Biography jane withers movie star planet

American actress and hostess (1926–2021)

Jane Withers (April 12, 1926 – August 7, 2021) was an American actress and children's portable radio show hostess. She became one eliminate the most popular child stars contain Hollywood in the 1930s and perfectly 1940s, with her films ranking hold the top ten list for box-office gross in 1937 and 1938.

She began her entertainment career at leadership age of three and, during high-mindedness Golden Age of Radio, hosted discard own children's radio program in team up home city of Atlanta, Georgia. Create 1932, she and her mother upset to Hollywood, where she appeared rightfully an extra in many films on hold landing her breakthrough role as authority spoiled, obnoxious Joy Smythe opposite Shirley Temple's angelic orphan Shirley Blake be glad about the 1934 film Bright Eyes. She made 38 films before retiring mock age 21 in 1947.^[1] She exchanged to film and television as marvellous character actor in the 1950s. Use 1963 to 1974, she portrayed influence character Josephine the Plumber in calligraphic series of television commercials for Evening star cleanser. In the 1990s and originally 2000s, she did voice work stretch Disney animated films. She was interviewed in numerous documentary retrospectives of loftiness Golden Age of Hollywood. She was also known for her philanthropy additional her extensive doll collection.

Early life

Jane Withers was born on April 12, 1926, in Atlanta, Georgia, the one and only child of Walter Edward Withers subject Lavinia Ruth (née Elble) Withers.^[1][2] Luck had had her own aspirations elect be an actress denied by foil parents.^[3] She determined before Jane was born that she would have single daughter who would go into expose business, and chose the name Jane so that "even with a extensive last name like Withers, it would fit on a marquee".^[4][5][6] Ruth educated Sunday school and Walter taught Hand-operated classes in their local Presbyterian church.^[4] The family recited blessings at mealtime and devoted themselves to charitable productions, which stayed with Jane her full life. Both in Atlanta and addition Hollywood, the family would invite "six busloads of orphan children" to come into sight to their home after church person in charge Sunday school for lunch and farewell entertainment.

When Jane was two, Ruth registered her in a tap danceschool,^[6] topmost also taught her to sing.^[9] Jane launched her entertainment career at primacy age of three^[4] after winning a-ok local amateur contest called Dixie's Graceful Dewdrop.^[10] She was cast on Aunt Sally's Kiddie Revue, a Saturday-morning novice program broadcast on WGST radio pop into Atlanta, in which she sang, danced, and did impersonations of film stars such as W. C. Fields, ZaSu Pitts, Maurice Chevalier, Fanny Brice, Eddie Cantor, and Greta Garbo.^[1] At normal 3½ she had her own receiver show called Dixie's Dainty Dewdrop, veer she also interviewed celebrities who were visiting Atlanta.^[10][5]

Move to Hollywood

After two geezerhood of her radio work, Ruth took Jane to Hollywood before her ordinal birthday in 1932 to explore opportunities in film.^[12] Walter remained in Besieging, sending them $100 a month hold which to live.^[9] In Los Angeles, Jane performed on children's shows sweet-talk KFWB radio,^[12] did cartoon voice-overs, deed also modeled.^[4][1] She got her foremost film role as an extra conj at the time that their neighbor invited her to relax along for her daughter's interview towards Handle with Care (1932). Withers unattractive to the side while the treat children interviewed with director David Wine steward. The assistant director came over predominant asked her why she was crowd standing with the others. "Sir, Unrestrained was not invited to the question. I came with our friends", she replied. The assistant director told frequent that Butler had seen her endure wanted her to interview as moderate. Handle with Care was Withers's chief film appearance, though she and come to blows the children were photographed with their backs to the camera.

Withers subsequently developed in many films as an unidentified extra, though occasionally she had first-class line of dialogue. She stood gathering from the other girls at auditions because of her appearance: she abstruse a Dutchboy bob and preferred modified clothes to frilly dresses. "Every enquire I ever went on I was the only one with a plain dress, with straight bangs and erect haircut, and no curls and ham-fisted frills", she recalled. Butler was justness first to notice this about become emaciated. He told her, "You're different pat any other kid that I've quickthinking seen in Hollywood. You've got trim special quality and someday you ring going to be a famous slender star".

Withers was working as an surfeit on It's a Gift (1934), while in the manner tha W. C. Fields selected her spread a group of juvenile extras consign to do a pantomimehopscotch scene with him. Afterwards, he praised her timing explode called over her mother to praise her on Jane's talent and prophesy that she would go far.

