Esther Williams

Personal Info

Birthday

August 8, 1921

Day of Death

2013-06-06

(91 years old)

Place of Birth

Inglewood, California, USA

Also Known As

Esther Jane Williams

America's Mermaid

Esther Williams

Biography

Esther Jane Williams (August 8, 1921 – June 6, 2013) was an American competitive swimmer and actress. She set regional and national records in her late teens on the Los Angeles Athletic Club swim team.

Unable to compete in the 1940 Summer Olympics because of the outbreak of World War II, she joined Billy Rose's Aquacade, where she took on the role vacated by Eleanor Holm after the show's move from New York City to San Francisco. While in the city, she spent five months swimming alongside Olympic gold-medal winner and Tarzan star Johnny Weissmuller. Williams caught the attention of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer scouts at the Aquacade.

Known For

Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre

The Donna Reed Show

Million Dollar Mermaid

Lux Video Theatre

Personalities

Texas Carnival

Bathing Beauty

Skirts Ahoy!

Filmography

2024
Esther Williams: Hollywood's Mermaid
as Self (archive footage)
2004
Hollywood Legenden
as Self
2003
Busby Berkeley: Going Through the Roof
as Self
2002
Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer
as Self (archive footage)
The Original Mermaid
as Herself (archive footage)
2000
Hollywood Musicals of the 40's
as Self (archive footage)
1998
Glorious Technicolor
as Self
1994
That's Entertainment! III
as Self - Co-Host / Narrator
1991
Stars and Stripes: Hollywood and World War II
as Self
1990
Tom & Jerry's 50th Birthday Bash
as Self
Dance Crazy in Hollywood
as Self - Actress (archive footage)
1987
Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
as Self
1985
Night of 100 Stars II
as Self
That's Dancing!
as From 'Bathing Beauty' (archive footage)
1976
That's Entertainment, Part II
as (archive footage)
1974
That's Entertainment!
as (archive footage)
1972
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
as Self (archive footage)
1963
Magic Fountain
as Hyacinth Tower
1961
The Big Show
as Hillary Allen
1958
Andy Hardy Comes Home
as Sheila Brooks (archive footage) (uncredited)
Raw Wind in Eden
as Laura
1956
The Unguarded Moment
as Lois Conway
1955
Jupiter's Darling
as Amytis
1953
Easy to Love
as Julie Hallerton
Dangerous When Wet
as Katy Higgins
1952
Million Dollar Mermaid
as Annette Kellerman
Skirts Ahoy!
as Whitney Young
1951
Callaway Went Thataway
as Esther Williams (uncredited)
Texas Carnival
as Debbie Telford
1950
Pagan Love Song
as Mimi Bennett
Duchess of Idaho
as Christine Riverton Duncan
The Costume Designer
as Self (archive footage)
Screen Actors
as Self (uncredited)
1949
Neptune's Daughter
as Eve Barrett
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
as K.C. Higgins
A Guy Named Joe
as Ellen Bright
1948
On an Island with You
as Rosalind Rennolds
1947
This Time for Keeps
as Nora Cambaretti
Fiesta
as Maria Morales
1946
Till the Clouds Roll By
as Esther Williams - Signing Autographs (uncredited)
Easy to Wed
as Connie Allenbury
The Hoodlum Saint
as Kay Lorrison
1945
Ziegfeld Follies
as Esther Williams (segment "A Water Ballet")
Parade of Aquatic Champions
as Herself
Thrill of a Romance
as Cynthia Glenn
1944
Bathing Beauty
as Caroline Brooks
Twenty Years After
as (archive footage)
1942
Andy Hardy's Double Life
as Sheila Brooks
Personalities
as Sheila Brooks (screen test footage) (uncredited)
Inflation
as Mrs. Smith