How many peaks can be conquered? Grace Bradley proved that all of them. This Brooklyn girl was known to the world as an actress, singer, dancer and memoirist. In the 21st century, few people remember her, but she is the embodiment of old cinema. Her success story may not be unique, although it does remind of Cinderella’s and serves as a powerful example that a person is in control of their own destiny. Learn more at brooklynski.info.
Work comes first
Grace Bradley was born on September 21, 1913, in Brooklyn. She was the only child in the family. From an early age, she loved singing and could play the piano. Her parents encouraged their daughter’s hobby in every possible way. Although, this is more of an innate talent and gift rather than a simple hobby. She devoted a lot of time to this activity.
Unfortunately, when the girl turned 12, her father died. She and her mother stayed alone. It was difficult to survive in a big city. She decided to work to help her mother with finances. It would be very strange today to see a 12-year-old girl singing in a nightclub, but it didn’t come as much of a surprise in New York at the time. Even her mother didn’t mind. Well, she did not have much of a choice. During these tough times in America, children started working at a young age. It is better to sing in a club than to work hard in a factory.
The grandfather of the young star wanted a different life for her. He offered Grace’s mother to take her to Berlin under his care. In Berlin, Bradley had to get a formal education. But one meeting changed her life. Once, while performing in a club, she met a producer who saw in her a future star. That is how she got her first professional job in the theater.
Her Broadway career did not last long. From 1930 to 1933, she performed on the famous stage, but then she chose to devote herself to the film industry and left it all behind. Working in the cinema brought her much more joy.
On the big screen
In 1932, Bradley made her film debut. Her small role, lasting only a few minutes, became her launching pad into the world of big cinema. She was not even mentioned in the credits, but a year later, she got her first big part. Grace starred in three, sometimes four films, per year.
Paramount Pictures could not ignore her talent. She worked for them for most of her career. At 20, Bradley was already making $150 a week. As of 2021, this is almost 3 thousand dollars. While this wage may be considered low in modern Hollywood, it is still a decent amount. In 1943, she ended her career as an actress.
The reason was her family life. She married actor William Boyd. He was famous for playing the role of the cowboy Hopalong Cassidy.
Grace was his fifth and last wife. At the dawn of his career, when the character of Cassidy was no longer of interest to the audience, Boyd could not deal with it. He and his wife traveled around the country, trying to find part-time jobs for his iconic role. It was very sad. Boyd could have continued to play other parts, but he was obsessed with being a cowboy. Grace became his faithful companion until Boyd’s death in 1972. After 35 years of marriage, they had no common children. In 2008, Grace released a memoir about her husband. She had a lot of exciting events in her life, but her spouse’s image remained the most prominent. After his death, she remained single. Grace cherished her love for him for many years. The actress died in 2010. She was 97 years old.
Interested in politics
From a young age, the girl was fascinated by music and cinema, but as she grew older, she developed an interest in politics as well. Bradley was an ardent Republican. In 1952, she actively supported Dwight Eisenhower’s election campaign. In 1953, he became the 34th president of the United States. The Eisenhower presidency commenced with a stormy campaign for Americans and yielded many positive outcomes, such as the cessation of the Korean War, the end of McCarthyism, and the construction of interstate highways.
Grace started as a nightclub singer and never got a basic education, but she was far from unintelligent. However, she gave up her career for a man.