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Esther Williams

Esther Williams

8 movies on Netflix

Biography

Esther Williams was an American swimmer who became a film actress after setting regional and national records as a teenager and joining Billy Rose's Aquacade, where Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer scouts noticed her. She signed with MGM in 1941 and, after small roles and A Guy Named Joe (1943), became the star of a series of aquamusicals that combined music with synchronized swimming and diving. Among them were Bathing Beauty (1944), Ziegfeld Follies (1945), Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949), Neptune's Daughter (1949), Million Dollar Mermaid (1952), and Dangerous When Wet (1953). Million Dollar Mermaid cast her as Australian swimmer Annette Kellerman, and she won a Henrietta Award at the Golden Globes in 1952. Williams left MGM in 1956, later made water-themed television specials, commentated on synchronized swimming at the 1984 Summer Olympics, and returned to the screen as a host of That's Entertainment! III (1994).

91years old at death

  • Born Inglewood
  • Died Beverly Hills
  • Star sign: LeoThe sign runs July 23 to August 22
  • Esther Jane Williams Mex (birth name)

Movie Career

Films
8
Career span
51 years1943 to 1994

Genres

First and latest

Photos

  • Esther Williams, photo 1 of 3
  • Esther Williams, photo 2 of 3
  • Esther Williams, photo 3 of 3

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  1. A first

    Esther Williams was cast as Annette Kellermann in Million Dollar Mermaid, her only biographical role, and the film became her nickname while she was at MGM.

  2. A role that slipped away

    After 15 years in films, Williams refused the lead in The Opposite Sex, a 1956 musical remake of 1939's The Women, and MGM threatened her with contract suspension. June Allyson was cast instead.

  3. Big break

    Williams signed with MGM in 1941 after studio scouts spotted her at the Aquacade, where MGM head Louis B. Mayer had been seeking a female sports star to rival Fox's Sonja Henie.

  4. Early training

    Williams' contract contained two clauses. One gave her a guest pass to The Beverly Hills Hotel for daily swimming, and the other kept her off camera for nine months so she could take acting, singing, dancing and diction lessons first.

Esther Williams movies on Netflix

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top of the page, the section list
  1. Take Me Out to the Ball Game1949 Comedy, Musical, Romanceas K.C. Higgins

    IMDb rating 6.74.4K votes

  2. Neptune's Daughter1949 Comedy, Romanceas Eve Barrett

    IMDb rating 6.32.1K votes

  3. Million Dollar Mermaid1952as Annette Kellerman

    IMDb rating 6.52.0K votes

  4. Bathing Beauty1944as Caroline Brooks

    IMDb rating 6.42.1K votes

  5. Dangerous When Wet1953as Katy Higgins

    IMDb rating 6.31.3K votes

  6. A Guy Named Joe1943as Ellen Bright

    IMDb rating 6.93.3K votes

  7. Ziegfeld Follies1945as Esther Williams ('A Water Ballet')

    IMDb rating 6.44.1K votes

  8. That's Entertainment! III1994as Self - Host

    IMDb rating 7.51.9K votes

Most often with

Two actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top of the page, the section list
Gene Kelly, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with Gene KellyRed Skelton, 3 films togetherSee the 3 films with Red SkeltonFred Astaire, 2 films togetherSee the 2 films with Fred AstaireLucille Ball, 2 films togetherSee the 2 films with Lucille BallEdward Arnold, 2 films togetherSee the 2 films with Edward ArnoldCyd Charisse, 2 films togetherSee the 2 films with Cyd Charisse

Films together

  • Gene Kelly3 films together, 1945 to 1994
    Gene Kelly's page
  • Red Skelton3 films together, 1944 to 1949
    Red Skelton's page
    • Neptune's Daughter1949IMDb rating 6.3Williams as Eve BarrettSkelton as Jack Spratt
    • Ziegfeld Follies1945IMDb rating 6.4Williams as Esther Williams ('A Water Ballet')Skelton as J. Newton Numbskull ('When Television Comes')
    • Bathing Beauty1944IMDb rating 6.4Williams as Caroline BrooksSkelton as Steve Elliott
  • Fred Astaire2 films together, 1945 to 1994
    Fred Astaire's page
    • That's Entertainment! III1994IMDb rating 7.5Williams as Self - Host
    • Ziegfeld Follies1945IMDb rating 6.4Williams as Esther Williams ('A Water Ballet')Astaire as Fred Astaire ('Here's to the Ladies') / Raffles ('This Heart of Mine') / Tai Long ('Limehouse Blues') / Gentleman ('The Babbit and the Bromide')
  • Lucille Ball2 films together, 1945 to 1994
    Lucille Ball's page
  • Edward Arnold2 films together, 1945 to 1949
    Edward Arnold's page
  • Cyd Charisse2 films together, 1945 to 1994
    Cyd Charisse's page
    • That's Entertainment! III1994IMDb rating 7.5Williams as Self - HostCharisse as Self - Host
    • Ziegfeld Follies1945IMDb rating 6.4Williams as Esther Williams ('A Water Ballet')Charisse as Ballerina (segment "Beauty")
  • Also two films together7 more actors
    • Ann CodeeDangerous When Wet (1953) and Bathing Beauty (1944)
    • Joi LansingNeptune's Daughter (1949) and Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949)
    • Xavier CugatNeptune's Daughter (1949) and Bathing Beauty (1944)
    • Betty GarrettNeptune's Daughter (1949) and Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949)
    • Lena HorneThat's Entertainment! III (1994) and Ziegfeld Follies (1945)
    • Donna CorcoranDangerous When Wet (1953) and Million Dollar Mermaid (1952)
    • Lucille BremerThat's Entertainment! III (1994) and Ziegfeld Follies (1945)

    When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Awards

Two awards and honors.

Top of the page, the section list
Esther Williams's awards and nominations, grouped by award
YearAwardFilmResult
Other honors
International Swimming Hall of FameWon
Star on Hollywood Walk of FameHonored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

Top of the page, the section list