Deanna Durbin
Her radiant voice and girl-next-door charm saved a major Hollywood studio from bankruptcy and defined the modern musical star.
1921–2013 (age 92)·Canadian-American singer, actress·Birthday: December 4·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Born in Winnipeg, Deanna Durbin moved to California as a child, her crystalline soprano quickly catching the ear of studio executives. By her mid-teens, she was a top box-office draw for Universal Pictures, her wholesome musicals providing essential escapism during the Great Depression and war years. Unlike many child stars, she navigated the transition to adult roles with grace, but grew increasingly disillusioned with the studio system's control. In a stunning move at the height of her fame, she retired completely from public life in 1949, moving to France and fiercely guarding her privacy for the next six decades. Her legacy is that of a performer whose genuine talent and personal integrity left an indelible mark on film history before she chose a quiet life far from the spotlight.
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.
Deanna was born in 1921, 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 Deanna Was Born
The biggest hits of 1921
#1 Movie
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Deanna's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1921Born
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1926Started school
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1934Became a teenager
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1937Could drive
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1939Could vote
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
1942Turned 21
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1951Turned 30
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1961Turned 40
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1971Turned 50
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 60
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 70
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 80
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2013Died at 92
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Her 1938 film 'Three Smart Girls' is credited with pulling Universal Studios out of financial crisis.
- Received a special Juvenile Academy Award in 1938 for her "significant contribution in bringing to the screen the spirit and personification of youth."
- Was one of the highest-paid women in the United States and the top box-office star for several years in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
- Her retirement at age 28 is one of the most definitive and lasting exits in Hollywood history.
Did You Know?
She and Judy Garland were both under contract to MGM as young singers, but the studio kept Durbin and dropped Garland.
Walt Disney reportedly modeled the singing voice of Snow White on Durbin's soprano.
She turned down the lead role in the film adaptation of 'The Phantom of the Opera' in 1943.
After retirement, she refused all interviews and offers for a comeback, living under her married name, Madame Charles David.
“I was a typical 15-year-old American girl. The only thing that distinguished me from the others was that I was earning $1,250 a week.”
