Esther Williams was a legend in the worlds of both movies and swimming. As an actress, she performed in multiple films that synchronized water ballet and swimming with the storyline. Her most notable works garnered her the nickname “America’s mermaid” and led her to become MGM’s hottest commodity. In fact, Williams was the first actress to swim in movies, and she originated the genre of aqua-musicals. Throughout her career, Williams also spent time both wearing and creating iconic and fashionable women’s swimsuits and swimwear accessories, and her influence on the world of aquatic fashion is still felt today.

Early Life

Williams was born in Los Angeles, California, during the Great Depression as the youngest of five children. One of her brothers was a child actor, and her family counted on his success to be their ticket out of poverty. However, following his death, all bets were placed on Esther’s success. At first, she started off swimming at the Los Angeles Athletic Club, and she soon became one of their strongest competitors. After winning multiple swimming events and competitions, Williams aspired to compete in the 1940 Olympics, but the outbreak of World War II led to the cancellation of the Olympics, dashing her dreams.

Acting Career

Williams then began performing in Billy Rose’s Aquacade, where she ultimately became a costar of the production. During her time working there, an MGM scout recognized her talent and cast her in a supporting role in the film  Andy Hardy’s Double Life . After working on that movie, Williams was cast as the star of the first film to center around swimming and aquatics: Bathing Beauty. Soon after, her career skyrocketed, and she became a nationwide favorite, winning the hearts of Americans in films such as Thrill of a Romance,  This Time for Keeps, Neptune’s Daughter, Pagan Love Song, and  Million Dollar Mermaid .

In the late 1950s, Williams’s star began to dim: The public grew bored of her work, and her husband pressured her to give up acting, leading her to fade out of the limelight. Scrambling to find work and stay relevant, Esther returned to working in aquatics and founded her own swimming pool company. In 1989, Williams started her own swimsuit line and promoted women’s bikinis; two-piece swimsuits and one-piece suits in her iconic style proved popular and are still sold to this day.

Personal Life

Throughout her career, Williams married and divorced four men and had three children. Her first husband, Leonard Kovner, wanted her to hang up her swimsuit and give up show business to become a housewife; this would lead to the end of their marriage. She then married Ben Gage, and they had three children. However, he was an alcoholic who partied hard and spent lavishly, and these habits ultimately led to a divorce. After that, she then married Fernando Lamas. She stayed with him for 13 years, until his death from pancreatic cancer. Finally, she slipped into a new wedding dress for her fourth husband, Edward Bell, with whom she stayed until the end of her life.

Legacy

Throughout her active years as a public figure, Williams consistently influenced women’s swimwear. In 1948, Williams became the spokeswoman for the swimming brand Cole of California, and a few years later, she persuaded the Navy to purchase 50,000 Cole bathing suits for female reservists. As time went on, Williams’s style and influence became stronger in the world of women’s swimwear. In addition, her work to popularize synchronized swimming helped it to eventually become a competitive Olympic event.