Born in Bemidji, Minnesota, on June 21, 1921, actress Jane Russell was the daughter of an Army lieutenant and a former actress. In the 1920s, Russell’s family moved to California. When Russell’s father passed away in 1937, she took a job as a receptionist to help support the family. By 1940, Russell began to take acting classes and was discovered by producer Howard Hughes, who signed her to a seven-year contract. Her first film was the notorious western The Outlaw, which became known for its then-shocking display of Russell’s charms rather than as a quality western film.