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.

Known For

The Philco Television Playhouse

Climax!

Climax!

What's My Line?

Studio One

Studio One

The Colgate Comedy Hour

Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse

All Movies (46)

• Westinghouse Total Electric Home1959 · as Narrator
• The Defender (Studio One)1957 · as Self / Commercial Spokeswoman
• Twelve Angry Men1954 · as Herself / Commercial Spokeswoman
• The Play of the Nativity of the Child Jesus1952 · as Self
• The Kill1952 · as Self - Commercial Spokeswoman
• Ellis in Freedomland1952 · as Spokeswoman for Westinghouse
• Pontius Pilate1952
• A Bolt of Lightning1951 · as Self - Commercial Spokeswoman
• Studio One: Wuthering Heights1950 · as Announcer
• The Rockingham Tea Set1950 · as Self - Commercial Spokeswoman
• North of Shanghai1939 · as Helen Warner
• It Can't Last Forever1937 · as Carol Wilson
• The Good Old Soak1937 · as Lucy Hawley
• Fair Warning1937 · as Kate Farnham
• Mama Steps Out1937 · as Leila Cuppy
• They Wanted to Marry1937 · as Sheila Hunter
• Mister Cinderella1936 · as Patricia 'Pat' Randolph
• All American Chump1936 · as Kitty Crane
• The President's Mystery1936 · as Charlotte Brown
• Swing Time1936 · as Margaret Watson
• The Three Wise Guys1936 · as Clarabelle Brooks
• Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs1936
• Magnificent Obsession1935 · as Joyce Hudson
• Here Comes Cookie1935 · as Phyllis Allen
• The Keeper of the Bees1935 · as Molly
• Calm Yourself1935 · as Mary Elizabeth Allenby
• McFadden´s Flats1935 · as Molly McFadden
• Shadow of Doubt1935 · as Lisa
• The Band Plays On1934 · as Kitty O'Brien
• A Wicked Woman1934 · as Yancey Stroud, aka Yancey Trice
• Dangerous Corner1934 · as Mrs. Betty Whitehouse
• Gridiron Flash1934 · as Jane Thurston
• The Life of Vergie Winters1934 · as Joan Shadwell
• Beggars in Ermine1934 · as Joyce Dawson
• Let's Fall in Love1933 · as Linda
• Flying Down to Rio1933 · as Belinha's Friend (uncredited)
• Ace of Aces1933 · as Card Playing Party Guest (uncredited)
• Aggie Appleby, Maker of Men1933 · as Evangeline
• Midshipman Jack1933 · as Ruth Rogers
• Headline Shooter1933 · as Miss Saunders
• Emergency Call1933 · as Alice Averill
• Cross Fire1933 · as Pat "Mike" Plummer
• Scarlet River1933 · as Babe Jewel
• The Great Jasper1933 · as Sylvia Bradfield
• Lucky Devils1933 · as Ginger
• Renegades of the West1932 · as Mary Fawcett

All TV Shows (9)

• Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse1958 · as Self - Commercial Spokeswoman
• Climax!1954 · as Beth Jaynes
• Climax!1954 · as Ann Kilgore
• The Colgate Comedy Hour1950 · as Maggie Watson
• Your Show of Shows1950 · as Herself
• What's My Line?1950 · as Self
• Studio One1948 · as Coral, Princess Livitski
• Studio One1948 · as Self - Commercial Spokeswoman
• The Philco Television Playhouse1948