Eleanor Holm with Clayton Bishop, winner of the 1939 Albany to New York Outboard Race
Eleanor Holm with Clayton Bishop, winner of the 1939 Albany to New York Outboard Race

Born

  • December 6, 1913
  • New York NY

Died

  • January 31, 2004
  • Miami, FL

Marriages

  • Art Jarrett (1933-38)
  • Billy Rose (1939-54)
  • Thomas Whalen (1974)

Eleanor Holm

Glamor girl and swimmer Eleanor Holm turned down a chance to join the Ziegfeld Follies in order to concentrate on her athletic endeavors. In 1927 she won her first of many amateur championships. She placed fifth in the 100-meter backstroke at the 1928 Olympics but won the Gold Medal in that event in 1932. Upon her return from the Olympics she signed a film contract with Warner Brothers but never made an films for the studio.

In 1933 Holm married Ted Weems vocalist Art Jarrett. When Jarrett formed his own orchestra in 1936 she became his female vocalist. She was also prepared to make a return to the Olympics in 1936 but was caught drinking by American Olympic officials during the voyage to Europe and kicked off the team. The incident worked in her favor, however, making her an even bigger celebrity than before.

After the Olympics Holm starred in Billy Rose's touring water show, Aquacade. Rumors flew that she and Rose were having an affair. Those rumors proved true when she divorced Jarrett and married Rose in 1939. She and Rose divorced in 1954. The ensuing messy court battle became known in the press as the War of the Roses.

Holm starred in one film, Tarzan's Revenge, in 1938. She later worked as an interior decorator and retired to Miami Beach, Florida. Eleanor Holm passed away due to kidney failure in 2004.