Josephine Mckim

Personal

Vocation

Notable

American swimmer, also known by her married name Josephine Chalmers, who won three medals at the 1928 and 1932 Olympics. In 1928 she won the bronze medal in the 400m freestyle event. She also swam in the first heat of 4×100m freestyle relay, but was replaced by Eleanor Garatti in the final. Four years later she won the gold medal in the 4×100-m freestyle relay and was fourth in the 100m freestyle. During her career McKim set five world records in various freestyle events. McKim served as the body double for Maureen O'Sullivan in a deleted nude underwater scene from MGM's adventure film, Tarzan and His Mate (1934), which has since been restored to home video releases. She also had a bit part in Universal's Bride of Frankenstein (1935) as a mermaid, one of Dr. Pretorius' "miniaturized" people. This role was reprised in Columbia's The King Steps Out. She also appeared with her Olympic teammate Buster Crabbe in Lady Be Careful (1936). Both attended the University of Southern California. Later she had a stage career on Broadway (1938 to 1942) appearing in Family Portrait (1939) and Dance Night (1938) among several others. She married her husband, John "Jack" Chalmers, in 1947. Her older sister, Musa McKim Guston, was the spouse of painter Philip Guston and a painter in her own right, as well as a published poet. McKim was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1991. She died in Woodstock, New York on 10 December 1992, aged 82. Link to Wikipedia biography