Gloria Pall
Encyclopedia
Gloria Pall is an American
model
, showgirl
, film
and television
actress, author
and businesswoman.
Pall was born in Brooklyn, New York to an English
family. During World War II
, she worked as an aircraft
mechanic in upstate New York at Rome
Army Air Depot. On July 28, 1945 she was employed by the USO headquarters office on the 56th floor of the Empire State Building
in New York City
when a U.S. Army B-25 Mitchell
bomber crashed into the 79th floor.
In 1947 Gloria Pall won a beauty contest that opened the door to work as a model. She worked as a showgirl in both Reno
and Las Vegas
as well as in Hollywood where for a time she was she was chosen to be "Miss Earl Carroll" from the huge cast of beauties. This was at the Earl Carroll Theatre
on Sunset Blvd. in 1952. She dated Howard Hughes
for a time.
Pall got her first acting job on television in 1951 and went on to a successful career as an actress for ten years, primarily in secondary and minor roles. She had a small role in the The Twilight Zone
episode, "And When the Sky Was Opened
". She had small roles in feature films such as Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation
(1953), Abbott and Costello Go to Mars
(1953), The French Line
(1954), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
(1954), The Night of the Hunter
(1955), Jailhouse Rock
(1957), The Brothers Karamazov (1958) and Elmer Gantry
(1960).
She appeared on the cover of several national celebrity magazines and twice was a centerfold
in Esquire.
In late 1954 and early 1955, she developed a television show called "Voluptua" for KABC-TV
that caused a furor for what was then seen as obscenity. In a 2011 radio interview with author and broadcaster R. H. Greene, Pall reminisced about the Voluptua program, explaining the show's format, re-enacting character dialogue, and explaining how Christian and PTA groups labelled the character "Corruptua" and pressured KABC to take her off the air.
Cancelled after seven weeks, Voluptua got Pall feature stories in Life
and Playboy magazines.
In 1959, Pall began developing a career in real-estate and in 1962 opened her own office on Sunset Strip
. In later years she turned to writing books about Hollywood, penning self-published books under Showgirl Press of Hollywood, including the following:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
, showgirl
Showgirl
A showgirl is a dancer or performer in a stage entertainment show. Showgirl is also often used as a term for a promotional model in trade fairs and car shows, etc...
, film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
actress, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and businesswoman.
Pall was born in Brooklyn, New York to an English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
family. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, she worked as an aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
mechanic in upstate New York at Rome
Rome, New York
Rome is a city in Oneida County, New York, United States. It is located in north-central or "upstate" New York. The population was 44,797 at the 2010 census. It is in New York's 24th congressional district. In 1758, British forces began construction of Fort Stanwix at this strategic location, but...
Army Air Depot. On July 28, 1945 she was employed by the USO headquarters office on the 56th floor of the Empire State Building
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
when a U.S. Army B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
bomber crashed into the 79th floor.
In 1947 Gloria Pall won a beauty contest that opened the door to work as a model. She worked as a showgirl in both Reno
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
and Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
as well as in Hollywood where for a time she was she was chosen to be "Miss Earl Carroll" from the huge cast of beauties. This was at the Earl Carroll Theatre
Earl Carroll Theatre
Earl Carroll Theatre was the name of two important theaters owned by Broadway impresario and showman Earl Carroll. One was located on Broadway in New York City and the other on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood, California.-Broadway:...
on Sunset Blvd. in 1952. She dated Howard Hughes
Howard Hughes
Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. was an American business magnate, investor, aviator, engineer, film producer, director, and philanthropist. He was one of the wealthiest people in the world...
for a time.
Pall got her first acting job on television in 1951 and went on to a successful career as an actress for ten years, primarily in secondary and minor roles. She had a small role in the The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)
The Twilight Zone is an American anthology television series created by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964. The series consisted of unrelated episodes depicting paranormal, futuristic, dystopian, or simply disturbing events; each show typically featured a surprising...
episode, "And When the Sky Was Opened
And When the Sky Was Opened
"And When the Sky Was Opened" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone. It was first aired on December 11, 1959.-Synopsis:...
