Gloria Jean Schoonover was born on April 14, 1926, in Buffalo, New York. Shortly after her birth, her family relocated to Scranton, Pennsylvania, where her father owned a music store. Her mother, a former circus bareback rider, took care of Gloria and her three siblings.
Gloria's singing talent was discovered at a young age, and by the time she was five, she was already performing in the Scranton area. At 12, she was taken to an audition by Universal director Joe Pasternak, who was searching for a new child singer to replace Deanna Durbin. Although hundreds of girls auditioned, Gloria's natural looks and singing ability made her stand out, and she was chosen to join the studio.
In 1939, Gloria made her film debut in "The Under-Pup," which catapulted her to instant stardom. She went on to star in "If I Had My Way" alongside Bing Crosby, "A Little Bit of Heaven," and "Never Give a Sucker an Even Break" with W.C. Fields.
As Gloria's career reached its peak in 1941, she found herself struggling to find roles that suited her growing talent. Universal cast her in a series of "Hepcat" movies, which appealed to teenagers, but these films were considered B-films. She also appeared in "Follow the Boys" and "Pardon My Rhythm" with Mel Torme, who became a close friend.
In 1944, Gloria starred in "Ghost Catchers" alongside popular comedians Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson. She then appeared in "Reckless Age," which marked her first more mature role. Gloria was set to star in Julien Duvivier's "Flesh and Fantasy" alongside Edward G. Robinson, Charles Boyer, and Barbara Stanwyck, but her segment was cut from the final film.
Gloria's performance in "Destiny" earned rave reviews, but the film itself met with modest success. She went on to star in three more Universal films: "I'll Remember April," "River Gang," and "Easy to Look At."
On the advice of her agent, Gloria decided to go on tour instead of renewing her Universal contract. The tour underperformed, and she returned to Hollywood in 1947, only to find herself in low demand. She made several appearances on television and in films, including "Copacabana" with Groucho Marx and "The Ladies' Man" with Jerry Lewis.
As the 1950s began, Gloria's acting career slowed down. She appeared in a few singing shorts and made guest appearances on television shows. She retired from acting and worked for the cosmetics firm Redken until 1993, when she retired.
Gloria was reintroduced to the public through eBay, where her movies were being sold. With her sister Bonnie's help, she sold copies of her films and signed photographs. This led to the publication of her autobiography, "Gloria Jean: A Little Bit of Heaven," in 2005.
After her sister Bonnie's death in 2007, Gloria moved to Hawaii to live with her son and his family.
