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Betta St. John
with Deborah Kerr (right) in Dream Wife
Born	Betty Jean Striegler (1929-11-26) November 26, 1929 (age 95) Hawthorne, California, U.S.
Occupations	Actress singer dancer
Years active	1938–1965
Known for	High Tide at Noon
Notable work	Dream Wife
Spouse	Peter Grant ​ ​(m. 1952; died 1992)​
Children	3

Betta St. John (born Betty Jean Striegler; 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

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, alongside Shirley Temple, St. John was part of the Meglin Kiddies troupe of actors, singer and dancers as a youngster.

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

Stage

She was discovered by Rodgers and Hammerstein and played a small role in the Broadway musical Carousel from 1945 until 1947, when she joined the show's touring company until 1949.

By 1949, she created the role of Liat in the musical South Pacific firstly on Broadway 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). 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 until his death in 1992; they had three children.

Filmography

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.

External links

• Betta St. John at IMDb
• Betta St. John at the Internet Broadway Database
• Photographs of Betta St. John

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• 1929 births
• 20th-century American actresses
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• American child actresses
• American film actresses
• American television actresses
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• People from Hawthorne, California
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• 21st-century American women
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