Jane Greer was a 1940s actress who became known for playing femme fatales
She was born Bettejane Greer on September 9, 1924 in Washington, D.C. At the age of fifteen she suffered from a facial palsy, which temporarily paralyzed the left side of her face. Eventually she was able to recover by doing facial exercises. Jane began modeling and won several beauty contests. She also sang with a big band in Washington. When Howard Hughes saw her on the cover of Life magazine in 1942 he brought her to Hollywood. Unfortunately Hughes became very possessive and refused to let her act in for a movie for three years! On December 2, 1943 she married singer Rudy Vallee. The couple separated just three months later. Jane finally made her film debut in the 1945 comedy Pan-Americana. Then she appeared in the movies Dick Tracy, The Falcon's Alibi, and Sinbad The Sailor. Her performance opposite Robert Mitchum in the 1947 film noir Out Of The Past got rave reviews and made her a star. The beautiful brunette found herself typecast as a sultry femme fatale. She was promoted as "The Woman with the Mona Lisa Smile".
In 1947 she married Edward Lasker, an attorney and producer. They would have three sons together - Alex, Steven, and Lawrence. Jane and Robert Mitchum were teamed up again in the 1949 film noir The Big Steal. During the 1950s she began working less so she could spend time with her family. She was signed by MGM and appeared in the films You For Me and The Prisoner Of Zenda. Unhappy with the roles they were giving her she asked to be released from the contract. Jane appeared in numerous television shows including Playhouse 90, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and Bonanza. Her marriage to Edward ended in 1963 due to his numerous affairs. Soon after she began dating acting coach Frank London. She continued to act in films like Where Has Love Gone and Billie. In 1984 she appeared in Taylor Hackford's thriller Against All Odds. It was a remake of her 1947 hit Out Of The Past. Jane's final role was in the 1996 film Perfect Mate. Her longtime partner Frank died in early 2001. Sadly on August 24, 2001 she died from cancer at the age of seventy -six. She was buried Westwood Memorial Park in Westwood, California.
