Actress and swimming champ Esther Williams dies at 91

The swimming champion and actress Esther Williams died early Thursday at the age of 91. As told by her publicist Harlan Boll, the actress died in her sleep. Esther signed her first film in 1941 with MGM, who were looking for a female sports star. She became one of Hollywood’s biggest moneymakers of her time. Her stunning beauty and perfect figure became a perfect combo that made filmmakers to sign her. Williams also made a series of films in the 1940s and early 1950s known as aquamusicals in which her diving and swimming performances were presented.

After winning the 1939 national championships for 100-meter freestyle and other races, she grabbed the title of Women’s Outdoor Nationals. She also attended San Francisco World’s Fair’s swimming exhibition. But because of the incidence of World War II, she was helpless to take part in 1940 Summer Olympics and joined Billy Rose's Aquacade. Her first appearance on screen was in 1942 in Mickey Rooney’s filmAndy Hardy’s Double Life, in whichJudy Garland, Donna Reed and other stars were also introduced. In the mid-’50s, Williams too tried non-swimming roles at the time when big studios got diminished. The actress worked both in television and movies. Her last film was in 1994 That’s Entertainment III, where she portrayed herself.

In 1962, she married her co-star ofDangerous When Wet,Fernando Lamas and left the film line. She explained the reason for the same in an interview, “A really terrific guy comes along and says, `I wish you’d stay home and be my wife,’ and that’s the most logical thing in the world for a Latin. And I loved being a Latin wife – you get treated very well. There’s a lot of attention in return for that sacrifice.” Williams married four times and Lamas was her third husband. Other three were Leonard Kovner, Ben Gage and Edward Bell. She contributed in many films likeThrill of a Romance, Fiesta, This Time for Keeps,On an Island with You etc. her autobiography was published in1999 entitledThe Million Dollar Mermaid. Williams use to see herself as a lucky woman. She talked in an interview,“I’ve had three exciting careers. Before films I had the experience of competitive swimming, with the incredible fun of winning. … I had a movie career with all the glamor that goes with it. That was ego-fulfilling, but it was like the meringue on the pie. My marriage with Fernando – that was the filling, that was the apple in the pie.”