Josephine Owaissa Cottle (born April 5, 1922), better known as Gale Storm, is an American actress/singer. Her sister gave Josephine her middle name, an Indian word meaning "bluebird."
Born in Bloomington, Texas, Storm was raised by her family as Josephine Cottle. Her father, William Walter Cottle died after a year-long illness when she was just 13 months old, and her mother, Minnie Corina Cottle, struggled to raise five children alone. Josephine was the youngest with two brothers and two sisters.
Storm's mother Minnie took in sewing, then opened a millinery shop in nearby McDade, which failed, and then moved the family to Houston.
The young Josephine learned to be an accomplished dancer and became an excellent ice skater at Houston's Polar Palace. At the Albert Sydney Johnson Junior High and San Jacinto High School she performed in the drama club. When she was a 17-year-old senior in high school, two of her teachers (Miss Collier and Miss Oatman) urged her to enter "The Gateway to...
Created by dipity
on Feb 7, 2008
Last updated: 11/17/09 at 03:02 PM