Withers's enormous break came two years after she started working as an extra,^[18] in the way that she landed a supporting role stem the Shirley Temple film Bright Eyes (also 1934), also directed by Butler.^[4] On her interview, Butler asked overcome if she could imitate a norm gun, and she gave it uncomplicated try.^[4][19] She also charmed the company director with her impersonations.^[18] Her colorlessness, Joy Smythe, is spoiled and repulsive, a perfect foil for Temple's sickening personality. Withers was concerned that filmgoers would hate her for being like this mean to Temple, but the vinyl was a box-office hit. Withers spoken that director Butler confided to assembly, "You stole the picture".

After filming enwrapped, Withers signed a seven-year contract darn Fox Film Corporation. Included in spurn contract was the right to plan the crew members who would toil on her productions. Her crew, labelled the "Withers Family", worked on nomadic her subsequent films.^[1][24]

After Withers signed unqualified contract with Fox, her mother endowed $10,000 into developing additional skills touch on improve her versatility as an competitor, with the intention of spending $20,000 over an eight-year period.^[25] This star "ice skating lessons, voice training, horsemanship, dancing, French, Spanish, and swimming lessons".^[25]

Child stardom

Withers began filming her greatest starring vehicle, Ginger (1935), on prepare ninth birthday. She received two baskets of flowers on the set lose one\'s train of thought day—one from Fields, to whom she had written about her casting be grateful for Bright Eyes, and one from Executive Franklin D. Roosevelt, who had characteristic of her impersonate him on a newsreel.^[1] The same year, she appeared accomplish a brief role in The Smallholder Takes a Wife and then asterisked in This Is the Life. Assembly day of filming in The Husbandman Takes a Wife coincided with Orator Fonda's screen debut, and noticing authority nervousness, she encouraged him and offered a prayer for his success.

Throughout honesty remainder of the 1930s, Withers arised in three to five films detail year.^[28] In 1936, she starred budget Paddy O'Day, Gentle Julia, Little Desire Nobody, and Pepper. In 1937, she performed in comedies, dramas, and top-hole Western with lead roles in The Holy Terror, Angel's Holiday, Wild explode Woolly, Can This Be Dixie?, 45 Fathers, and Checkers. In 1938, she filmed three comedies for Fox: Rascals, Keep Smiling, and Always in Trouble. In 1939 she appeared in cardinal more comedy roles: The Arizona Wildcat, Boy Friend, Chicken Wagon Family, point of view Pack Up Your Troubles. Withers much received top billing even over another established stars.^[28]

Withers did not memorize say no to lines verbatim, but tried to consider about them and draw out leadership "sense" from them; she often ad-libbed when she lost her way deliver a scene.^[32] A natural mimic, she did impersonations of film celebrities both on and off the set.^[19] Ordinal Century Fox studio head Darryl Filmmaker reportedly forbade her from doing collect Shirley Temple impersonation in public.

Withers eagerly gave her input to screenwriters plus directors. From a young age, she sat in on writers' conferences clobber suggest changes in dialogue that would be more appropriate for a progeny to say. She also suggested distinction casting of other actors for disallow films, including Jackie Searl, whom she had met at auditions, and 16-year-old Rita Cansino (later renamed Rita Hayworth), whom she had observed dancing significance an adjoining sound stage and device for a supporting role in Paddy O'Day. At age 13, she took the initiative to make a coat with Gene Autry by acting likewise a go-between between 20th Century Slyboots studio head Joseph M. Schenck endure Republic Pictures head Herbert J. Yates. Though neither studio was willing fall upon loan their star player to representation other, Withers suggested that Fox relinquish three other contract players to Nation Pictures in exchange for Autry, who was paid $25,000 to co-star accost Withers in Shooting High (1940).

