June Allyson was the step-mother mother of her daughter Ellen Powell after Allyson married Blondell's ex-husband Dick Powell.
According to the July 24, 1944, issue of Time Magazine, Blondell divorced Dick Powell on the grounds of cruelty alleging that "when she objected to the incessant coming and going of guests, Powell crooned: 'If you don't like it, you can get the hell out.'".
Attended the Professional Children's School in New York City.
Her daughter Ellen had a long battle with cocaine that she overcame in 1984.
Her daughter Ellen was a studio hairstylist.
Her daughter Ellen was born in 1938.
Her granddaughter Stephanie Powell is married to Sean Murphy, owner of a surf travel company.
Her marriage to theatrical impresario Michael Todd was an emotional and financial disaster. Todd was a heavy spender who lost hundreds of thousands of dollars gambling (high-stakes bridge was one of his weaknesses) and went through a controversial bankruptcy during their marriage. While continuing to live the high-life on a huge estate in New York's Westchester County, the irresponsible Todd ran through Blondell's savings, and then eventually dumped her for the much younger Elizabeth Taylor.
Her son Norman was named after Claudette Colbert's first husband, actor-director Norman Foster.
Her son, Norman Scott, was born on November 2, 1934. He was born in the breach position, with the cord wrapped around his neck. Her labor was complicated, due to a fractured coccyx, and lasted twenty hours.
In 1927, while closing the library she worked at, she was raped by a police officer. He told her he would kill her if she told anyone. She kept her silence for decades, until finally telling her grown daughter. She went public with this in her memoirs.
In the UK sitcom "Dad's Army" (1968), Private Pike has a crush on her and has dozens of pictures of her on his bedroom walls.
Like her second husband Dick Powell and aquaintance June Allyson she was a lifelong stauch supporter of the Republican party.
Made six movies with James Cagney at Warner Brothers - more than any other individual actress. Cagney said that the only woman he loved other than his wife was Blondell.
Measurements: 37-21 1/2-36 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine).
Mother of Norman S. Powell from her marriage to George Barnes. He was adopted by Dick Powell in February, 1938. Mother of Ellen Powell from her marriage to Dick Powell.
Older sister of actress Gloria Blondell.
Profiled in "Killer Tomatoes: Fifteen Tough Film Dames" by Ray Hagen and Laura Wagner (McFarland, 2004).
She has a granddaughter, Joanie (born circa 1961) from daughter Ellen.
She has a grandson Scott from son Norman. Scott has a step-son, David, and two grandchildren, Zander and Dakota.