Jane Withers (born April 12, 1926) is an American actress and former
children's radio show host. She became one of the most popular child
stars in Hollywood in the 1930s and early 1940s, with her films
ranking in the top ten list for box-office gross in 1937 and 1938.She
began her entertainment career at the age of three and, during the
Golden Age of Radio, hosted her own children's radio program in her
home city of Atlanta, Georgia. In 1932, she and her mother moved to
Hollywood, where she appeared as an extra in many films until landing
her breakthrough role as the spoiled, obnoxious Joy Smythe opposite
Shirley Temple's angelic orphan Shirley Blake in the 1934 film Bright
Eyes. She made more than forty films before retiring at age twenty-one
in 1947. She returned to film and television as a character actor in
the 1950s. From 1963 to 1974, she gained new popularity with her
portrayal of the character Josephine the Plumber in a series of
television commercials for Comet cleanser. In the 1990s and early
2000s, she did voice work for Disney animated films. She has been
interviewed in numerous documentary retrospectives of the Golden Age
of Hollywood. She is also known for her philanthropy and her extensive
doll collection.Jane Withers was born on April 12, 1926, in Atlanta,
Georgia, the only child of Walter Edward Withers and Lavinia Ruth
(née Elble) Withers. Ruth had had her own aspirations to be an
actress nixed by her parents. She determined before Jane was born that
she would have one daughter who would go into show business, and chose
the name Jane so that "even with a long last name like Withers, it
would fit on a marquee". Ruth taught Sunday school and Walter taught
Bible classes in their local Presbyterian church. The family recited
blessings at mealtime and devoted themselves to charitable works,
which stood with Jane her entire life. Both in Atlanta and in
Hollywood, the family would invite "six busloads of orphan children"
to come to their home after church and Sunday school for lunch and
afternoon entertainment.
children's radio show host. She became one of the most popular child
stars in Hollywood in the 1930s and early 1940s, with her films
ranking in the top ten list for box-office gross in 1937 and 1938.She
began her entertainment career at the age of three and, during the
Golden Age of Radio, hosted her own children's radio program in her
home city of Atlanta, Georgia. In 1932, she and her mother moved to
Hollywood, where she appeared as an extra in many films until landing
her breakthrough role as the spoiled, obnoxious Joy Smythe opposite
Shirley Temple's angelic orphan Shirley Blake in the 1934 film Bright
Eyes. She made more than forty films before retiring at age twenty-one
in 1947. She returned to film and television as a character actor in
the 1950s. From 1963 to 1974, she gained new popularity with her
portrayal of the character Josephine the Plumber in a series of
television commercials for Comet cleanser. In the 1990s and early
2000s, she did voice work for Disney animated films. She has been
interviewed in numerous documentary retrospectives of the Golden Age
of Hollywood. She is also known for her philanthropy and her extensive
doll collection.Jane Withers was born on April 12, 1926, in Atlanta,
Georgia, the only child of Walter Edward Withers and Lavinia Ruth
(née Elble) Withers. Ruth had had her own aspirations to be an
actress nixed by her parents. She determined before Jane was born that
she would have one daughter who would go into show business, and chose
the name Jane so that "even with a long last name like Withers, it
would fit on a marquee". Ruth taught Sunday school and Walter taught
Bible classes in their local Presbyterian church. The family recited
blessings at mealtime and devoted themselves to charitable works,
which stood with Jane her entire life. Both in Atlanta and in
Hollywood, the family would invite "six busloads of orphan children"
to come to their home after church and Sunday school for lunch and
afternoon entertainment.
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