Withers was the only child star to draw to a close a seven-year contract.^[39] Studio contracts usually included a series of six-month recourse periods when the studio could bring or come to an end the agreement should the actor's big screen stop making money.^[39] Since all on the other hand one of her films were low-budget B movies,^[40] the studio held Withers to a lower standard than mammoth A-movie actor whose films would price the studio much more money.^[39] Also, the lower rental fees for Withers's B movies allowed her films chance be screened in many more mignonne theaters, expanding Withers's popularity.^[41] In 1937 and 1938, Withers's films made character top 10 list in box-office accomplish receipts. In addition to her works class contract, Withers made personal appearance trekking for which she received $5,000 top-notch week.^[32]

Teen years

In 1938–1939, Withers shed attend childhood pudginess through healthy eating gain stretching exercises, slimming down to 100 lb (45 kg) and a size-12 dress.^[42] She had her first screen kiss gratify the 1939 film Boy Friend.^[43] Grasp 1940 she filmed Shooting High critical remark co-star Gene Autry, and starred unswervingly the teen films High School, The Girl from Avenue A, and Youth Will Be Served. But she keep from her fans grew dissatisfied with excellence juvenile roles being offered her considerably she matured.^[1] Under the pseudonym Jerrie Walters, Withers wrote the screenplay teach Small Town Deb (1941), in which she also starred.^[1] Withers explained bring a 2003 interview that "her summarize experiences of not being allowed soak the studio to grow up were translated into the story of well-ordered teenage girl whose 'mother isn't even though her to grow up, to get into herself and to find herself'".^[1] Pass for payment for the script, Withers demand that the studio provide fifteen $1,500 scholarships for children to study penalisation and acting, and two upright pianos, for her Sunday school groups.

In 1941, Withers signed her second seven-year entrust with 20th Century Fox. She was set to earn $2,750 a hebdomad in the first year of character contract and $3,000 per week surround the second year.^[45] Her other motion pictures this year for 20th Century Rogue were comedies: Golden Hoofs and A Very Young Lady. Her last motion pictures for Fox were the war play Young America and the comedy layer The Mad Martindales, both in 1942. She also made Her First Beau (1941) for Columbia Pictures.^[45]

In 1942, Withers signed a three-year, $225,000 contract add Republic Pictures.^[46] Her Republic films were Johnny Doughboy (1942), My Best Gal and Faces in the Fog (both 1944), and Affairs of Geraldine (1946). Her other films in the Decennium were The North Star (1943) beg for RKO Pictures and Danger Street (1947) for Paramount Pictures.

Screen persona

Withers and Shirley Temple were the two most public child stars signed to 20th c Fox in the 1930s. In confront to Temple's cute and charming noting, Withers was usually cast as elegant mischievous little girl or "a girl rascal", leading to her being affirmed as "America's favorite problem child".^[48] Zierold noted that Withers's characters are "often in trouble, or 'fixes', and lying down to brawls". Hollywood gossip columnist Louella Parsons described Withers as "a hollow clown". As a child, Withers's "stocky and sturdy" build and straight sooty hair also contrasted with Temple's "pudgy but delicate" figure and blonde whisker. Both Withers and Temple usually hollow orphans and had a transformative answer on those around them. But long forgotten Temple was cared for by pa figures, Withers was usually under description protection of uncles, both real elitist imaginary; according to Pamela Wojcik, columnist of Fantasies of Neglect: Imagining influence Urban Child in American Film dispatch Fiction, this introduced the narrative allowance queerness through alternative family structures.^[51]

Withers's impolite screen persona continued into her teenage. According to Farley Granger, Withers was "cast as the obnoxious, smart-aleck young as opposed to Deanna Durbin's express Judy Garland's plucky and adorable adolescent".

Parents and home life

While Withers typically faked a brat onscreen, off-screen she was said to be "one of Hollywood's most charming and well-behaved juveniles".^[53] Make more attractive parents closely supervised her upbringing realize make sure she did not construct up spoiled or entitled. In straight 1942 newspaper article, Ruth described in what way she and her husband encouraged Jane to develop a generous personality allow avoid the egotism and self-centeredness ramble a child star might accrue whilst the object of adoring fans final studio "sycophants".^[54]

For example, as Withers began to receive gifts of dolls evade fans to add to her plenty, her parents insisted that for now and again two dolls she received, she order away one to a needy progeny. When she began to purchase dolls to build the collection further, set aside parents mandated that she should cry off her allowance money to buy fellow dolls for less fortunate children.^[54] Disallow earnings from film roles were endowed in trust funds and annuities; Withers had to use her allowance difficulty to buy things she wanted espousal herself, which often meant saving boil for weeks.^[53][54] In 1938, her tolerance was reported as $5 a week;^[32][55] this was raised to $10 uncomplicated week in 1941.^[53]

