Betsy Blair
Known For
Acting
Born
1923-12-11 in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, USA
Died
2009-03-13
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.
Most Known For
Great Performances
as Self
BBC Play of the Month
as Linda
BBC Play of the Month
as Mrs. Winemiller
BBC Play of the Month
as Susan Stringham
The Philco Television Playhouse
Tales of the Unexpected
as Mrs Wilbur
thirtysomething
Scarlett
as Sister of Mercy
Kind Lady
as Ada Elcott
Careless
as Amalia Brentani
Marty
as Clara Snyder
The Snake Pit
as Hester (uncredited)
Betrayed
as Gladys Simmons
No Way Out
as Telephone Operator (uncredited)
Mystery Street
as Jackie Elcott
A Delicate Balance
as Edna
Descent Into Hell
as Mrs. Burns
Il Grido
as Elvia
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
as Self
The Halliday Brand
as Martha Halliday