Annette Kellerman

Annette Marie Sarah Kellerman (often also written Kellermann ) ( born July 6, 1887 in Sydney, † November 5, 1975 in Southport ) was an Australian swimmer and film actress.

Beginnings and sporting success

In her early childhood, Annette Kellerman was suffering from a not precisely defined disability, possibly a result of poliomyelitis. To strengthen their leg muscles, their parents let them learn to swim. At the age of thirteen she had thus overcome the handicap and dominated all swimming styles of their time. In 1902, she won at the New South Wales Ladies' swimming competitions in two disciplines - once more than 100 yards, once over a mile - in record time.

Go swimming

In the following years, however, they had to use their talents less for sporting reasons but rather to support their family. Her father, a musician, no engagements took place, Annette showed, among other things, in the Exhibition Aquarium and occurred in swimming shows. From 1905 she was seen in Europe, including in competition with the then best Austrian swimmer Isa cescu they hit 1906 with ease on a 36 km section of the Danube. The year before, she was already up thames swam 21 km away. But it was particularly well known by their unsuccessful attempts to cross the English Channel by swimming.

Used early on by her parents' house at public appearances, she decided to go into show business in the U.S. and Australian Mermaid Diving Venus.

1907 Annette Kellerman was arrested a public nuisance because of excitement - their athletic swimwear, a close-fitting one piece, was considered too indecent. But their argument before the court was recognized and led ultimately to the fact that the floating clothing for women was now more convenient and less dangerous.

In 1974, she was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the international swimming sport.

Film career

In addition, the coverage of this sensational case is likely the film industry have drawn attention to it. In 1914, Annette Kellerman, who had married in 1912 her manager James Sullivan, seen in Neptune 's Daughter, later in Daughters of God, 1916 The Honor System, 1918 in Queen of the Sea and 1920 in What Women Love and The Art of Diving; their spectacular scene played in a container with alligators. After the end of the silent film era Annette Kellerman retired from the film business and became a vaudeville star. In later years, she has attended numerous lecture tours on health issues, and introduced several time a shop for healthy food in Long Beach. In 1970 she moved back to Australia, where she died five years later on the Gold Coast. She survived her husband, with whom she had been married for 65 years to only six days.

Her life was made ​​into a film in 1952 in Million Dollar Mermaid with Esther Williams in the lead role.

Publications

• Physical Beauty. How to Keep it. George H. Doran Company, New York NY, 1918.
• How to Swim. George H. Doran Company, New York NY, 1918.
• Fairy Tales of the South Seas, and other Stories. S. Low, Marston, London, 1926.