Betsy Blair
Acting
Born: 1923-12-11 in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, USA
Biography
Betsy Blair -December 11, 1923 – March 13, 2009) was an American actress of film and stage, long based in London. Blair pursued a career in entertainment from the age of eight, and as a child worked as an amateur dancer, performed on radio, and worked as a model, before joining the chorus of Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe in 1940. There she met Gene Kelly. They were married the following year, when she was seventeen years old. The couple divorced sixteen years later, in 1957. After work in the theatre, Blair began her film career playing supporting roles in films such as A Double Life (1947) and Another Part of the Forest (1948). Her interest in Marxism led to an investigation by the House Un-American Activities Committee and Blair was blacklisted for some time, but resumed her career with a critically acclaimed performance in Marty (1955), winning a BAFTA Award and a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She continued her career with regular theatre, film and television work until the mid 1990s.
Known For
Great Performances
Self
American Playhouse
Lady McLaidlaw
BBC Play of the Month
Linda
BBC Play of the Month
Mrs. Winemiller
BBC Play of the Month
Susan Stringham
The Philco Television Playhouse
Tales of the Unexpected
Mrs Wilbur
thirtysomething
Scarlett
Sister of Mercy
Descent Into Hell
Mrs. Burns
Betrayed
Gladys Simmons
Marty
Clara
Shades of Greene
Bobbie
No Way Out
Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Maggie
Eulene Booker
Careless
Amalia Brentani
Kind Lady
Ada Elcott
The Snake Pit
Hester (uncredited)
Mystery Street
Jackie Elcott
A Double Life
Girl in Wig Shop
Il Grido
Elvia
Death of a Salesman
Linda
De Bom (of het wanhoopskomitee)
Vrouw van garagist
A Delicate Balance
Edna
Main Street
Isabel
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
Self
Another Part of the Forest
Birdie Bagtry
All Night Long
Emily
Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer
Self
The Halliday Brand
Martha Halliday
The Dolphins
Contessa Rita Cherè
Marcus Welby, M.D.: A Holiday Affair
Grace Simpson
Flight of the Spruce Goose
Helen
Meeting in Paris
Nancy Blanding
The Guilt of Janet Ames
Katie
Marry Me! Marry Me!
Second English Teacher
Suspicion
Lady McLaidlaw