Raines was born as Ella Wallace Raines on August 6, 1920, in Snoqualmie Falls, Washington. She studied drama at the University of Washington and was appearing in a play there when she was seen by director Howard Hawks. She achieved stardom almost overnight in Hollywood when she was made the sole contract star of a $1-million new production company Hawks had formed in 1943 with actor Charles Boyer, B-H Productions. She made her film debut in Corvette K-225 (1943), which Hawks produced.
