Bonita Granville
A child star who traded an Oscar-nominated start for a lasting legacy as the plucky Nancy Drew and a savvy business pioneer.
1923–1988 (age 65)·American actress and producer·Birthday: February 2·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bonita Granville's face, marked by intelligent eyes and a determined chin, made her a natural for playing precocious teens and resolute young women. She shot to fame at just fourteen, earning an Academy Award nomination for her devastating performance as a malicious schoolgirl in 'These Three.' Hollywood quickly typecast her in similar roles, but she found enduring popularity as the intrepid teen detective in four 'Nancy Drew' films. As she matured, she took on supporting parts in major pictures like 'Now, Voyager,' but her ambitions stretched beyond acting. In 1950, she married oil heir and entrepreneur Jack Wrather and shifted her focus to production. Together, they built a media empire, most famously bringing 'Lassie' to television and developing the Disneyland Hotel, making Granville a powerful, behind-the-scenes force in postwar American entertainment.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bonita was born in 1923, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bonita Was Born
The biggest hits of 1923
#1 Movie
The Covered Wagon
Bonita's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1923Born
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1928Started school
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1936Became a teenager
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Could drive
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1941Could vote
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1944Turned 21
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1953Turned 30
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 40
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 50
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 60
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1988Died at 65
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
Key Achievements
- Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at age 14 for 'These Three' (1936).
- Starred as the title character in four popular 'Nancy Drew' mystery films for Warner Bros.
- With her husband Jack Wrather, produced the long-running television series 'Lassie'.
- Was a key developer and owner of the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, California.
Did You Know?
She was the first actress to play Nancy Drew in a sound film.
She and her husband owned the rights to 'The Lone Ranger' and 'Sgt. Preston of the Yukon'.
The Bonita Granville Wrather Scholarship is awarded annually at her alma mater, the Westlake School for Girls.
She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to television.
“I never wanted to be just a sweet young thing on the screen.”
