American leading lady of the 1930s and 1940s, Virginia Bruce was born in Minnesota but grew up in Fargo, North Dakota, and came to California to attend college. Her blond good looks got her an entry into films, and after a few extra roles and bit parts she began to make serious inroads as a leading woman in secondary films and as the "other" woman in more prestigious productions. She married screen legend 'John Gilbert , for whom she appeared in some Turkish films all but unseen in America. She died in 1982.
Was one of the 20 original The Goldwyn Girls , along with Betty Grable , Paulette Goddard and Ann Sothern.
She was divorced from Ali Ipar for the first time in 1951 when he began his compulsory Turkish army service because Turkish law forbids commissions to men married to foreigners.
Her daughter Susan Ann Gilbert was born in 1933. She also had a son, Christopher Ruben, in 1941.
After ex-husband John Gilbert died in 1936, she made 14 movies in 16 months.
Portrayed soprano Jenny Lind in The Mighty Barnum and a character loosely based on Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. s mistress Lillian Lorraine in The Great Ziegfeld .
Her third husband Ali Ipar ventured into a misguided Turkish shipping business that eventually put him behind bars. Virginia was a major contributor to the business.
Very good friends with Cesar Romero and Joan Crawford.
Her brother Stanley Briggs was married to Buddy Ebsen s sister and dance partner Vilma Ebsen.
Her promising "A" MGM status was hurt following the death of Irving Thalberg. She subsequently was relegated to "B" films.
Failed seven screen tests for the lead in Red Headed Woman (1932) , which went to Jean Harlow.
Lovely but demure, and not especially ambitious or self-promoting, she was prodded by her parents, who were going through financial reversals, to skip her initial plans on a music education at UCLA and pursue film work.
According to Scott OBriens biography entitled "Virginia Bruce: Under My Skin," and his accompanying article on Virginia for Classic Images (February, 2010), Virginia was "discovered" by director William Beaudine when the young beauty accompanied her aunt, a clothing designer, to the home of a client, Mrs. Beaudine. Virginia played the piano and sang for him that day. Paramount, under Beaudines suggestion, took an option out on her and placed her in walk-on and bit parts, her first being Beaudines Fugitives .
Coached by Roger Edens her soprano voice was used to introduce the Cole Porter song "Ive Got You Under My Skin" to film audiences in the MGM musical Born to Dance , singing the song to James Stewart.
She was a very active member of both the Hollywood Democratic Committee and The Hollywood Anti-Nazi League and donated much of her time and money to many liberal causes (such as the Civil Rights Movement and the creation of The United Nations) and political candidates (including Franklin D. Roosevelt , Henry Wallace , Adlai Stevenson , John F. Kennedy , Robert F. Kennedy , and Jimmy Carter ) during her lifetime.
Her great-grandson is actor Hutch Dano.
Cousin of actress Ruth Hart.
Pale-eyed blonde in lead Hollywood roles during the 30s to mid-40s, though often in "B" entries as well.