To ease the pressured life of a child star, Withers' parents made sure she also difficult to understand fun, but kept her activities covered by and close to home. Withers united the Girl Scouts and her parents hosted the meeting in their make. The Withers' home, a 4-acre (1.6 ha)^[56]model home at 10731 Sunset Boulevard they bought in 1936, was equipped unwavering a swimming pool, badminton court, don a 78 ft (24 m)-long playroom that apophthegm frequent use by Withers and recipe fellow Hollywood child actors.^[58] Her teatime swim parties continued into her adolescence and were the subject of hang around a fan magazine. When she became a teenager, her parents built smart second-floor addition that included a celestial being salon and soda fountain where Withers could entertain her friends.^[53][59] As clean child, she also accumulated a bedlam of two horses, three kittens, "eight turtles, three baby alligators, 24 creamy Leghorn chickens, 12 turkeys, 2 Sinitic hens", a rooster, six bantams, link ducks, seven frogs, and six dogs.^[56] At the family's cabin in Tank accumulation Arrowhead, where they vacationed on weekends and holidays, Withers had two motorbikes and a boat.^[56][32]

Withers' birthday parties, averred as "the social event of primacy season for movietown's small fry", were annually covered by the media.^[59] Cart her twelfth birthday, her parents chartered a 21-seat cargo plane for $18,000 to give party guests a low-level ride.^[58] Withers' thirteenth birthday party byword 60 young guests come in raiment and participate in a balloon shuffle and jitterbug contest; this party fitting a two-page pictorial spread in Life magazine.^[60][61] Withers's "sweet sixteen" party rise 1942, with 150 invited guests tolerate a hayride and barn dance toil the program,^[62] was filmed by Main Pictures for the Hedda Hopper's Hollywood series.^[63] The short was transferred accord 16 mm film for viewing encourage U.S. troops overseas during World Enmity II.^[63] Withers had her eighteenth gorge oneself party at Madison Square Garden become conscious a circus theme and invited U.S. servicemen and their dates to bait her guests.^[64] Her twenty-first birthday understanding was planned for a nightclub run off with 200 guests, but after she came down with the flu, Withers a substitute alternatively served cake and ice cream professor watched movies in her personal agree at home with 12 close friends.^[59]

Withers was allowed to go on chaperoned dates with boys of her mould in her early teens;^[53] by instantaneous 16 she was permitted to go slap into on solo dates.^[65] After a 1936 kidnapping threat, she was always attended by round-the-clock bodyguards.^[67]

During Withers' first 15 years in film, Ruth "handled draw back negotiations with producers, supervised publicity, [and] completely managed Jane's off-screen life".^[3] Despite that, Ruth was not a typical flat mother. She was usually present sweettalk the sound stage but did troupe watch Jane film her scenes; indistinct did she ever issue instructions embody objections to studio personnel.^[68][69][70] Walter Withers did not involve himself in character movie business at all, but spurious as a representative for a Calif. wholesale furniture company.^[68]

Product licensing

Withers' parents certified her name and image to many product lines.^[1] As early as 1936, her name was affixed to clean up line of "Jane Withers Dresses" fetch girls,^[71][72] and girls' handbags and jewellery were also branded with her name.^[73][74] She was the star of booming paper doll books issued by Missionary Publishing, Saalfield Publishing, and Dell bargain the late 1930s and 1940s,^[76] which later became popular collectables.^[78] She was also featured in several Big Mini Books published by Whitman Publishing. Plentiful dolls were made in her likeness,^[5] including four Madame Alexander dolls intrude 1937 ranging in height from 13.5–20 in (340–510 mm).^[80][81]

In the 1940s, Withers was featured as the heroine of three concealment novels published by Whitman Publishing, which produced 16 authorized editions featuring imposing film actresses of that era.^[82] Interpretation books Jane Withers and the Immersed Room (1942) by Eleanor Packer sit Jane Withers and the Phantom Violin (1943) by Roy J. Snell^[82] "featured a character who looked like Jane Withers and was named Jane Withers but was not Jane Withers".Jane Withers and the Swamp Wizard (1944) emergency Kathryn Heisenfelt^[82] was said to "star some version of the real Jane Withers". The books were reprinted saturate Literary Licensing in the 21st c

Retirement at age 21

In the untimely 1940s, Hollywood's child-star genre that locked away catapulted Withers to fame was getaway the decline.^[1] Her popularity in drollery films also hindered her acceptance monkey a dramatic actress in films much as The North Star (1943).^[1] Withers retired from film at age 21 in 1947, shortly after completing Danger Street and nine days before make up for marriage to William Moss, a Texas entrepreneur and film producer.^[1] She challenging starred in 38 films.^[1]

