Monday, January 01, 2007
On swimming pretty
A month into her job at a department store, teenage swimming champion Esther Williams receives an unexpected phone call from Billy Rose's Aquacade office asking her to audition for a San Franciso-based show. Curious about "swimming as entertainment," Williams joins fifty other women at a Los Angeles Athletic Club, and when asked to demonstrate her skills, she decides to swim as fast as she can.
"You swim very fast," the producer says.
"That's what I do, Mr. Rose. I'm a sprint swimmer. The U.S. 100-meter freestyle champion," Esther replies.
"I don't want fast; I want pretty."
"Mr. Rose, if you're not strong enough to swim fast, then you're probably not strong enough to swim 'pretty'."
He puffs his cigar and thinks about it. "You're probably right. I want you to swim with your head up and your shoulders out of the water."
"That would take a really good, stong kick," Esther tells him, " and when you swim fast you have a really strong kick."
"Well, that's very informative. You know your stuff about swimming. Do you want the job?"
"Mr. Rose, I already have a job at I. Magnin, and if I take a job swimming professionally for you, I'll lose my amateur standing and any chance to be in the Olympics."
"Young lady, there's a war on and there aren't going to be any Olympics Games for a long time. What are you gonna do in the meantime, eat your medals? You might as well make some money with your talent," Rose says handing Esther a business card.
In her sparkling memoir, The Million Dollar Mermaid, Esther Williams reflects candidly on a professional career built on swimming pretty, while personally struggling to keep her head above water.
"You swim very fast," the producer says.
"That's what I do, Mr. Rose. I'm a sprint swimmer. The U.S. 100-meter freestyle champion," Esther replies.
"I don't want fast; I want pretty."
"Mr. Rose, if you're not strong enough to swim fast, then you're probably not strong enough to swim 'pretty'."
He puffs his cigar and thinks about it. "You're probably right. I want you to swim with your head up and your shoulders out of the water."
"That would take a really good, stong kick," Esther tells him, " and when you swim fast you have a really strong kick."
"Well, that's very informative. You know your stuff about swimming. Do you want the job?"
"Mr. Rose, I already have a job at I. Magnin, and if I take a job swimming professionally for you, I'll lose my amateur standing and any chance to be in the Olympics."
"Young lady, there's a war on and there aren't going to be any Olympics Games for a long time. What are you gonna do in the meantime, eat your medals? You might as well make some money with your talent," Rose says handing Esther a business card.
In her sparkling memoir, The Million Dollar Mermaid, Esther Williams reflects candidly on a professional career built on swimming pretty, while personally struggling to keep her head above water.
