出生于美国加利福尼亚州。少年时获得过游泳冠军。正是由于在水上表演，她最终被米高梅星探发现。1942年在影片《一夫二妻》(或译为《安迪哈代的双重生活》)中首次亮相。与雷德·斯克尔顿一起主演了经典影片《出水芙蓉》，还有主演了《百万美人鱼》。20世纪60年代退出电影界。

埃斯特·威廉斯是当时有史以来收入最高的演员,她努力的以自己优美的花样游泳舞姿和甜美的外形给电影带来了一种前所未有特殊的电影特色,她为好莱坞五光十色的歌舞片争色不少。代表作《出水芙蓉》。此后十年里，她主演了一系列的展现她特色的歌舞影片。被煤体称谓驻留“美国现代明星和演员历史上的辉煌”。

Harri James is a former actress, turned script supervisor, turned writer-director. She has written and directed a feature film, a feature documentary, and several award-winning shorts, and is a Director Member of the Directors Guild of America.

Harri is also a member of SAG/AFTRA, and has acted in several television shows as well as feature films such as "Diehard," "Action Jackson," "Zeus and Roxanne," and "187." More recently, she can be seen in the film "Getting Grace" on Hulu and in an episode of the TV show "Stumptown" and the soon to be released feature "The Hail Mary."

From acting, Harri segued into script supervising and has worked for more than 30 years on numerous features and TV series while raising her three twice exceptional kids. Out of her passion for gifted and special needs education, Harri has also created The O'Kelley Lab with her family- a grass roots effort to lend supports and create new therapies for 2e and gifted Individuals as well as film projects.