Gale Storm
A sunny-natured actress and singer who successfully leaped from B-movie starlet to become one of television's first true sitcom queens in the 1950s.
1922–2009 (age 87)·American actress and singer·Birthday: April 5·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Born Josephine Cottle, Gale Storm reinvented herself with a name as brisk and bright as her on-screen persona. She won a radio contest that launched a modest film career, but her true medium was the emerging living-room box: television. As the mischievous Margie in 'My Little Margie' and later as a cruise director in 'The Gale Storm Show', she perfected a brand of wholesome, fizzy comedy that millions of Americans welcomed weekly. In a parallel surprise, she also scored a string of hit pop records, her cover of 'I Hear You Knockin'' nearly topping the charts and proving her versatility. Storm's career navigated the shift from Hollywood studios to TV production, making her a pioneer of the era and a constant, cheerful presence in a decade of rapid change.
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.
Gale was born in 1922, 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 Gale Was Born
The biggest hits of 1922
#1 Movie
Robin Hood
Gale's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1922Born
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1927Started school
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1935Became a teenager
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1938Could drive
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1940Could vote
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1943Turned 21
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1952Turned 30
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1962Turned 40
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 50
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1982Turned 60
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1992Turned 70
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 80
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2009Died at 87
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
Key Achievements
- Starred in the hit television sitcom 'My Little Margie' (1952-1955), which was one of the first successful TV spin-offs from a radio program.
- Her recording of 'I Hear You Knockin'' sold over a million copies and reached No. 2 on the Billboard charts in 1955.
- Successfully transitioned to a second sitcom, 'The Gale Storm Show' (aka 'Oh! Susanna'), which ran for four seasons.
- Had six singles reach the Top 10 on the Billboard charts during the mid-1950s.
Did You Know?
She and her future husband, Lee Bonnell, both won their Hollywood contracts on the same radio talent show, 'Gateway to Hollywood'.
Her stage name was selected by a studio executive who liked the sound of 'Gale Storm'.
She publicly battled and overcame alcoholism in the 1960s, later becoming an advocate for sobriety.
She was originally offered the role of 'Mickey' on the TV series 'Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer' but turned it down.
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