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Hollywood's "sarong girl" Dorothy Lamour made no claims to be a great actress, but few stars of the screen's vintage years are regarded with greater affection. She is remembered with such warmth for three reasons: as star of a string of jungle pictures, clad in the sarong that was to become her trademark; as one of the four most popular pin-ups of the Second World War (along with Betty Grable, Lana Turner and Rita Hayworth); and as co-star with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope of the phenomenally successful "Road" films - only the James Bond movies have been more profitable as a lengthy sequence. Lamour was also a seductively sultry singer who introduced several song standards, and became an adept comedienne.
Born Mary Leta Dorothy Slaton in 1914 in New Orleans, she started performing songs at charity shows from the age of four and at 14 won a beauty contest as Miss New Orleans. Taking her stepfather's surname Lambour, she moved to Chicago and worked in a department store as an elevator-girl while trying to break into show business. Singing in a talent contest she was spotted by the band-leader Herbie Kaye, who signed her as vocalist and changed her name to Lamour.
In 1935 they were married. Kaye's former college chum Rudy Vallee introduced Lamour to the owner of the famed New York nightspot the Stork Club and she was signed to sing there. This led to more club work, radio performances and her screen debut in a two-reel short, The Stars Can't Be Wrong (1936). Moving to Hollywood for a regular spot (billed as "the sultry songstress of the airwaves") on NBC Radio, she was given a screen test by Paramount and cast in The Jungle Princess (1936). As a naive native girl, with only a tiger and a chimpanzee as friends, she rescues a stranded hunter (Ray Milland) who teaches her English and saves her from villainous natives. Lamour introduced a song hit, Frederick Hollander and Leo Robin's "Moonlight and Shadows", and clothed only in a sarong, her long black hair caressing her shoulders, scored an instant hit with the public, who made the modest film a surprising smash hit.
Lamour's next role was a supporting one in Swing High, Swing...