Adele Jergens

Biography

Adele Jergens (November 26, 1917 - November 22, 2002) was a notable American actress, celebrated for her captivating performances during the mid-20th century. Born in Brooklyn, New York, her birth year is occasionally cited as 1922. Jergens gained early acclaim in 1939 when she was crowned "Miss World's Fairest" at the New York World's Fair. In the early 1940s, she dazzled audiences as a Rockette and was honored as the Number One Showgirl in New York City.

Transitioning from modeling and chorus line roles, including serving as an understudy for the famous Gypsy Rose Lee, Jergens secured a film contract with Columbia Pictures in 1944. She famously transformed her dark locks to blonde, aligning with the era's cinematic trends. Her background as a chorus girl enriched her portrayal of an exotic dancer in the 1950 film Armored Car Robbery. Throughout her career, she often portrayed glamorous showgirls and burlesque performers, including a memorable role as Marilyn Monroe's mother in Ladies of the Chorus (1948), despite being just nine years older than Monroe.

In 1949, while working on the film Treasure of Monte Cristo, she married co-star Glenn Langan, with whom she shared a long-lasting partnership until his passing in 1991. Tragically, their only child, actor Tracy Langan, predeceased her. Adele Jergens was laid to rest at the Oakwood Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.