Famous Pinup Girls: Jane Russell
Before she became known as simply Jane Russell, Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell was born on June 21, 1921, in Bemidji, Minnesota, to an Army lieutenant father and actress mother.
The only girl amongst four brothers, Russell's mother encouraged her to explore her interests in acting and music. Russell took piano lessons and studied at Max Reinhardt's theatrical workshop in Los Angeles.
But Russell was just working as a receptionist in a chiropodist's office when she was discovered by movie producer Howard Hughes. He cast the 19-year-old in his controversial film, The Outlaw, and spared no expense in building up publicity for her.
He arranged pinup girl photoshoots, which were especially appreciated by the U.S. Navy. In a 1943 poll, the Navy even voted her as "the girl we'd like to have waiting for us in every port."
While some regarded these risqué pictures — which emphasized her chest — as vulgar publicity, Russell wasn't ashamed. That said, she wanted to prove there was more to her than her curves. However, she'd signed a seven-year deal with Hughes, and he mostly wanted her in films that showcased her body.
ullstein bild via Getty ImagesA scene from the movie His Kind of Woman. 1951.
Though the public largely regarded Russell as a sex symbol, she eventually gained acclaim as an actress and singer as well. One of her most-remembered roles was 1953's Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, where she shared the screen with Marilyn Monroe.
Sadly, Russell's film career also saw its fair share of box-office bombs, and she later shifted her focus to television, stage performances, and nightclubs.
Even though Russell later became a born-again Christian, she believed that her prior status as a sex symbol didn't conflict with her faith. As she once explained to a curious interviewer, "Christians have bosoms, too, you know."
Outliving many other pinup girls, Jane Russell died of respiratory failure in 2011 at the age of 89.
While the golden age of pinup models has passed, that doesn't mean the art of the pinup has disappeared. Modern burlesque stars and even a few mainstream celebrities have taken pinup photos — or pinup-inspired photos — in recent years. And it's no secret that many stars continue to be inspired by pinup icons like Marilyn Monroe — a true testament to their legacy.
Now that you've learned all about history's most iconic pinup girls, check out the sexiest Broadway revue of the 1920s. Then, discover photos of Norma Jeane Mortenson before she became Marilyn Monroe.
