Esther Williams is probably the most successful sporting-to-movie star of all time. A national swimming champion with limited previous acting experience, Esther became one of MGM’s most popular headliners with a string of splashy Technicolor entertainments (dubbed “Aqua Musicals�?) in the 1940s and 50s; light on plot but big on spectacle, Esther’s movies always found a way to get her into the water one way or the other. Nevertheless, she was a natural on screen, with a knockout figure and charm to spare.

Highlights of her career include Bathing Beauty (1944, her first starring role), Neptune’s Daughter (1949, dueting with Ricardo Montalban on the Oscar-winning song “Baby, Its Cold Outside�?), Million Dollar Mermaid (1952, playing real-life swimming sensation Annette Kellerman) and Dangerous When Wet (1953, wherein she performed an animated underwater dream ballet with Tom and Jerry).

At this time, few of Esther’s films are available on DVD, but there are rumors of a forthcoming box set. In the meantime, most are available on VHS and are frequently aired on Turner Classic Movies, and you can catch some of her big numbers in the three film That’s Entertainment! The Complete Collection box set from Warner Home Video.