Eleanor Holm

Eleanor Holm Whalen (born 6 December 1913 in Brooklyn, † 31 January 2004 in Miami) was an American swimmer. She set seven world records and won 29 national championship titles.

After her first Olympic participation in 1928 she won the gold medal in the 100 m backstroke at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. In 1932 she was voted one of the WAMPAS baby stars of the year.

The third Olympic start in 1936 in Berlin remained Eleanor Holm failed after they had been expelled by the then President of the American Olympic Committee, Avery Brundage, on the nine-day trip from New York City from the team. The nice looking and regarded as extremely cheerful swimming Diva had celebrated with journalists nightly extravagant parties.

After the end of their sports career she performed, among others, in 1938 as Jane in a Tarzan movie as well as in swimming shows together with Johnny Weissmuller and Buster Crabbe on. In 1966, she was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the international swimming sport.

Eleanor Holm 1933-1938 married to bandleader and singer Art Jarrett. In 1939 she married the theater producer and songwriter Billy Rose. This marriage lasted until 1954. Several months later, she married a third time. Eleanor Holm died at the age of 90 from kidney failure.