Bonita Granville Photo

Bonita Granville

Acting

0.9 Popularity Feb 02, 1923 (65 years old) New York City, New York, USA

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 w...

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).

Filmography 72

1982
1981
The Legend of the Lone Ranger Movie

as Woman (uncredited)

1978
The Magic of Lassie Movie

Producer

1971
1969
Lassie: The Adventures of Neeka Movie

Associate Producer

1961
1959
The Velvet Alley Movie

as Mrs. Kirkley

1956
The Lone Ranger Movie

as Welcome Kilgore

1954
Climax! TV

as Laura Jordan

1954
Climax! TV

as Molly

1954
1954
Lassie TV

Director

1951
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars TV

as Ellen Morison

1950
1950
1950
Guilty of Treason Movie

as Stephanie Varna

1948
Strike It Rich Movie

as Julie Ann Brady

1948
Studio One TV

as Ann

1947
The Guilty Movie

as Estelle Mitchell / Linda Mitchell

Photos 4

Bonita Granville Photo
Bonita Granville Photo
Bonita Granville Photo
Bonita Granville Photo

Personal Details

Known For Acting
Gender Not specified
Birthday February 02, 1923 (65 years old)
Died October 11, 1988
Place of Birth New York City, New York, USA
Also Known As Bonita Granville Wrather, Bonita Gloria Granville Wrather
Years Active 1932 - 1982
Popularity 0.9
Career Stats
72 Total Credits
59 Movie Roles
9 TV Roles
4 Photos