Jane Russell won't be down for breakfast

[Richard Cranium]

She had some great boobs on her!





Jane Russell, a sex symbol of 1940s and '50s Hollywood, was known as much for her voluptuous figure as for her acting. But she brought a dry skepticism to her roles and a versatility that ultimately made her much more than a big-screen bombshell. Russell, who died Monday at 89 in her California home, was born Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell on June 21, 1921. She was working as a receptionist when a photo of her was sent to eccentric tycoon Howard Hughes, who had been conducting a nationwide search for a curvaceous actress for his new film.

Hughes designed a bra he thought would do Russell justice — although she never wore it — and cast her in his film The Outlaw, released sporadically in the 1940s because of disputes with censors.

He then engineered a long publicity campaign to promote Russell's screen debut, which proved controversial because of the amount of cleavage shown by the young actress.

The publicity made her the target of jokes, but she went on to acquit herself admirably in films through the 1950s, often playing a cynical character — a tough broad. In 1948 she starred opposite Bob Hope in the comedy The Paleface. One of her most notable roles after that was in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes in 1953 with Marilyn Monroe.

She may be better known by Baby Boomers for 1970s TV commercials for Playtex bras in which she brought "good news for us full-figure gals."

[68blue]

Great looking woman, up there with Marylin, Sophia, Jayne, and my personal favorite Anita Ekberg.

[4cruzin]

She was big in her day!