Julie London

London's parents, Jack (died 1977) and Josephine (née Taylor) Peck (died 1976), both of British Isles descent, a song-and-dance team in vaudeville and radio, were married on November 14, 1925, in Stockton, California, one year before London's birth, after they relocated to Santa Rosa, California. They had a radio show on which their daughter would sometimes appear. When she was a little girl she spent her summers with her aunt Ethel and her family on picnics and vacations to the mountains above San Bernardino or at one of the beach towns along the California coast. In 1938, when she was only 11, her father, Jack Peck, an alcoholic, was arrested for reckless driving. Later, the Pecks ran a photography business in San Bernardino, California, until it went bankrupt in 1941, when Julie was 14. The family then moved to Hollywood.

Graduated from Hollywood Professional School, the same high school that other performers (including Peggy Ryan and Tommy Rall) attended, in 1944.

Had appeared in On Stage Everybody (1945) with ex-classmate Peggy Ryan.

Was a celebrity spokesperson for Marlboro Cigarettes from the late 1950s to the early 1960s.

Put her movie career on hold in 1951 to spend more time with her family.

When she was getting a divorce from Jack Webb, she agreed, then went to court. The judge granted the divorce and approved the property settlement agreement, under which Webb had paid his wife $150,000 in cash, gave her $150,000 in securities of his production company, $21,000 a year for herself and for the couple's two children, Stacy and Lisa. Webb also agreed to take out a $150,000 insurance policy to guarantee alimony payments in case of his death. In addition, she got a new Cadillac, jewelry and furnishings. [26 November 1953].

Met singer/songwriter and actor Bobby Troup just weeks after her divorce from Jack Webb. The two began a lifelong friendship and a real-life relationship, from 1954 until Troup's death in 1999. She remained cordial with Webb until his death in 1982. She was eight years Troup's junior.

Julie London recorded 32 albums during her career. Forced to give up band singing when her true age was discovered, she was primarily a torch singer. Her vocal range was described by "sultry" and "low-keyed". Her own favorite singers were Barbra Streisand and Roberta Flack. She was known in some circles as "The Liberty Girl" for helping establish Liberty Records, where she began singing in 1955, as a successful label. Her many hit albums on that label include "Julie Is Her Name", "Calendar Girl" with some borderline erotic (for the time) cover photography by Gene Lester, "About the Blues", "Your Number, Please", "Send For Me", "Love Letters", "The End of the World", "In Person at the Americana", "The Wonderful World of Julie London" and the provocatively titled "Nice Girls Don't Stay for Breakfast". Her most popular song, "Cry Me a River", was written by her former classmate/boyfriend Arthur Hamilton and produced by Bobby Troup.

Her four most-sought-after and successful albums are "About the Blues (1957), "Feeling Good" (1965), "Easy Does It" (1968) and "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy" (1969).

Lived in Encino, California, from 1959 until her death in 2000.

Had appeared twice with Barbara Nichols: The George Raft Story (1961) and Emergency! (1972).

Shared the same birthday as Kent McCord, who guest-starred with her on both of Jack Webb's series: Adam-12 (1968) and Emergency! (1972).

Best remembered by the public (as an actress) for her starring role as head nurse Dixie McCall on Emergency! (1972).

Attended the funeral of ex-husband and former boss Jack Webb in 1982.

Along with Veronica Lake, Rita Hayworth, and Lauren Bacall, she was reportedly one of the four key inspirations for the femme fatale character of Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988).

She began smoking in 1942, aged 15 or 16, and continued until 1995, when she suffered a debilitating stroke. In her biography, "Go Slow", she noted that the years of smoking and drinking had taken their toll. She remained in ill health. She was the only Emergency! (1972) lead actor not to attend the cast reunion in Burbank, California, in 1998, due to her failing health. At the funeral of her second husband (and former Emergency! (1972) co-star), Bobby Troup, on 22 February 1999, her poor health prevented her from speaking. The last few years of her life were plagued by accidents and ill health. Even before her stroke, she had several accidents, resulting in her breaking her hips. She spent most of her time in a wheelchair. She died on October 18, 2000, aged 74, having directed that no funeral or memorial service be held.

London died on October 18, 2000, on what would have been her husband (Bobby Troup)'s 82nd birthday. She was cremated and shares a niche in a columbarium with Troup, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills. After their deaths, the couple's Encino home was sold for close to its last asking price of $1.9 million. The Colonial-style home was designed for London in 1959 by the late architect Paul Williams, who incorporated four 19th-century marble fireplaces into the design. London had purchased the fireplaces in France.

(Her version of "Yummy Yummy Yummy" was featured on the HBO television series Six Feet Under (2001).

Is portrayed by Julie Simone in Bettie Page: Dark Angel (2004).