". She had small roles in feature films such as Ma and Pa Kettle on Vacation
Ma and Pa Kettle
Ma and Pa Kettle are comic film characters of the successful film series of the same name, produced by Universal Studios, in the late '40s and '50s. They are a hillbilly couple with fifteen children whose lives turn upside-down when they win a model-home-of-the-future in a slogan-writing contest...
(1953), Abbott and Costello Go to Mars
Abbott and Costello Go to Mars
Abbott and Costello Go To Mars is a 1953 American science fiction comedy film directed by Charles Lamont and starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. The film follows the misadventures of Lester and Orville who accidentally find themselves on a rocketship bound for Mars, which accidentally...
(1953), The French Line
The French Line
The French Line is a 1954 musical film starring Jane Russell made by RKO Pictures, directed by Lloyd Bacon and produced by Edmund Grainger, with Howard Hughes as executive producer. The screenplay was by Mary Loos and Richard Sale, based on a story by Matty Kemp and Isabel Dawn...
(1954), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954 film)
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a 1954 adventure film starring Kirk Douglas as Ned Land, James Mason as Captain Nemo, Paul Lukas as Professor Pierre Aronnax, and Peter Lorre as Conseil. It was the first science fiction film produced by Walt Disney Productions, as well as the only science-fiction...
(1954), The Night of the Hunter
The Night of the Hunter (film)
The Night of the Hunter is a 1955 American thriller film directed by Charles Laughton and starring Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters. The film is based on the 1953 novel of the same name by Davis Grubb, adapted for the screen by James Agee and Laughton...
(1955), Jailhouse Rock
Jailhouse Rock (1957 film)
Jailhouse Rock is an American musical film directed by Richard Thorpe for MGM. The film stars Elvis Presley in his third film and MGM debut, Judy Tyler, and Mickey Shaughnessy....
(1957), The Brothers Karamazov (1958) and Elmer Gantry
Elmer Gantry (film)
Elmer Gantry is a 1960 drama film about a con man and a female evangelist selling religion to small town America. Adapted by director Richard Brooks, the film is based on the 1927 novel of the same name by Sinclair Lewis and stars Burt Lancaster and Jean Simmons.Lancaster won an Academy Award for...
(1960).
She appeared on the cover of several national celebrity magazines and twice was a centerfold
Centerfold
The centerfold of a magazine refers to a gatefolded spread, usually a portrait such as a pin-up or a nude, inserted in the middle of the publication, or to the model featured in the portrait...
in Esquire.
In late 1954 and early 1955, she developed a television show called "Voluptua" for KABC-TV
KABC-TV
KABC-TV, channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, licensed to Los Angeles, California. KABC-TV's studios are located in Glendale, California...
that caused a furor for what was then seen as obscenity. In a 2011 radio interview with author and broadcaster R. H. Greene, Pall reminisced about the Voluptua program, explaining the show's format, re-enacting character dialogue, and explaining how Christian and PTA groups labelled the character "Corruptua" and pressured KABC to take her off the air.
Cancelled after seven weeks, Voluptua got Pall feature stories in Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
and Playboy magazines.
In 1959, Pall began developing a career in real-estate and in 1962 opened her own office on Sunset Strip
Sunset Strip
The Sunset Strip is the name given to the mile-and-a-half stretch of Sunset Boulevard that passes through West Hollywood, California. It extends from West Hollywood's eastern border with Hollywood at Harper Avenue, to its western border with Beverly Hills at Sierra Drive...
. In later years she turned to writing books about Hollywood, penning self-published books under Showgirl Press of Hollywood, including the following:
- Voluptua: Story of a TV Love Goddess (1992)
- Cameo Girl of the 50's (1993)
- I Danced Before the King (2000)
- The Marilyn Monroe Party (2002)