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Betty Furness

Betty Furness

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.

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The Defender (Studio One)

The Defender (Studio One)

1957

as Self / Commercial Spokeswoman

Climax!

Climax!

1954

as Beth Jaynes

Climax!

Climax!

1954

as Ann Kilgore

Twelve Angry Men

Twelve Angry Men

1954

as Herself / Commercial Spokeswoman

The Play of the Nativity of the Child Jesus

The Play of the Nativity of the Child Jesus

1952

as Self

The Kill

The Kill

1952

as Self - Commercial Spokeswoman

Ellis in Freedomland

Ellis in Freedomland

1952

as Spokeswoman for Westinghouse

Pontius Pilate

Pontius Pilate

1952

The Colgate Comedy Hour

The Colgate Comedy Hour

1950

as Maggie Watson

Your Show of Shows

Your Show of Shows

1950

as Herself

What's My Line?

What's My Line?

1950

as Self

The Rockingham Tea Set

The Rockingham Tea Set

1950

as Self - Commercial Spokeswoman

Studio One

Studio One

1948

as Coral, Princess Livitski

Studio One

Studio One

1948

as Self - Commercial Spokeswoman

The Philco Television Playhouse

The Philco Television Playhouse

1948

North of Shanghai

North of Shanghai

1939

as Helen Warner

It Can't Last Forever

It Can't Last Forever

1937

as Carol Wilson

The Good Old Soak

The Good Old Soak

1937

as Lucy Hawley

Fair Warning

Fair Warning

1937

as Kate Farnham

Mama Steps Out

Mama Steps Out

1937

as Leila Cuppy

They Wanted to Marry

They Wanted to Marry

1937

as Sheila Hunter

Mister Cinderella

Mister Cinderella

1936

as Patricia 'Pat' Randolph

All American Chump

All American Chump

1936

as Kitty Crane

The President's Mystery

The President's Mystery

1936

as Charlotte Brown

Swing Time

Swing Time

1936

as Margaret Watson

Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs

Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs

1936

The Three Wise Guys

The Three Wise Guys

1936

as Clarabelle Brooks

Magnificent Obsession

Magnificent Obsession

1935

as Joyce Hudson

Here Comes Cookie

Here Comes Cookie

1935

as Phyllis Allen

The Keeper of the Bees

The Keeper of the Bees

1935

as Molly

Calm Yourself

Calm Yourself

1935

as Mary Elizabeth Allenby

McFadden´s Flats

McFadden´s Flats

1935

as Molly McFadden

Shadow of Doubt

Shadow of Doubt

1935

as Lisa

The Bands Plays On

The Bands Plays On

1934

as Kitty O'Brien

A Wicked Woman

A Wicked Woman

1934

as Yancey Stroud, aka Yancey Trice

Dangerous Corner

Dangerous Corner

1934

as Mrs. Betty Whitehouse

Gridiron Flash

Gridiron Flash

1934

as Jane Thurston

The Life of Vergie Winters

The Life of Vergie Winters

1934

as Joan Shadwell

Beggars in Ermine

Beggars in Ermine

1934

as Joyce Dawson

Let's Fall in Love

Let's Fall in Love

1933

as Linda

Flying Down to Rio

Flying Down to Rio

1933

as Belinha's Friend (uncredited)

Ace of Aces

Ace of Aces

1933

as Card Playing Party Guest (uncredited)

Aggie Appleby, Maker of Men

Aggie Appleby, Maker of Men

1933

as Evangeline

Midshipman Jack

Midshipman Jack

1933

as Ruth Rogers

Headline Shooter

Headline Shooter

1933

as Miss Saunders

Emergency Call

Emergency Call

1933

as Alice Averill

Cross Fire

Cross Fire

1933

as Pat "Mike" Plummer

Scarlet River

Scarlet River

1933

as Babe Jewel

The Great Jasper

The Great Jasper

1933

as Sylvia Bradfield

Lucky Devils

Lucky Devils

1933

as Ginger

Renegades of the West

Renegades of the West

1932

as Mary Fawcett