Betty Furness
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Elizabeth Mary Furness (January 3, 1916 – April 2, 1994) was an American actress, consumer advocate, and current affairs commentator. She began her professional career as a model before being noticed by a talent scout and being signed to a film contract in 1932 by RKO Studios. Her first film role was as the "Thirteenth Woman" in the film Thirteen Women (1932) but her scenes were deleted before the film's release. Over the next few years, she appeared in several RKO films, and became a popular actress. Among her film successes were Magnificent Obsession (1935) and the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film Swing Time (1936). By the end of the decade, she had appeared in over forty films, but during the 1940s, she found it difficult to secure acting roles. In 1948, Furness was performing in the television series Studio One, which was broadcast live. She filled in for an actor to promote Westinghouse products during the advertisement break, and impressed the company with her easy and professional manner. They offered her a contract to promote their products and she thus became closely associated with them.
Personal Details
Also Known As
Movies (43)
Westinghouse Total Electric Home
as Narrator
1959
The Defender (Studio One)
as Self / Commercial Spokeswoman
1957
Twelve Angry Men
as Herself / Commercial Spokeswoman
1954
The Play of the Nativity of the Child Jesus
as Self
1952
The Kill
as Self - Commercial Spokeswoman
1952
Ellis in Freedomland
as Spokeswoman for Westinghouse
1952
Pontius Pilate
1952
A Bolt of Lightning
as Self - Commercial Spokeswoman
1951
The Rockingham Tea Set
as Self - Commercial Spokeswoman
1950
North of Shanghai
as Helen Warner
1939
It Can't Last Forever
as Carol Wilson
1937
The Good Old Soak
as Lucy Hawley
1937
Fair Warning
as Kate Farnham
1937
Mama Steps Out
as Leila Cuppy
1937
They Wanted to Marry
as Sheila Hunter
1937
Mister Cinderella
as Patricia 'Pat' Randolph
1936
All American Chump
as Kitty Crane
1936
The President's Mystery
as Charlotte Brown
1936
Swing Time
as Margaret Watson
1936
Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs
1936
The Three Wise Guys
as Clarabelle Brooks
1936
Magnificent Obsession
as Joyce Hudson
1935
Here Comes Cookie
as Phyllis Allen
1935
The Keeper of the Bees
as Molly
1935
Calm Yourself
as Mary Elizabeth Allenby
1935
McFadden´s Flats
as Molly McFadden
1935
Shadow of Doubt
as Lisa
1935
The Band Plays On
as Kitty O'Brien
1934
A Wicked Woman
as Yancey Stroud, aka Yancey Trice
1934
Dangerous Corner
as Mrs. Betty Whitehouse
1934
Gridiron Flash
as Jane Thurston
1934
The Life of Vergie Winters
as Joan Shadwell
1934
Beggars in Ermine
as Joyce Dawson
1934
Let's Fall in Love
as Linda
1933
Flying Down to Rio
as Belinha's Friend (uncredited)
1933
Ace of Aces
as Card Playing Party Guest (uncredited)
1933
Aggie Appleby, Maker of Men
as Evangeline
1933
Midshipman Jack
as Ruth Rogers
1933
Headline Shooter
as Miss Saunders
1933
Emergency Call
as Alice Averill
1933
Cross Fire
as Pat "Mike" Plummer
1933
Scarlet River
as Babe Jewel
1933
The Great Jasper
as Sylvia Bradfield
1933
