Betty Rhodes Very Rare Very Early Autographed 8/10 Photo 40s Jungle Jim Salute 3

Description

Here is a very rare very early vintage original autographed 8" by 10" photo of actress and singer Betty Rhodes (1921-2011), from her prime in the 1940s. This swinging singer from WWII was born on April 14, 1921 in Rockford, Illionois to non-professionals. A gorgeous, fresh-faced, blue-eyed blonde doll blessed with a natural vocal talent, Betty Jane Rhodes was initially discovered on radio and was recording by age 8. Her promising contralto helped her to earn a contract at age 15 with Paramount and immediately made her debut in _Forgotten Faces (1936/I)_ initially billing herself as Jane Rhodes. She played Marsha Hunt's kid sister in her second film The Arizona Raiders (1936) in which she sang "My Melancholy Baby". Still a teenager, she played the femme lead in the Universal serial Jungle Jim (1937) opposite Grant Withers's rugged hero. She went on to warble again in such lively film fare as The Life of the Party (1937), Having Wonderful Time (1938), Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love! (1940) and even in the Tim Holt western Along the Rio Grande (1941).
Having been borrowed frequently by other studios, Paramount paid more attention to her by setting her up with the minor wartime musical Sweater Girl (1942), in which introduced the classic "I Don't Want to Walk Without You", and also giving her leads in Salute for Three (1943) opposite Macdonald Carey and You Can't Ration Love (1944). Her film career faded fast after this and she later recorded for RCA and Decca Records, making hits out of such songs as "Rumors Are Flying" and "Buttons and Bows". Married to the late Willet H. Brown, the broadcasting pioneer and co-founder of the Mutual Broadcasting System, the company that ran her program "Adventures in Rhythm," she was initially dubbed the "First Lady of Television". In the 60s she continued performing in clubs and cabarets.
Retired for some time, her husband died in 1993 and left her quite wealthy. She and Willet had one child together, Kimberly. Of Betty's stepchildren, Michael, Peter and Patricia, son Michael J. Brown followed in his father's footsteps with Brown Broadcasting. She died at age 90 on December 26, 2011, in Los Angeles. Pinholes corner and borders, minor corner and edge wear. Very rare.
Will ship worldwide. I always combine shipping on multiple orders.
Filmography:
1944Halfway to Heaven (Short)
The Girl (as Betty Rhodes)
1944You Can't Ration Love
Betty Hammond (as Betty Rhodes)
1943Mardi Gras (Short)
Suzy Brown (as Betty Rhodes)
1943Salute for Three
Judy Ames (as Betty Rhodes)
1942Star Spangled Rhythm
Betty Rhodes- Swing Shift Skit (as Betty Rhodes)
1942Priorities on Parade
Lee Davis (as Betty Rhodes)
1942Sweater Girl
Louise Menard
1942The Fleet's in
Diana Golden
1941Mountain Moonlight
Carol Weaver
1941They Met in Argentina
Singer During Opening Credits (uncredited)
1941Along the Rio Grande
Mary Loring
1940Millionaire Playboy
Girl at Lodge with Tennis Racket (uncredited)
1940Oh, Johnny, How You Can Love!
Betty - Singer of 'Oh, Johnny'
1939Swing Vacation (Short)
1938Having Wonderful Time
Singer (uncredited)
1938Picketing for Love (Short)
Betty
1938Twenty Girls and a Band (Short)
Betty - the Band Vocalist
1937Stage Door
Ann (as Jane Rhodes)
1937The Life of the Party
Susan
1937Jungle Jim
Joan Redmond / Mrs. Tom Redmond
1936The Arizona Raiders
Lenta Lindsay (as Jane Rhodes)
1936Forgotten Faces
Sally McBride / Harry's daughter (as Jane Rhodes)