Esther Williams’ big splash in Atlantic City
By 1958, the film career of actress/swimmer Esther Williams was winding down. Originally an award-winning competitive swimmer, Williams was signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer around 1942. After several less-than-impressive small roles in pictures like “Andy Hardy’s Double Life,” Williams and MGM hit paydirt with a series of what were called “aquamusicals,” defined by the studio as ultra-elaborate performances with a focus on synchronized swimming and diving. From 1945 to 1949, Williams starred in at least one film each year that ranked among the top 20 highest-grossing movies.
Her success with that type of movie continued into the 1950s, with films like “Million Dollar Mermaid” and “Dangerous When Wet.”
When the popularity of aquamusicals slipped, Williams was cast in some straight musicals and acting roles, but none were particularly successful.
“Jupiter’s Darling,” an historical musical filmed in CinemaScope and released in 1955, paired the actress for the third time with leading man Howard Keel. Despite the high-tech CinemaScope gimmick, and the hype – MGM billed it as “The Big Show of Musicals” – it was a critical and financial flop, and the last film Williams made at MGM. “The Unguarded Moment,” a film noir project released in 1956 by Universal-International, didn’t do much better at the box office.
After a two-year layoff, Williams was cast in “Raw Wind in Eden,” another film noir opus shot in CinemaScope which co-starred Jeff Chandler. It was not well received. One critic described it as “a very boring and nonsensical romance movie that’s labeled as a film noir. But it’s anything but.”
According to Williams’ revealing 1999 autobiography titled, “The Million Dollar Mermaid,” she knew “Raw Wind” was a dog long before its release, as did Chandler and probably Universal Pictures.
Cut to Aug. 4, 1958. The location is the Warren Theater, formerly the Warner, on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. The occasion is the national premiere of “Raw Wind in Eden.” The following is the audio transcript from newsreel coverage of the event:
“It’s Esther Williams Day in Atlantic City. The aqua beauty arrives at the pleasure resort for the premiere of her latest picture, Universal-International’s ‘Raw Wind in Eden,’ which is also the occasion for three days of civic festivities. And naturally, Miss Williams makes quite a splash on arrival. (Newsreel footage shows Williams jumping out of a helicopter into the Atlantic Ocean near the Steel Pier). What more appropriate entrance for a star of sea and screen? Appropriate, and worth every bit of the enthusiastic reception she gets. Esther Williams and the world premiere; who could ask for more?”
It was a gigantic event, even by Atlantic City standards, with three days of activities and civic events, including a parade where Williams was escorted to the theater by a large group of bathing beauties.
Williams was no stranger to Atlantic City. In 1956, Steel Pier owner George Hamid booked her touring aquacade show. She complained bitterly to Hamid at the time about the Pier’s dressing rooms and other sub-par accommodations for her cast, according to her autobiography, which, provided the following account:
Williams: How long has it been since you’ve seen the dressing rooms?” she asked Hamid.
Hamid: A long time, I guess. We’ve had lots of stars here, and they’ve never complained.
After telling Hamid that he should be ashamed of himself, new dressing rooms were built and Williams and Hamid cemented a friendship.
Though the Universal film studios’ publicity department likely had a major hand in arranging many of the events surrounding the “Raw Wind” premiere, only master showman George Hamid could have come up with the idea of heralding the film star’s arrival by having her dive in the Atlantic Ocean.
Williams: When Universal premiered ‘Raw Wind in Eden’ that summer in Atlantic City, my good friend George Hamid phoned and asked me to attend the premiere at a theater he owned on the Boardwalk.
Hamid: We’ll have a big party for you, Esther. It’ll be just like old times.
Williams: I told him this movie was different from what he was used to seeing. There were no fountains, no underwater ballets, and no girls in gold lamé. However, George was a showman not unlike Billy Rose.
Hamid: Come on, Esther. Let’s give ’em a show!
Williams: I think those days are over, George.
Hamid: Not for me they aren’t. You’ve got a lot of fans around here, and I’m giving a big party for ‘Raw Wind’ in Eden,’ gold lamé or no gold lamé. I’ve got a seaplane, and I’ve got a moviehouse on the Boardwalk. And I bet you can’t swim from my plane to the moviehouse.
Williams: Of course I can.
Williams: I must have been crazy. Everything was planned. We would sail out to the seaplane from the Steel Pier, where it would take off and circle the city. Once the plane landed, I would climb out on the wing, dive into the ocean, and swim to the shore, where I would be met by fans and the press. I would then be taken to the theater, where I would change and greet the audience. I was up for the party.
What didn’t go as planned was the fact that, once in the water, Williams caught a wave that carried her swiftly toward the sand.
Williams: The next thing I knew, three powerful lifeguards scooped me above their heads and held me like a trophy surfboard as they carried me toward the shore and onto the Boardwalk. Thousands of screaming fans reached out to touch me, but other lifeguards formed a barrier to keep them clear of me. I was carried into the theater where flashbulbs were popping and fans were screaming. George was waiting for me in the dressing room.
Hamid: See, I told ya you could do it. I love you, Esther.
Not much could top that, and career-wise for Esther Williams, not much did.
She took a few more non-swimming roles in pictures after ‘Raw Wind,’ but after 1964, she concentrated on marketing a line of retro women’s swimwear as well as her swimming pool company.
She came out of retirement twice since making her last film in 1963: once as a commentator for the synchronized swimming events in the 1984 Olympics, and the other 10 years later as one of the on-screen hosts of the film, “That’s Entertainment III.”
Esther Williams died in June 2013 at the age of 91.
EDITOR’S NOTE: While newsreel video of the 1958 premiere shows Esther Williams jumping out of a helicopter and not a seaplane, the event was nonetheless spectacular.
Bruce Klauber is the author of four books, an award-winning music journalist, concert and record producer and publicist, producer of the Warner Brothers and Hudson Music “Jazz Legends” film series, and performs both as a drummer and vocalist.
