Betty Garrett Biography (1919-)

Born May 23, 1919, in St. Joseph, MO; daughter of Curtis and Elizabeth Octavia (maiden name, Stone) Garrett; married Larry Parks (an actor and building contractor), September 8, 1944 (died, 1975); children: Andrew (an actor), Garrett (a composer).

Nationality
American
Gender
Female
Occupation
Actress, director, singer
Birth Details
May 23, 1919
St. Joseph, Missouri, United States

Famous Works

  • CREDITS
  • Stage Appearances
  • (Stage debut) Danton's Death, Mercury Theatre, New York City, 1938
  • Railroads on Parade, World's Fair, New York City, 1939
  • You Can't Sleep Here, Barbizon-Plaza Theatre, New York City, 1940
  • A Piece of Our Mind, Mail Studios, New York City, 1940
  • All in Fun, Majestic Theatre, New York City, 1941
  • Of V We Sing, Concert Theatre, New York City, 1942
  • Let Freedom Sing, Longacre Theatre, New York City, 1942
  • Mary Francis and understudy for the role of Blossom Hart, Something for the Boys, Alvin Theatre, New York City, 1943
  • Sergeant Maguire, Jackpot, Alvin Theatre, 1944
  • Singer, Laffin' Room Only, Winter Garden Theatre, New York City, 1944
  • Call Me Mister, National Theatre, New York City, 1946
  • Ella Peterson, Bells Are Ringing, Shubert Theatre, New York City,1958
  • Clara, Beg, Borrow, or Steal, Martin Beck Theatre, New York City,1960
  • Reader, Spoon River Anthology (staged reading), Booth Theatre, NewYork City, 1963-64
  • Penny Moore, A Girl Could Get Lucky, Cort Theatre, New York City,1964
  • Who's Happy Now?, Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, 1968
  • Call Me Mister, National Theatre, 1969-
  • Something for the Boys, Alvin Theatre, 1969-
  • Betty Garrett and Other Songs, Los Angeles, 1974-75
  • Mae, The Supporting Cast, Biltmore Theatre, New York City, 1981
  • Sarah McKendree Bonham, Quilters, Mark Taper Forum, 1984
  • Katie, Meet Me in St. Louis, George Gershwin Theater, New York City, 1989-90
  • Tom Tom on a Rooftop, Theatre West, Los Angeles, 1997
  • Happy Lot!, Theatre West, 1998
  • Tallulah & Tennessee, Theatre West, Hollywood, CA, 1999
  • Hattie Walker, Follies, Belasco Theater, New York City, 2001
  • Also appeared as lead dancer with the Martha Graham Company, 1938.
  • Major Tours
  • Meet the People, U.S. cities, 1941
  • Marion Maxwell, The Anonymous Lover, U.S. cities, 1952-53
  • Gloria, The Tiger, and Sylvia, The Typists, U.S. cities, 1965
  • Karen Nash, Muriel Tate, and Norma Hubley, Plaza Suite, U.S. cities, 1968-70
  • Catherine Reardon, And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little, U.S. cities,1972
  • Also appeared in Betty Garrett and Other Songs, San Francisco, CA,New York City, and London.
  • Stage Director
  • Spoon River Anthology, Theater West, Hollywood, CA, 2002
  • Film Appearances
  • (Film debut) Miss Grady, Big City, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1948
  • Peggy Lorgan McNeil, Words and Music, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1948
  • Brunhilde "Hilde" Esterhazy, On the Town, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1949
  • Star of Tomorrow, 1949
  • Betty Barret, Neptune's Daughter, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1949
  • Shirley Delwyn, Take Me Out to the Ball Game (also known as Everybody's Cheering), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1949
  • (In archive footage) Herself, The Costume Designer (short film), RKO Pictures, 1950
  • (Uncredited) Moments in Music (short film), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1950
  • Ruth Sherwood, My Sister Eileen, Columbia, 1955
  • Linda Atlas, The Shadow on the Window, Columbia, 1957
  • (Uncredited; in archive footage) Herself, That's Entertainment! (documentary), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1974
  • (Uncredited; in archive footage) Herself, That's Entertainment, Part II (documentary), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1976
  • Herself, Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There (documentary; also known as Broadway, Broadway: The Golden Age,and Broadway: The Movie), Dada Films, 2003
  • Television Appearances
  • Series
  • Irene Lorenzo, All in the Family (also known as Those Were theDays), CBS, 1973-75
  • Mrs. Edna Babish De Fazio, Laverne and Shirley (also known as Laverne & Shirley & Company and Laverne & Shirley & Friends), ABC, 1976-81
  • Movies
  • Veronica, The Long Way Home, CBS, 1998
  • Specials
  • Mary Hallen, Who's Happy Now?, PBS, 1975
  • Gene Kelly ... An American in Pasadena, CBS, 1978
  • Catherine, All the Way Home, NBC, 1981
  • Herself, The American Film Institute Salute to Gene Kelly (also known as The Best of Gene Kelly), 1985
  • Legacy of the Hollywood Blacklist (documentary), PBS, 1987
  • (Uncredited; in archive footage) Herself, MGM: When the Lion Roars, TNT, 1992
  • Ethel Merman: There's No Business Like Show Business (documentary), Arts and Entertainment, 1999
  • Ann Miller: I'm Still Here (documentary), Arts and Entertainment,2000
  • Herself, All in the Family: The E! True Hollywood Story (documentary), E! Entertainment Television, 2000
  • Herself, TVography: Laverne & Shirley (documentary), Arts andEntertainment, 2001
  • Herself, Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer (documentary), PBS, 2002
  • Entertainment Tonight Presents: Laverne and Shirley Together Again, ABC, 2002
  • Pilots
  • Susannah Somerset, Somerset Gardens, ABC, 1989
  • Episodic
  • Lorry Erskine, "A Smattering of Bliss," The Ford Television Theatre, NBC, 1955
  • Georgia Penland, "The Penlands and the Poole," The Ford Television Theatre, ABC, 1957
  • The Art Carney Show, 1959
  • Love Is Funny, 1960
  • The Best of Anything, 1960
  • Ellen Pennington, "Mr. Pennigton's Machine," The Lloyd Bridges Show, CBS, 1962
  • Margaret Ruskin, "Escape into Black," The Fugitive, ABC, 1964
  • Mrs. McCoy, Julie's mother, "Julie's Dilemma/Who's Who/Rocky," The Love Boat, ABC, 1978
  • "Change of Venue," Mr. Merlin, CBS, 1982
  • Martha Neilson, "Trouble in Eden," Murder, She Wrote, CBS, 1987
  • Kit Parkins, "Who Killed J. B. Fletcher?," Murder, She Wrote, CBS,1991
  • Sara, "Old Boyfriends," The Golden Girls, NBC, 1991
  • Phyllis, "The Mother-in-Law," The Good Life, NBC, 1994
  • Thelma, "Ghost Run," Harts of the West, CBS, 1994
  • Mrs. Gunders, "Faith, Hope, & Charity," Townies, ABC, 1996
  • Agnes, "Out and In," Union Square, NBC, 1998
  • Miriam Guber, "Chapter Fifty-Seven," Boston Public, Fox, 2003
  • Molly Firth, "Nightmare on Becker Street," Becker, CBS, 2003
  • WRITINGS
  • Film Songs
  • "Boca Chica," Hit Parade of 1951, Republic Pictures Corp., 1950
  • Autobiography
  • Betty Garrett and Other Songs: A Life on Stage and Screen, MadisonPublishing, 1977