Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell was born in Bemidji, Minnesota, USA on 21 June 1921, of American ancestry, and was an actress probably best known as The Brunette Bombshell, who rose to popularity because of the movie “The Outlaw”. She passed away in 2011.
A respected actress and performer, how rich was Jane Russell? Sources estimate that Jane’s net worth was over $40 million, accumulated during her career in the entertainment industry which began in the 1940’s. Her assets included a Miami beach home, and a residence in Santa Maria, California.
Jane Russell Net Worth $40 million
Jane Russell was born to parents Geraldine Jacobi, an actress who later on became a lay preacher, and Roy Russell, a former Army Lieutenant turned office manager. Jane grew up in Southern California on a ranch, surrounded by her four brothers, horses and fruit trees. She was quite a tomboy during the early stages of her childhood, and preferred jeans and overalls over the “fussiness” of women’s clothing. Jane started taking an interest in drama during her teens, and participated in plays at Van Nuys High School. As an actress, her mother was a huge influence on her while she was growing up, so Jane was motivated to study drama and acting, and she took up modeling as well.
Jane’s Hollywood career started in 1940, when she was signed to a seven year contract by film director Howard Hughes. Her debut film, “The Outlaw” was completed in 1941 but the movie met its general release only in 1946, because of censorship restrictions during World Wat Two. Back then, even the showing of ample cleavage shocked audiences and was considered quite racy. Jane’s voluptuous figure, specifically her 38D-24-36 vital statistics made her a certified bombshell, and but gave her commercial success. Many films followed soon after, including “Young Widow”, “The Paleface”, “Son of Paleface”, and “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” in which she acted opposite Marilyn Monroe. All in all, she starred in more than 20 films through her career. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in addition to her significant net worth.
Although her acting career was her most lucrative endeavor, Jane’s net worth can also be credited to many other sources. She was a talented singer, and collaborated with various artists including the Kay Kyser Orchestra, The Modernaires, and Frank Sinatra. She even released a 78 rpm album in 1947 named “Let’s Put Out the Lights” under Columbia Records. Also, she appeared in television commercials in the 1970s, as a spokeswoman for Playtex bras. She advertised the “18-Hour Bra” for full-figured girls, which became a bestseller for Playtex even in 2011, four decades later.
In her personal life, she divorced her first husband Bob Waterfield, who she married in 1943 after becoming pregnant (but aborting) in 1968, then the same year married actor Roger Barrett, who died following a heart attack just two months later. Thirdly she was married to John Calvin Peoples, a real estate agent, from 1974 until his death in 1999. She adopted a daughter and two sons. Jane was active in many causes concerning adoption and children’s rights, and described herself as “vigorously pro-life”. In 1955, she founded Waif, the first international adoption program. She was also a vocal Christian and a staunch supporter of the Republican Party. Jane Russell died of a respiratory illness at her Santa Maria home on 28 February 2011 at 89 years of age, survived by her three children.
