One of Hollywoods Most Loved Musical Stars Has Died

One of Hollywood's best-known and loved musical stars had died. Betty Hutton a singer and actress died on Sunday, March 11, 2007 aged 86 in Palm Springs California.

The cause of Betty Hutton's death is stated as being complications caused by colon cancer.

According to the executor of Hutton's estate, Carl Bruno the passing of Hutton was only just announced because of a request she made. Hutton had asked Bruno, also a long time friend to wait until after her funeral to make the announcement that she had died. Hutton's funeral was a small private affair that was held on Tuesday at Forest Lawn in Cathedral City, California.

The reasons Betty Hutton requested her death not be announced until after her funeral was that she wanted to be buried with anonymity. She did not want her death to turn into a public circus.

Betty Hutton was best known for being the star of many Hollywood musicals, most notably Annie Get Your Gun. She began her show business career as a big band singer. After that she headed to Broadway and finally made it to Hollywood. By the 1950's Hutton was a huge star. Her biggest role was that of Annie Oakly the 1950's film version of Annie Get Your Gun.

Besides being the star of Annie Get Your Gun, Hutton also played parts in a number of other successful Hollywood musicals. This included The Greatest Show on Earth, a 1952 film were she played the main role. In total Hutton starred or played a role in almost 24 Hollywood musicals and comedies.

The vivacious platinum blonde star of Hollywood was born Elizabeth June Thornburg in Battle Creek, Michigan. Her love of performing began when she was just a child when she performed at her families speakeasy, during the time of Prohibition. Hutton never finished high school, dropping out at the age of 15 to work. Her first job was at a Detroit nightclub. It was at this nightclub she got her name Hutton. The name was given to her by Vincent Lopez, the man who hired her.