Betta St. John

Betta St. John (born Betty Jean Striegler;[1] November 26, 1929) is an American former actress, singer and dancer, popular on stage in the 1940s and subsequently in films in the 1950s until the mid-60s

Betta St. John
with Deborah Kerr (right) in Dream Wife
Born
Betty Jean Striegler

(1929-11-26) November 26, 1929
Hawthorne, California, U.S.
Occupation
  • Actress
  • singer
  • dancer
Years active1938–1965
Known forHigh Tide at Noon
Notable work
Dream Wife
Spouse(s)
Peter Grant
​
​
(m. 1952; died 1992)​
Children3
From top: Juanita Hall as Bloody Mary singing "Happy Talk", Betta St. John as Liat, and William Tabbert as Lt. Cable in the original Broadway cast of South Pacific (1950)

She worked in the United States and appeared on Broadway and in film's in Hollywood, as well as had successful film roles in Britain including High Tide at Noon, two Tarzan films and horror features Corridors of Blood with Bela Lugosi and Horror Hotel with Christopher Lee, who had also starred in the latter.

Biography

Early life

Born in Hawthorne, California,[2] alongside Shirley Temple and June Preston, St. John was part of the Meglin Kiddies troupe of actors, singer and dancers as a youngster.[3]

Early Film

St. John made her film debut at the age of ten in an uncredited part in Destry Rides Again (1939) starring James Stewart and Marlene Dietrich and as an orphan, also uncredited in Jane Eyre (1943) starring Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine[2]

Stage

She was discovered by Rodgers and Hammerstein and played a small role in the Broadway musical Carousel in 1945.

By 1949, she created the role of Liat in the musical South Pacific firstly on Broadway[4] and followed the production to London.

Film

On film, she made her feature debut in 1953 in The Robe. St. John portrayed a princess being courted by Cary Grant in the 1953 film Dream Wife. All the Brothers Were Valiant (1953), and The Student Prince (1954).[5] She continued to act in films and television until 1965 when she retired.

Personal life

She was married to English actor Peter Grant from 1952[6] until his death in 1992; they had three children.

Filmography
Year Title Role Note
1939Destry Rides AgainSinging Girl in WagonUncredited
1940Waldo's Last StandTop DancerShort
1943Jane EyreGirlUncredited
1953The RobeMiriam
Dream WifeTarji
All the Brothers Were ValiantNative Girl
1954Dangerous MissionMary Tiller
The Law vs. Billy the KidNita Maxwell
The Student PrincePrincess Johanna
The Saracen BladeIolanthe Rogliano
1955The Naked DawnMaria Lopez
Alias John PrestonSally Sandford
1957High Tide at NoonJoanna
Tarzan and the Lost SafariDiana Penrod
1958Corridors of BloodSusan
The SnorkelJean Edwards
1960Tarzan the MagnificentFay Ames
Horror HotelPatricia Russellaka The City of the Dead

References
  1. Maxford, Howard (2018). Hammer Complete: The Films, the Personnel, the Company. McFarland. p. 708. ISBN 9781476629148. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  2. St. John profile at Glamour Girls of the Screen website
  3. "Show Business Won't Let Betta St. John Open Eyes". The Ottawa Citizen. Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. August 1, 1953. p. 15. Retrieved 27 May 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "("Betta St. John" search results)". Playbill Vault. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
  5. Fandango website
  6. "South Pacific Girl Finally Gets Her 'Wonderful Guy'". Milwaukee Journal. November 27, 1952. Retrieved April 14, 2011.


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