Withers, Jane (1926–)

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Withers, Jane (1926–)

American vaudeville, radio, film, and tv actress. Born April 12, 1926, in Atlanta, Georgia; dau. of Walter and Lavinia Ruth Withers; m. William Moss Jr. (oil man), 1947 (div. 1954); m. Kenneth Errair (member of Four Freshmen singing group), 1955 (died 1968); children: (1st m.) Wendy, William III, and Randy; (2nd m.) Kenneth and Kendall.

Made screen debut with a small role in Handle With Care (1932), and went on to have an extensive career as one of Hollywood's leading child stars; had 1st major role, opposite Shirley Temple (Black) in Bright Eyes (1934); was one of 1937's top-10 box-office draws, appearing in such films as Little Miss Nobody (1936), Pepper (1936), The Holy Terror (1937), Wild and Woolly (1937), Checkers (1937), Rascals (1938), The Arizona Wildcat (1939), Pack Up Your Troubles (1939), The Girl from Avenue A (1940), The Mad Martindales (1942), The North Star (1943), My Best Gal (1944), Affairs of Geraldine (1946), Giant (1956) and Captain Newman, M. D. (1963); retired from films (1947); appeared on tv commercial as "Josephine the Plumber," for Comet Cleanser (1963–75).

See also Women in World History.