Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell (June 21, 1921 – February 28, 2011) was an American actress of The Golden Age of Hollywood. Quite a voluptuous bombshell, but also much more than that.
In 1940, she was discovered and cultivated by Howard Hughes. Stardom came with the film The Outlaw which is now remembered more for its publicity – where her breasts were the center of attraction
◊ - rather than the film itself. Hughes was so obsessed with her breasts and their look in the film that he created a specialized bra to help accentuate them. Said obsession caused serious delays for the film’s release because of the era's censorship, and although these images helped Russell become a popular pinup during World War II, Hughes didn’t take advantage of her meteoric rise in pop culture, putting her in one romance (The Young Widow, 1946) and a loan-out for a Bob Hope vehicle, The Paleface.
Not one to take herself too seriously, she wrote, "I was embarrassed and humiliated [about the publicity]. At the other side, I wanted to laugh because it was so ridiculous." Further, in contrast to her sexy image, Russell was deeply religious and later reflected, "[People] had the image of the Hughes publicity and his arguments with the censors firmly planted in their minds…I just merrily went on my way doing what I liked and let the confusion lie where Jesus flung it."
The 1950s proved to be a better decade for Russell, where her comedic chops were appreciated and taken advantage of in her best film, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes a musical comedy co-starring Marilyn Monroe. As the witty straight-woman to Monroe’s dumb-blonde antics, the film was a big hit with both audiences and critics.
Another important co-star, and later turned friend, was Robert Mitchum which she co-starred in two film noirs, being His Kind of Woman and Macao. She may or may not have had an affair with him, but Russell never divulged details in later years.
Unfortunately, her career didn’t take off after these impressive turns. She gave a good dramatic performance in The Revolt of Mamie Stover which showcased her singing ability. But her contract to Hughes did not yield many results, and ended in 1955.
In her personal life, having gone through a traumatic abortion at 19 that left her unable to conceive, she began to campaign for the Federal Adoption Amendment of 1953, and founded the World Adoption International Fund (WAIF) in 1956.
When the film roles began to die down, she turned to the stage and television during the 1960s and 1970s and had a starring-turn in the play, Company.
In later years, she created “The Singing Forties” which provided entertainment for senior citizens in her hometown of Santa Monica.
She died at the age of 89 in 2011.
Selected Filmography:
Film:
- The Outlaw (1943)
- The Paleface (1948) - Not to be confused with the Buster Keaton silent of the same name.
- His Kind of Woman (1951)
- Macao (1952)
- Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
- The Revolt of Mamie Stover (1956)
- Fate Is the Hunter (1964)
- Johnny Reno (1966)
Television:
- The Yellow Rose (1984)
- Hunter (1986)
Tropes related to Jane Russell:
- Amazonian Beauty: Unlike typical bombshells of her time, Jane was quite tall, broad-shouldered, and muscular, but none the less world renown for her sex appeal.
- Brainy Brunette: Unlike Marilyn, most of her roles had Jane showcase her wit and intelligence.
- Deadpan Snarker: Provided a sarcastic wit to most of her roles.
- Ms. Fanservice: Like Marilyn, her sex appeal was a big selling factor.
- Tomboy and Girly Girl: The tomboy to Marilyn Monroe's girly girl.
