Esther Jane Williams (August 8, 1921 - June 6, 2013) was an American competitive swimmer and actress. She set regional and national records in her late teens on the Los Angeles Athletic Club swim team. Unable to compete in the 1940 Summer Olympics because of the outbreak of World War II, she spent five months swimming alongside Olympic gold-medal winner and Tarzan star Johnny Weissmuller at Billy Rose's Aquacade, and caught the attention of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer scouts. Williams made a series of films in the 1940s and early 1950s known as "aquamusicals", which featured elaborate performances with synchronised swimming and diving