Betty Hutton
Check out this artist at Amazon.com

Born

  • February 26, 1921
  • Battle Creek, MI

Real Name

  • Elizabeth June Thornburg

Marriages / Children

  • Ted Briskin (1945-50)
  • Candy (b. 1946)
  • Lindsay (b. 1948)
  • Chas. O'Curran (1952-55)
  • Alan Livingston (1955-60)
  • Peter Candoli (1960-71)
  • Caroline (b. 1962)

Betty Hutton

Energetic, blonde bombshell best-known for her aggressive vocal stylings and humorous material. Betty Hutton was one of the most-original and most-colorful singers in twentieth century American pop music. She's best remembered today for the lively novelty tunes she recorded from her many films. Her younger sister, Marion, found fame as a vocalist with Glenn Miller's orchestra.

Betty and Marion's father, a railroad worker, abandoned the family when Betty was only two years old. In order to support her two daughters their mother opened a small speakeasy in their home. Marion and Betty would often perform for the patrons. Trouble with police kept the family on the move, and eventually they ended up in Detroit.

Betty landed her first professional job with a summer resort band when she was only 13 years old. She continued to sing professionally with a number of local bands until she was 15, when she decided to go to New York and give Broadway a try. Told that she'd never make it on the stage, she returned home. Her big break finally came when orchestra leader Vincent Lopez saw her and her sister perform and signed them on the spot.

Betty soon began making a name for herself in the entertainment world. Her animated vocal style was popular with the audience, and she soon overshadowed her sister. Marion eventually left Lopez to sign with Miller, who thought Betty too hard to handle but appreciated Marion's girl-next-door aura.

During 1939 Betty appeared in several movie musical shorts, and in 1940 she left Lopez for a role in the Broadway musical revue Two for the Show. Soon after, producer B.G. DeSylva signed her for a part in his Broadway musical, Panama Hattie. When DeSylva took over the production reins at Paramount studios in late 1941 he hired her for a featured role in the musical, The Fleet's In. She became a screen favorite and went on to make 14 films over the next 11 years.

In 1942 Betty became one of the first artists to sign with the newly-formed Capitol Records, but she later became unhappy with the way the company was handling her career. In 1949 she left Capitol and signed with RCA.

Betty's Hollywood stardom came to an abrupt end in 1952 when a major disagreement with Paramount caused her to walk out on her contract. She continued working in radio and performing in nightclubs as well as appearing on Broadway and television. In 1967 she was signed to star in two low-budget Paramount westerns, but shortly after starting work she was fired. After that Betty's emotional state began to deteriorate. She had bouts of drug abuse and alcoholism. A suicide attempt eventually resulted in a nervous breakdown. Befriended by a priest, she pulled her life back together and began working as a rectory cook and housekeeper in Rhode Island. She enrolled in college and went on to teach acting. Today Betty Hutton lives in Palm Springs, California.