Betta St. John was an actress of the Golden Age of Hollywood who starred opposite Cary Grant (1904–1986) in “Dream Wife.”
- Died: June 23, 2023 (Who else died on June 23?)
- Details of death: Died at an assisted living facility in Brighton, England, of natural causes at the age of 93.
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Betta St. John’s legacy
St. John began acting as a child, appearing in “Destry Rides Again” at 10 years old. Her other early films included “Jane Eyre” and “Lydia.” For several years after her first few film appearances, she concentrated on her stage career, originating the role of Liat in “South Pacific” on Broadway and continuing to play her in London.
Returning to Hollywood in 1953, St. John played Miriam in the 1953 biblical epic “The Robe.” That same year, she starred in “Dream Wife” as a young woman from the fictional country of Bukistan who, engaged to an American man played by Cary Grant, comes to embrace Western customs. St. John went on to appear in two Tarzan movies, “Tarzan and the Lost Safari” and “Tarzan the Magnificent,” as well as in such films as “The Student Prince,” “The Saracen Blade,” and “High Tide at Noon.” She starred in two British horror movies with Christopher Lee (1922–2015), “Corridors of Blood” and “Horror Hotel,” the latter of which was her final film.
St. John on shooting Tarzan films
“The whole thing was done on one huge soundstage, including the river scene. There was one shot that was great fun. It was when the crocodile chases me. Of course it wasn’t a real crocodile, but it still made me swim fast!” —from a 2008 interview for the Record Gazette
Tributes to Betta St. John
Full obituary: The Hollywood Reporter
