Betty Garrett

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Betty Garrett

from the trailer for
Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949)
Born Betty Garrett
May 23, 1919 (1919-05-23) (age 89)
St. Joseph, Missouri
Spouse(s) Larry Parks (1944 - 1975) (his death)

Betty Garrett (born May 23, 1919, St. Joseph, Missouri) is an American actress, comedian and dancer who belonged to the golden era of the movie musical. However, she is probably best known for a pair of roles in two prominent 1970s sitcoms.

In late 1973, she joined the cast of All in the Family, playing Archie Bunker's socially liberal next-door neighbor, Irene Lorenzo, a role she would remain in until her character was phased out in late 1975. The following year she joined the cast of Happy Days spin-off, Laverne and Shirley as Edna Babish, Laverne and Shirley's landlady, who eventually married Laverne's father, Frank DeFazio (played by Phil Foster). She remained with the series until 1982 when her character divorced Frank.

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[edit] Marriage/Blacklist

She was married to Larry Parks, star of The Jolson Story (1946) and Jolson Sings Again (1949). However, in 1951, Parks became one of the blacklisted "Hollywood 19" to be brought before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Although Garrett was never accused, her Hollywood career suffered because of her husband's predicament. She found out to her happy surprise that the blacklist did not extend to Las Vegas or New York City.

[edit] Performing career

Garrett (left) with Ann Miller and Vera-Ellen in On the Town (1949)
Garrett (left) with Ann Miller and Vera-Ellen in On the Town (1949)

Betty Garrett trained at New York's Neighborhood Playhouse and, undecided between drama and dance, tried both, acting with Orson Welles' famed Mercury Theatre and performing with Martha Graham's dance company. For Garrett, musical comedy seemed a happy compromise. When she was performing with the American Youth Theatre, Mike Todd saw her and signed her to understudy Ethel Merman in Something For The Boys.

Other Broadway shows followed: Jackpot, Laffing Room Only, and Call Me Mister, where her rendition of "South America, Take It Away" won her the Donaldson Award, the forerunner of the Tony Award, with her husband, Larry Parks, Garrett moved to California where she starred in On the Town, Take Me Out To The Ball Game, Words and Music, Neptune's Daughter, and My Sister Eileen. She also began appearing on television in drama and variety shows, and made recordings.

Garrett and Parks formed a musical team and toured nightclubs and theatres in the United States and England. Part of the reasons the couple started acting in England was because of her husband Larry Parks being black listed, which also affected her career, making it hard for them to work in the states. The two also appeared together on Broadway in Bells Are Ringing and Beg, Borrow or Steal.

A diversified performer, when not appearing in musicals for films and stage, she has played non-musical roles, starring in plays such as A Girl Could Get Lucky, And Miss Reardon Drinks A Little, and Plaza Suite. She also appeared in Spoon River Anthology, which originated at Theatre West, went to Broadway for a four-week concert engagement, and stayed a season. When it was revived in Los Angeles several years ago, Garrett won a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for this performance. Her second Los Angeles Drama Critics Award came when she first presented Betty Garrett and Other Songs at Theatre West. She has also appeared in this production at the Westwood Playhouse in Los Angeles.

Betty also ventured into directing with Arthur Miller's The Price at Theatre West. Her effort gained critical acclaim. More recently Garrett, aged 88, received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

[edit] Trivia

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The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.
  • Garrett admitted to having a major crush on her co-star Jack Lemmon in the musical comedy My Sister Eileen in 1955. But she insisted that nothing happened as they were both "very solidly married at that time".
  • Sons with Larry Parks: composer Garrett Parks and actor Andrew Parks.

[edit] Filmography

[edit] Television Work

[edit] External links

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Persondata
NAME Garrett, Betty
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Actress, dancer
DATE OF BIRTH May 23, 1919
PLACE OF BIRTH St. Joseph, Missouri
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH