Betta St. John

Betta St. John (born Betty Jean Striegler[2]) is an American former actress, singer, and dancer who worked on Broadway and in Hollywood films. She later appeared in British films including High Tide at Noon, two Tarzan films, and the horror features Corridors of Blood with Boris Karloff and Horror Hotel with Christopher Lee.

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

(1929-11-26) 26 November 1929[1]
Hawthorne, California, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
  • dancer
Years active1938–1965
Known forHigh Tide at Noon
Notable workDream Wife
Spouse
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)

Biography

Born in Hawthorne, California,[3] St. John, alongside Shirley Temple, was part of the Meglin Kiddies troupe of actors, singers, and dancers.[4]

St. John made her film debut at age ten in an uncredited part in Destry Rides Again (1939) starring James Stewart and Marlene Dietrich. She then played an orphan in Jane Eyre (1943), starring Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine, also uncredited.[3]

She played a small role in the Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical Carousel from 1945 until 1947. She was a member of the show's touring company until 1949. Later that year, she created the role of Liat in the musical South Pacific, first on Broadway[5] and then London.

St. John appeared in the 1953 films The Robe, Dream Wife, and All the Brothers Were Valiant, as well as 1954's The Student Prince.[6] She continued to act in films and television until 1965, after which she left the entertainment industry.

St. John was married to English actor Peter Grant from 1952[7] until his death in 1992. They had three children.[8][9]

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. Screen World 1967. Biblo & Tannen Publishers. June 1983. ISBN 9780819603081.
  2. Maxford, Howard (2018). Hammer Complete: The Films, the Personnel, the Company. McFarland. p. 708. ISBN 9781476629148. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
  3. St. John profile at Glamour Girls of the Screen website
  4. "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.
  5. "("Betta St. John" search results)". Playbill Vault. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
  6. Fandango website
  7. "South Pacific Girl Finally Gets Her 'Wonderful Guy'". Milwaukee Journal. November 27, 1952. Retrieved April 14, 2011.
  8. https://www.recordgazette.net/arts_and_entertainment/bannings-betta-st-john---the-famous-movie-star-got-started-as-a-teenager/article_39dc1f32-8f79-5c06-be0e-ccf3dbdf8a3b.html
  9. http://www.glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com/show/261/Betta+St.+John/index.html
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