A month fend for Jane's twenty-first birthday, her mother Ill fortune appeared in a California Superior Respect and listed her daughter's assets bit $40,401.85 (equivalent to $550,000 in 2023). Decency judge turned the property over chance Jane's control.^[85] The same month, renounce parents turned over to her nobleness deed to their home, valued schoolwork $250,000 (equivalent to $3,400,000 in 2023), tube other real estate worth $75,000, extra annuities totaling $10,000, all purchased hit upon Withers's earnings.^[86]

Her father died the shadowing year.^[2][87] Ruth remarried to Louis Pattern. Boonshaft, a physician.^[88][89]

Return to the part and television work

In 1955, a period after her divorce, Withers returned convey Los Angeles and enrolled in decency University of Southern California film high school with the intention of becoming unadorned director.^[1] She returned to the shelter when George Stevens asked her holiday at take a supporting role in realm 1956 film Giant.^[1][40] In 2006, Withers participated in a 50th-anniversary screening blame the film for 700 attendees nonthreatening person Marfa, Texas, where location shooting challenging taken place.^[5]

Her performance in Giant brusque to more work as a total actor in both film and television.^[1] She appeared in television episodes ransack Pete and Gladys;^[91]General Electric Theater;^[92]The Aelfred Hitchcock Hour; The Love Boat; existing Murder, She Wrote.^[1] Though she ordinary "dozens of offers" to do small screen series as well as stage musicals such as Mame; Hello, Dolly!; at an earlier time No, No, Nanette, Withers was financially comfortable and chose to spend ascendant of her time raising her children.^[10][93]

Josephine the Plumber fame

In the mid-1960s, Withers gained new profusion as Josephine the Plumber, a erect in a series of television commercials for Comet cleanser.^[1] Dressed in grey work overalls and positioned near smart sink, "Josephine" touted Comet's stain-removing give as superior to other cleansers. High-mindedness one-minute spots, which ran from 1963 to 1974, involved Withers in slow down to 30 storylines per year.^[93]

Withers endowed much of her own personality constitute the character of Josephine, making prepare friendly, caring, and helpful.^[94] She extremely selected the type of work vestiments a woman plumber would wear home-produced on what she herself wore imitate home.^[94] She took a course take on plumbing to play her part matter-of-factly. Her earnings from the long-running paying helped her pay for a school education for all five of be a foil for children.

Withers retired as Josephine after set aside mother Ruth was diagnosed with unadorned brain tumor. She cared for attend mother for eight years until Ruth's death in 1983.^[88] The character out-and-out Josephine was described by the Los Angeles Times as being "one a choice of the longest-running continuing characters in TV."^[94] Before retiring, Withers filmed two installments of the commercial introducing a pubescent girl who had learned everything she knew about plumbing from "my joke Josephine".

Stage work

In late 1944, Withers through her stage debut in the euphonious comedy Glad To See You fated by Busby Berkeley. The show, willful for Broadway, closed after seven weeks of tryouts in Philadelphia and Beantown. Withers sang the Jule Styne-Sammy Cahn torch song "Guess I'll Hang Bodyguard Tears Out to Dry" written miserly the play; this was soon funding covered by Frank Sinatra and Kate Smith and became a jazz flourishing pop standard.

In 1971, Withers co-starred get a move on the Broadway musical comedy Sure, Action, Shirley which also brought Shirley Place of worship Black out of retirement. The assist, which featured a tap dancing insinuation with 50 chorus dancers, was display as an opening-night benefit for diabetics.^[99]

Voice work

In the 1990s, Withers did speech acting for Disney animated films.^[1] Be pleased about 1995, she was asked to slant several lines of dialogue in sundry of the vocal patterns of Form Wickes, who had recorded the tab of Laverne the gargoyle in The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) status had died during post-production. Withers reprised the role in The Hunchback commentary Notre Dame II (2002).

Withers narrated audiobooks, including a reading of Why Whimper Try God? by Mary Pickford which was distributed through a Southern Calif. religious organization.

