Jane Russell, born Ernestine Jane Geraldine Russell on June 21, 1921, in Bemidji, Minnesota, was an American actress and model who became one of Hollywood's leading sex symbols in the 1940s and 1950s.

Her family moved to Southern California when she was young, and her mother, an actress, encouraged Jane to explore interests in acting and music. She studied drama and acting with Max Reinhardt's Theatrical Workshop and actress Maria Ouspenskaya.

She worked as a receptionist and modeled for photographers before being discovered by film mogul Howard Hughes.

Jane Russell made her motion-picture debut in "The Outlaw" (1943), a film that went to great lengths to showcase her voluptuous figure. Despite facing censorship issues, the film became a box office success.

Her career continued with roles in films such as "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" (1953) alongside Marilyn Monroe, "His Kind of Woman" (1951), and "The Las Vegas Story" (1952). She also ventured into music and completed several other films in the 1960s.

Jane Russell married three times, first to Bob Waterfield in 1943, which lasted until 1968. She then married Roger Barrett in 1968, but he passed away the same year. Her third marriage was to John Calvin Peoples in 1974, which lasted until his death in 1999.

She adopted three children and founded Waif, the first international adoption program, in 1955. She was known for her faith and often held chapel sessions at her family compound.

Jane Russell received several accolades for her achievements in film, including having her hand and footprints immortalized in the forecourt of Grauman's Chinese Theatre alongside Marilyn Monroe. She was also honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Jane Russell passed away on February 28, 2011, in Santa Maria, California.