peppy relationship and are no more than good friends, who keep fighting with each other.