In the 1990s, she was interviewed on numerous television documentary retrospectives of the Golden Age of Screenland. She herself was profiled in nifty 45-minute A&E Biography which aired demonstrate 2003.^[104]

In 1990, Withers began experiencing symptoms of lupus. She suffered from class disease over ten years, after which she went into remission.^[105] She began experiencing vertigo in 2007.^[43]

Other activities

Doll collection

Withers began collecting dolls as a verdant child in Atlanta. The collection, exaggerated by contributions from her fans, grew into one of the largest wrench the world.^[1] By the early Forties, the collection was estimated at 3,500 dolls.^[1] By the 1980s, the gathering numbered more than 8,000 dolls pointer 2,500 teddy bears.^[6][106] Withers purchased timeconsuming of the dolls herself and commonplace presents from fans; President Franklin Sequence. Roosevelt sent her one of emperor teddy bears and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt contributed a French doll she had received as a child.^[108]

In magnanimity 1980s, Withers announced plans to formulate a $1 million museum in Burbank, Calif., to display her collection, then stored in a 27,000 sq ft (2,500 m²) warehouse.^[106] However the plans fell through and nobleness dolls, along with crates of Screenland film memorabilia that Withers had too collected during her film career keep in mind purchased at auction, continued to hide warehoused.^[108] In 2004, the Los Angeles Times reported Withers had distributed addition than 42,000 items for safekeeping amidst friends.^[108] A small part of description doll collection was sold at marketing, and Withers participated in tours clamour her collection held in conjunction peer these auctions.^[108] In 2013, she congratulatory 6,000 of her dolls to first-class history museum in California.^[109]

Philanthropy

Withers engaged interject philanthropy throughout her life. As excellent child star, she visited orphanages president hospitals to perform for other children.^[1] In 1937, she created 400 dolls using scraps she had recovered detach from the 20th Century Fox wardrobe subdivision and gave them to needy lineage at Christmas.^[106] During World War II, she participated in more than Century war bond drives and soldiers' settlement tours in the United States.^[1] She also sent her personal doll collection—then numbering some 3,500 dolls—on a biennial tour which raised $2.5 million in mode for the U.S. war effort clear out 10-cent war savings stamp admissions.^[106] She involved President Roosevelt in this capability, requesting from him the loan staff a train on which she difficult the dolls arranged in museum-like displays to be seen by children overhaul the country.^[109]

Withers donated 800 books wean away from her personal library to start honesty Jane Withers Collection at the Tot up Oaks Library in Thousand Oaks, California.^[111]

Affiliations

Withers was active in dozens of charities.^[106] She served as a board fellow of the local branch of justness American Cancer Society and the Feel Chamber of Commerce, and was useful in the development of the Flavor Walk of Fame.^[9][108]

Recognition

On November 6, 1939, Withers was invited to place shepherd handprints and signature in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese Theatre. On Feb 8, 1960, she was recognized extend her contribution to film with unadulterated star on the Hollywood Walk after everything else Fame, located at 6119 Hollywood Boulevard.^[113][114]

In 1979, Withers was the first detached of the Young Artist Former Youngster Star Lifetime Achievement Award at dignity 1st Youth in Film Awards ceremony.^[115]

In 2003, she was the recipient pleasant a Living Legacy Award from rendering Women's International Center, a non-profit tending and service organization.^[1][116]

Personal life

Marriages and children

In May 1947, Withers announced her clause to William (Bill) Moss, a Texas entrepreneur and film producer, after a-one two-year courtship.^[117] They married on Sep 20, 1947.^[118] The couple lived fray ranches in Midland, Texas, and Additional Mexico^[40] with their three children. They separated in April 1953 and Withers was granted a divorce in July 1954, citing her husband's "excessive drunkenness and gambling".^[118] She received a $1 million property settlement, including monthly alimony obtain child support, trust fund and preventative measure fund for the children, and smashing half-interest in Texas oil fields notorious by Moss, as well as entire custody of the children.^[118] Suffering wean away from emotional strain over the impending separate, Withers was hospitalized for five months in 1953 with severe rheumatoid arthritis and developed complete paralysis. She superior with no lasting effects.

In October 1955, Withers remarried, to singer Kenneth Errair of The Four Freshmen, with whom she had two more children.^[1] Injure June 1968, Errair died in fine plane crash near Bass Lake, California.^[121] One of Withers's sons later labour of cancer.^[105]

Religion

Withers was a devout Christian.^[5] Like her parents, she belonged give a lift the Presbyterian Church.^[106] She taught Documentation school at the Beverly Hills Protestant Church together with the actresses Eleanor Powell and Gloria Stewart. She was a trustee of the Church delineate Religious Science in Los Angeles.^[9]

Death

Withers suitably in Burbank, California, on August 7, 2021, at the age of 95.^[122][123]

Filmography

References