In the 1940s, Betty Grable was a beloved American sweetheart. Her million-dollar smile, golden curls, and legendary legs sent people into a frenzy.
She was celebrated as World War II’s pin-up girl and a Hollywood star. During the 1930s and 1940s, she was in 42 films. She helped shape an entire era of Hollywood glamor.
But at the height of her fame, she became the victim of an extortion scheme. The first extortion letter she received was written on February 6, 1943. At the time, she was 26 years old.
It read: “Under threat of your life or great bodily harm, gather $25,000 in uncut diamonds and mail them in two envelopes.” The note also instructed the large sum to be sent to someone named Jonathan C. Wilde at the Gates Hotel in downtown Los Angeles, according to the FBI. It was signed “The Leop.”
Grable received another letter on March 9. This time, it contained directions telling the movie star to “come north on Gower Street and 1/2 block of Santa Monica Blvd. on March 19 at 9:40 a.m.,” where the extortionist would be leaning against the cemetery wall, waiting for her. They demanded $5,000; otherwise, she would be dead by the next day. It was signed “Snow.”
Since the letters were sent through the U.S. mail, they were a violation of the federal extortion statute. So, the FBI got involved. They believed that the two letters were written by the same person.
On March 19, federal agents set a trap for the culprit at the meeting spot mentioned in the latest letter. They disguised themselves as gardeners and gravediggers. One of the agents even pretended to be Grable and carried a fake package of money.
A shiny blue sedan pulled up to the spot at around 9:40 a.m. and tossed the package out the window. Soon enough, the extortionist went to retrieve it.
After a brief chase, the authorities took an 18-year-old high school student from Omaha, Nebraska, into custody. His name was Russell Eugene Alexanderson.
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He admitted to sending the letters at a federal court hearing, but claimed that he had never planned to cause any harm to Grable.
“The threat of harm in the letters was never intended to be carried out at any time,” Alexanderson told U.S. Commissioner David B. Head.
“I wanted the money only to enable me to see movie stars. I had no opportunity to see them because I had to account to my mother for every dime I spent.”
He ended up pleading guilty and was sentenced to five years of probation before being released. However, he did not seem to learn his lesson because he sent another extortion note to Grable in May, demanding $500.
Apparently, he had been in love with Grable for seven years and couldn’t fight the urge to try to see her again. He also promised not to write any more letters. Ultimately, he was sentenced to prison.
Betty Grable died of lung cancer in 1973 at the age of 56. Her legacy continues to sparkle on today.
By Emily Chan
Emily Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in... More about Emily Chan
