Gloria Jean was my sponsor when I received my First Holy Communion and Confirmation in California in 1986. Last I heard, she was living in Hawaii. She must be around 95 years old now.
Wow, that’s pretty neat!
I’d read she was living in Hawaii, too. Supposedly with her son’s family.
Personal life:
In 1962, Gloria Jean gave up show business to get married and raise a family. The marriage was not successful; her husband was frequently absent, living apart from his wife and son. Gloria Jean obtained a divorce and began a second career with Redken Laboratories, a national cosmetics firm, where she worked until 1993.
Revived interest in her life and films:
In December 1991, Gloria Jean was honored by the Young Artist Foundation with its Former Child Star “Lifetime Achievement” Award, recognizing her achievements within the film industry as a juvenile performer.[2] Gloria Jean has also participated in various nostalgia and autograph shows, meeting fans and displaying memorabilia.
Gloria Jean’s films are beginning to receive new exposure: If I Had My Way has been restored to its original length and issued on DVD, followed by the DVD release of Never Give a Sucker an Even Break. (Latter-day documentaries about W. C. Fields include recent clips of Gloria Jean, reminiscing about working with him.) Universal Pictures has also struck new 35mm prints of Mister Big and Get Hep to Love for theatrical use. Her 1947 film Copacabana is widely available on home video.
Recent years:
After her retirement from Redken, Gloria Jean lived in California with her sister, Bonnie. After Bonnie died in 2007, she moved to Hawaii, where she now lives with her son and his family. Her authorized biography, Gloria Jean: A Little Bit of Heaven, was published in 2005. A tribute website, GloriaJeanSings.com, followed, again with Gloria Jean’s cooperation. Her Internet presence includes a new series of videos showing the actress as she appears today; in 2009 she became the first movie star to introduce her own film clips on YouTube.[citation needed]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Jean