Trivia

Gale was elected honorary mayor of Sherman Oaks, California, in January of 1953. By coincidence, her "My Little Margie" co-star, Charles Farrell, was already fulfilling his third term as mayor of Palm Springs. Gale served for two terms and was succeeded by none other than Liberace.

She is honored with three stars on Hollywood's Walk of Fame: a Radio star at 6119 Hollywood Blvd., a Recording star at 1519 Vine St., and a TV star at 1680 Vine St.

Says she took up tap dancing in the 1970s to keep herself physically and mentally young.

As TV's My Little Margie (1952), she voiced her famous " gurgling" sound whenever she faced a dilemma.

She met late husband Lee Bonnell in Hollywood when he was deemed the male winner of the "Gates of Hollywood" radio talent contest that Gale won in the distaff category. The father of her four children, Lee later ran an insurance company out of Encino, California.

Having won the Texas stage of the Gateway to Hollywood contest, she went to Hollywood for the final where she met Lee Bonnell, the winner of the Indiana stage. A year later they were married.

Daughter Susannah was named after Gale's successful TV show.

Appearing in a number of musicals in the 1940s, she became an unexpected recording star in the mid-1950s. Ned Miller's "Dark Moon" topped the Billboard charts for Gale at #4 in 1957. Coincidentally, a competing version of the song by Bonnie Guitar peaked at #6. In 1995, an album of her mid-to-late 1950s recordings at the Dot music label was released and entitled "The Best of Gale Storm."

Born Josephine Owaissa Cottle, the youngest of five children, in Bloomington, a small town in the coastal bend area of Texas, her unusual middle name, "Owaissa" is an Indian word meaning "bluebird" and was given to her by an older sister, Lois.

All four of Gale's children appeared on either or both of her hit sitcoms.

Performed at the 15th Annual Visit to the Golden Age of Radio at the Clemens Center in Elmira, New York. (April 2002)

Regarded her troubles with alcoholism publicly and candidly, and during the 70s was a spokesperson for Raleigh Hills rehabilitation clinic.

Gale signed a new recording contract with Dot Records in 1955, which immediately yielded a hit record in late September and early October: 'I Hear You Knocking.'

She was a lifelong Republican and solid supporter of Ronald Reagan.

In her 50s, she struggled with alcoholism. She later said:

During the 1970s I experienced a terribly low and painful time of dealing with alcoholism. I had Lee's unfailing support through the entire ordeal. My treatment and recovery were more than rugged. At that time, there was such a stigma attached to alcoholism, particularly for women, that it could be hazardous to your reputation and career. I thank God daily that I have been fully recovered for more than 20 years. During my struggle, I had no idea of the blessing my experience could turn out to be! I've had the opportunity to share with others suffering with alcoholism the knowledge that there is help, hope, and an alcohol-free life awaiting them.

Four children with Lee Bonnell: Phil Bonnell, Peter Bonnell, Paul Bonnell and Susanna Bonnell (Susie).

Operation for a shattered hip resulting from a fall. (December 1995)

In 1981, she published her autobiography, I Ain't Down Yet, which described her battle with alcoholism.

She starred in a situation comedy, The Gale Storm Show (Oh! Susanna), featuring silent movie star, ZaSu Pitts. The show ran for 143 episodes on CBS and ABC between 1956 and 1960.

Her first record, "I Hear You Knockin'", a cover version of a rhythm and blues hit by Smiley Lewis, sold over a million copies. The follow-up was a two-sided hit, with Storm covering Dean Martin's "Memories Are Made of This" backed with her cover of Gloria Mann's "Teen Age Prayer". That was followed by a hit cover of Frankie Lymon's "Why Do Fools Fall in Love".

Gale (born Josephine) was the baby sister to four other siblings: Lois (the oldest), Wilbur (second), Marjorie (third), and Brackston (fourth).

In honor of her 100th birthday on April 5, 2022, her name was cited first and foremost in national Born on this Day mention columns.

Son Phillip Lee Bonnell was born March 19, 1943, in Los Angeles County, California.

Daughter Susanna Josephine "Susie" Bonnell was born November 12, 1956, in Los Angeles County, California.

Son Peter Wade Bonnell was born May 29, 1946, in Los Angeles County, California.

Son Paul William Bonnell was born August 1, 1947, in Los Angeles County, California.

She was interviewed by author David C. Tucker for The Women Who Made Television Funny: Ten Stars of 1950s Sitcoms, published in 2007 by McFarland and Company.

In Gallatin, Tennessee, in November 1954, a 10-year-old girl, Linda Wood, was watching Storm on a Sunday night television variety show, NBC's Colgate Comedy Hour, hosted by Gordon MacRae, singing one of the popular songs of the day. Linda's father asked her who was singing and was told it was Gale Storm from My Little Margie. Linda's father Randy Wood was president of Dot Records, and he liked Storm so much that he called to sign her before the end of the television show. Her first record, "I Hear You Knockin'", a cover version of a rhythm and blues hit by Smiley Lewis, sold over a million copies.

Storm has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to television, recordings, and radio.

She attended events such as the Memphis Film Festival, Cinecon, the Friends of Old-Time Radio and the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention.

Storm made personal appearances and autographed photos at fan conventions, along with Charles Farrell from the My Little Margie series.

When Storm was 17, two of her teachers urged her to enter a contest on Gateway to Hollywood, broadcast from the CBS Radio studios in Hollywood. First prize was a one-year contract with a movie studio. She won and was immediately given the stage name Gale Storm. Her performing partner (and future husband), Lee Bonnell from South Bend, Indiana, became known as Terry Belmont.

Storm appeared regularly on other television programs in the 1950s and 1960s. She was both a panelist and a "mystery guest" on CBS's What's My Line.

From 1952 to 1955, she starred in My Little Margie, with former silent film actor Charles Farrell as her father. The series began as a summer replacement for I Love Lucy on CBS, but ran for 126 episodes on NBC and then CBS. The series was broadcast on CBS Radio from December 1952 to August 1955 with the same actors. Her popularity was capitalized on when she served as hostess of the NBC Comedy Hour in the winter of 1956.

She became an active member of the South Shores Baptist Church. She once said: "Life has been good and I thank God for His many blessings and the happy life He has given to me.

Storm was married and widowed twice. In 1941, while still a teenager, she married Lee Bonnell (1918-1986), then an actor and later a businessman. They had four children: Peter, Phillip, Paul, and Susanna. In 1988, two years after she was widowed, she married Paul Masterson (1917-1996), who also predeceased her.

After winning the contest in 1940, Storm made several films for the RKO Radio Pictures studio. Her first was Tom Brown's School Days, playing opposite Jimmy Lydon and Freddie Bartholomew. She worked steadily in low-budget films released during this period. In 1941, she sang in several soundies, three-minute musicals produced for "movie jukeboxes".

In 1950, Storm made her television debut in Hollywood Premiere Theatre on ABC.

She performed in the drama club at both Albert Sidney Johnston Junior High School and San Jacinto High School.

Storm attended Holy Rosary School in what is now Midtown, Houston.