Bonita Granville
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- February 2, 1923
- Died
- October 11, 1988 (aged 65)
- Birthplace
- New York City, New York, USA
Biography
Daughter of Bernard 'Bunny' Granville and Rosina Timponi, Bonita Granville was born into an acting family on 2 Febuary 1923, in New York, New York. It's not surprising that she herself became a child actor, first on the stage and, at the age of 9, debuting in movies in Westward Passage (1932). She was regularly cast as a naughty little girl, as in These Three (1936) where she played Mary, an obnoxious girl spreading lies about her teachers. Her performance left an impression on the audience, and she was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress award. In 1938-39 came the movies she is now best remembered for -- playing the bright and feisty detective/reporter Nancy Drew in the Nancy Drew series. She also appeared with Mickey Rooney in a few Andy Hardy movies. She never really had a movie breakthrough, and after marrying oil millionaire and later producer Jack Wrather, she retired from acting in the middle of the 1950s, although she went on to produce the Lassie (1954) TV series. After her marriage to oil millionaire Jack Wrather in 1947, she appeared in only three more movies. She became an executive in the Wrather Corp., and first associate producer, then executive producer of the Lassie (1954) TV series. After Wrather's death in 1984, she took over as chairman of the board. She was also involved in many civic and cultural groups, and she was chair of American Film Institute, trustee of John F. Kennedy Center, as well as other well known organizations and charities. Walt Disney personally convinced the Wrathers to build the Disneyland Hotel when Disney could not raise the money to do so -- his credit was all tied up in building the theme park itself. After the phenomenal success of Disneyland, Disney attempted to buy the hotel; but the Wrathers steadfastly refused to sell. Long after Jack and Bonita Wrather's and Walt Disney's deaths, the Disney Company bought the Wrather Corporation. The Disney Company thus acquired the Disneyland Hotel, the Queen Mary and Spruce Goose attractions in Long Beach, California, the rights to The Lone Ranger (1949) TV series, as well as other properties. Bonita Granville Rather died of cancer on 11 October 1988, in Santa Monica, California. She and Wrather had four children (two from Wrather's first marriage).
Known For
Photos
Filmography
Hollywood’s Children
Movie · as Self
The Legend of the Lone Ranger
Movie · as Woman (uncredited)
V.I.P. Schaukel
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Mike Douglas Show
TV · as Self · 2 eps
The Velvet Alley
Movie · as Mrs. Kirkley
The Lone Ranger
Movie · as Welcome Kilgore
Lassie
TV · 2 eps
Climax!
TV · as Laura Jordan, Molly · 1 ep
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
TV · as Ellen Morison · 1 ep
Guilty of Treason
Movie · as Stephanie Varna
Lux Video Theatre
TV · as Kitty, Joan · 1 ep
Strike It Rich
Movie · as Julie Ann Brady
Studio One
TV · as Ann · 1 ep
The Guilty
Movie · as Estelle Mitchell / Linda Mitchell
Suspense
Movie · as Ronnie
Love Laughs at Andy Hardy
Movie · as Kay Wilson
Breakfast in Hollywood
Movie · as Dorothy Larson
The Truth About Murder
Movie · as Christine Allen
The Beautiful Cheat
Movie · as Alice
Senorita from the West
Movie · as Jeannie Blake
Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble
Movie · as Kay Wilson
Youth Runs Wild
Movie · as Toddy Jones
Song of the Open Road
Movie · as Bonnie
Hitler's Children
Movie · as Anna Miller
Now, Voyager
Movie · as June Vale
The Glass Key
Movie · as Opal 'Snip' Madvig
Syncopation
Movie · as Kit Latimer
Seven Miles from Alcatraz
Movie · as Anne Porter
Soaring Stars
Movie · as Passenger
H.M. Pulham, Esq.
Movie · as Mary Pulham
The People Vs. Dr. Kildare
Movie · as Frances Marlowe
The Wild Man of Borneo
Movie · as Francine 'Frankie' Diamond
Screen Snapshots Series 21 No. 1
Movie · as Self
Down in San Diego
Movie · as Betty Haines
The Mortal Storm
Movie · as Elsa
Third Finger, Left Hand
Movie · as Vicky Sherwood
Forty Little Mothers
Movie · as Doris
Escape
Movie · as Ursula
Those Were the Days!
Movie · as Martha Scroggs
Gallant Sons
Movie · as Kate Pendleton
Nancy Drew... Reporter
Movie · as Nancy Drew
Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase
Movie · as Nancy Drew
Nancy Drew... Trouble Shooter
Movie · as Nancy Drew
Angels Wash Their Faces
Movie · as Peggy Finnegan
Nancy Drew… Detective
Movie · as Nancy Drew
White Banners
Movie · as Sally Ward
Merrily We Live
Movie · as Marian Kilbourne
The Beloved Brat
Movie · as Roberta Morgan
Hard to Get
Movie · as Connie Richards
My Bill
Movie · as Gwen Colbrook
Breakdowns of 1938
Movie · as Nancy Drew (archive footage) (uncredited)
It's Love I'm After
Movie · as Gracie Kane
Call It a Day
Movie · as Ann Hilton
Maid of Salem
Movie · as Ann
Quality Street
Movie · as Isabella
These Three
Movie · as Mary Tilford
Song of the Saddle
Movie · as Jen as a Child
The Plough and the Stars
Movie · as Mollser Gogan
The Garden of Allah
Movie · as Convent Girl (uncredited)
Ah, Wilderness!
Movie · as Mildred Miller
The Life of Vergie Winters
Movie · as Joan Shadwell as a Child (uncredited)
Cavalcade
Movie · as Young Fanny
Cradle Song
Movie · as Carmen (uncredited)
Westward Passage
Movie · as Little Olivia Allen (age 9)
Silver Dollar
Movie · as Liddy (uncredited)