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.
Acted in
The Defender (Studio One)
1957
as Self / Commercial Spokeswoman
The Arena
1956
Climax!
1954
as Beth Jaynes
Climax!
1954
as Ann Kilgore
Twelve Angry Men
1954
as Herself / Commercial Spokeswoman
The Play of the Nativity of the Child Jesus
1952
as Self
The Kill
1952
as Self - Commercial Spokeswoman
Ellis in Freedomland
1952
as Spokeswoman for Westinghouse
Pontius Pilate
1952
The Colgate Comedy Hour
1950
as Maggie Watson
Your Show of Shows
1950
as Herself
What's My Line?
1950
as Self - Panelist
The Rockingham Tea Set
1950
as Self - Commercial Spokeswoman
Studio One
1948
as Coral, Princess Livitski
Studio One
1948
as Self - Commercial Spokeswoman
The Philco Television Playhouse
1948
North of Shanghai
1939
as Helen Warner
It Can't Last Forever
1937
as Carol Wilson
The Good Old Soak
1937
as Lucy Hawley
Fair Warning
1937
as Kate Farnham
Mama Steps Out
1937
as Leila Cuppy
They Wanted to Marry
1937
as Sheila Hunter
Mister Cinderella
1936
as Patricia 'Pat' Randolph
All American Chump
1936
as Kitty Crane
The President's Mystery
1936
as Charlotte Brown
Swing Time
1936
as Margaret Watson
Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs
1936
The Three Wise Guys
1936
as Clarabelle Brooks
Magnificent Obsession
1935
as Joyce Hudson
Here Comes Cookie
1935
as Phyllis Allen
The Keeper of the Bees
1935
as Molly
Calm Yourself
1935
as Mary Elizabeth Allenby
McFadden´s Flats
1935
as Molly McFadden
Shadow of Doubt
1935
as Lisa
The Bands Plays On
1934
as Kitty O'Brien
A Wicked Woman
1934
as Yancey Stroud, aka Yancey Trice
Dangerous Corner
1934
as Mrs. Betty Whitehouse
Gridiron Flash
1934
as Jane Thurston
The Life of Vergie Winters
1934
as Joan Shadwell
Beggars in Ermine
1934
as Joyce Dawson
Let's Fall in Love
1933
as Linda
Flying Down to Rio
1933
as Belinha's Friend (uncredited)
Ace of Aces
1933
as Card Playing Party Guest (uncredited)
Aggie Appleby, Maker of Men
1933
as Evangeline
Midshipman Jack
1933
as Ruth Rogers
Headline Shooter
1933
as Miss Saunders
Emergency Call
1933
as Alice Averill
Cross Fire
1933
as Pat "Mike" Plummer
Scarlet River
1933
as Babe Jewel
The Great Jasper
1933
as Sylvia Bradfield
Lucky Devils
1933
as Ginger
Renegades of the West
1932
as Mary Fawcett