Betty Garrett
Born
May 23, 1919
Died
February 12, 2011 (91 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Saint Joseph, Missouri, USA
Betty Garrett (May 23, 1919 - February 12, 2011) was an American actress, comedian, singer and dancer, who starred in several Hollywood musicals and stage roles. She was at the top of her game when the Communist scare in the 1950s brought her career to a screeching, ugly halt. She and her husband Larry Parks, an Oscar-nominated actor, were summoned by the House UnAmerican Activities Committee and questioned about their involvement.
As the drama played out, a very pregnant Garrett was never called to testify, but her husband was. With his admission of Communist Party membership from 1941-1945 and refusal to name names, he made it to the Hollywood Blacklist. After the incident, Garrett and Parks worked up nightclub singing/comedy acts along with appearing in legit plays. Although Parks never quite shook off the blacklist incident, he did win a role in John Huston's film, Freud (1962). Garrett went on to appear in roles in many television series.
Carol Channing: Larger Than Life
Self
2012
Troupers
2011
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing
(archive footage)
2009
Dark and Stormy Night
Mrs. Hausenstout
2009
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1920s: The Dawn of the Hollywood Musical
Self
2008
Trail of the Screaming Forehead
Mrs. Cuttle
2007
Grey's Anatomy
Eleanor · (1 episode)
2005
Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
Self
2003
Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer
Self
2002
Boston Public
Miriam Guber · (1 episode)
2000
Frank Sinatra Memorial
Self
2000
Becker
Mrs. Firth · (1 episode)
1998
The Long Way Home
Veronica
1998
Union Square
Agnes · (1 episode)
1997
Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman
Self
1996
Townies
(1 episode)
1996
That's Entertainment! III
(archive footage)
1994
The Good Life
Phyllis · (1 episode)
1994
Blacke's Magic
(1 episode)
1986
The Golden Girls
Sarah · (1 episode)
1985
That's Dancing!
Ruth Sherwood (archive footage)
1985
Murder, She Wrote
Kit Parkins · (1 episode)
1984
Murder, She Wrote
Martha Neilson · (1 episode)
1984
All the Way Home
Catherine
1981
Mr. Merlin
(2 episodes)
1981
The Love Boat
Martha McCoy · (1 episode)
1977
Laverne & Shirley
Edna Babish · (119 episodes)
1976
Dinah!
Self · (1 episode)
1974
That's Entertainment!
(archive footage) (uncredited)
1974
Hollywood: The Dream Factory
Self (archive footage)
1972
Great Performances
Mary Hallen · (1 episode)
1971
All in the Family
Irene Lorenzo · (14 episodes)
1971
The Fugitive
Margaret Ruskin · (1 episode)
1963
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self · (1 episode)
1962
The Shadow on the Window
Linda Atlas
1957
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
Self · (2 episodes)
1956
My Sister Eileen
Ruth Sherwood
1955
The Colgate Comedy Hour
Self · (1 episode)
1950
The Costume Designer
Self (archive footage)
1950
On the Town
Brunhilde Esterhazy
1949
Neptune's Daughter
Betty Barrett
1949
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Shirley Delwyn
1949
Words and Music
Peggy Lorgan McNeil
1948
Big City
Shoo Shoo Grady
1948