Actress/comedienne Betty Garrett dead at 91

[Dennis Donovan]

http://blogs.laweekly.com/stylecouncil/2011/02/stage_raw_betty_garrett_dies_a.php



Betty Garrett, died Saturday morning of natural causes at UCLA Medical Center following a brief illness. She was surrounded by her family at the time of her death. She was 91.

A revered figure in the Los Angeles theater community, she was the recipient of nearly every artistic award the city could bestow, including Career Achievement Awards from the Los Angeles Drama Critics' Circle and the Ovation Awards, and the Queen of the Angels Award from L.A. Weekly. She was a founding member of the 49-year-old Theatre West, and was moderator of its Musical Comedy workshop until the time of her death. She frequently appeared on the Theatre West stage. Her final shows there included "Nunsense," the Los Angeles premiere of Noel Coward's "Waiting in the Wings," and a revue, "Betty Garrett, Closet Songwriter."

A Broadway star, she appeared in thirteen Broadway shows, among them "Call Me Mister," "Bells Are Ringing," "The Supporting Cast," the revival of "Follies," and the 1963 production of "Spoon River Anthology" originally developed at Theatre West.

She appeared in a dozen films, including classic Hollywood musicals including "Words and Music," "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," "Neptune's Daughter," "On The Town," "Hit Parade of 1951," and "My Sister Eileen."

She was also a popular television performer, best known for her work on "All in the Family," for which she received a Golden Globe ®, and "Laverne and Shirley." She received an Emmy ® nomination in 2003 for a guest appearance on "Becker." Her final TV appearance was on "Grey's Anatomy" in 2006.

<snip>

A longtime social activist, in her later years she was active in supporting activities of charities assisting those living with HIV/AIDS.
</snip>

Thanks for all you gave and cross gently, Betty.:(

[bobbolink]

1. Aw, I enjoyed her spirit. Thanks for your contributions, Betty!

[emilyg]

2. Safe journey lovely Lady.

[Bluenorthwest]

3. They don't make many like Betty

She was the stuff.

[immoderate]

4. So sad to see her go...

She was the best thing about "On the Town," a cute theater peace that made a terrible movie.

But I remember first for that.

--imm

[niyad]

5. requiescat in pacem, dear lady. you brought many a smile.

[BuelahWitch]

6. Both she and her late husband Larry Parks were blacklisted during the HUAC debacle

He died in 1975, Betty never remarried. RIP Betty, you were a class act!

[Ken Burch]

20. She was married to Larry Parks? I did NOT know that.

Larry Parks was the ULTIMATE hard luck case of the HUAC era...he named names, and they blacklisted him ANYWAY!

Both she and Larry Parks were victims of the blacklisting insanity...and anyone who was put through that is a hero of mine just for surviving.

May we NEVER have anything like that again in this country.

And farewell to you, Irene Lorenzo.

[Motown_Johnny]

7. what a spectacular career

I grew up watching her stuff and always loved it

[pulledpork]

8. She was great in 'All In The Family'

An excellent liberal foil for Archie Bunker.

RIP, Betty.

[K8-EEE]

9. Oh no!!! Mrs. Parks, my childhood neighbor.

I grew up in Studio City, CA and my parents still live in her neighborhood....yet I found this out on DU! RIP MRS. PARKS!! I have to tell you that their story (of being blacklisted) started a fire in me that never died. They were a great couple, great family.

[Faygo Kid]

13. Please share.

That's what DU is all about. Would love to hear any stories.

[K8-EEE]

28. Oh I wish I had more to share! Found an awesome pic though!

They were really just friends of my girlfriend's parents that I admired and got to chat with a few times. My dad is the one that told me about Larry Parks and the blacklisting they endured and it got me started reading about that period of history when I was a young teenager -- probably a big reason I am here at DU now!

One thing I remember is they were friends with the Bridges family, Mr & Mrs. Lloyd Bridges, I was looking to see if there were any pix of them together and found this great one of Betty at age 80 with godson Jeff Bridges, how cool is this picture??

[Faygo Kid]

30. Beautiful! Thanks so much.

That's a keeper.

[BuelahWitch]

26. I agree, please share!

[xchrom]

10. may Peace be with her family and friends at this time. nt

[Raine]

11. Sad news

she was a true Liberal Patriot. :patriot:

[Faygo Kid]

12. Lovely lady. She was great with Sinatra.

I suppose those roles (On The Town) will be her best remembered. Not a bad legacy, at all.

[JDPriestly]

14. A regular on KPFK, LA

http://archive.kpfk.org/parchive/index.php?shokey=ctd

We will miss her.

[whistler162]

15. Nah who remembers a cabbie....

Now as Laverne and Shirley's landlady yup.

RIP!

[anamandujano]

19. On The Town is brilliant.

I haven't seen all her work but it couldn't get much better than that.

rip

[Kurovski]

27. Yes, "On the Town" is highly recommended. Add it to those NetFlix cues.

Energetic, funny, and New York looks great.

Great lady, Ms. Garrett.

[The Nexus]

16. Wasn't she a part of something that had to do with McCarthyism?

I think she was on his list.

[The Nexus]

29. Nevermind, found it.

Blacklisting

Because of their past affiliations with the Communist Party, Garrett and Parks became embroiled with the House Un-American Activities Committee, although only Parks was forced to testify. He willingly admitted he had been a member of the party and initially refused to name others though did later. Despite this he found himself on the Hollywood blacklist. Garrett also had trouble finding work, although as the mother of two young sons she did not mind being unemployed as much as her husband did. Parks formed a highly successful construction business, and eventually the couple owned many apartment buildings scattered throughout the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Rather than sell them upon completion, Parks decided to retain ownership and collect rents as a landlord, a decision that proved to be extremely profitable. During this period, the couple occasionally performed in Las Vegas showrooms, summer stock productions, and touring companies of Broadway shows.

From Wikipedia

[Maraya1969]

17. "All in the family" Was she Edith?

[AngryOldDem]

18. No. She was the neighbor...

Irene Lorenzo. The Lorenzos became the thorn in Archie's side after the Jeffersons left. Frank Lorenzo was a gourmet cook and Irene was interested in handyman-type stuff, which Archie couldn't get his mind around. She also called him on a lot of his crap.

Jean Stapleton was Edith, and as far as I know is still with us.

[LongTomH]

21. Her IMDB page

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0308081/

Her last movie appearance was in 2009; her first in 1948.

[tabasco]

22. Beautiful lady, inside and out.

Well done, Ms. Garrett.

[ThatsMyBarack]

23. RIP Mrs. Babish

Gorgeous photo of a lovely lady...

[defendandprotect]

24. Betty Garrett was great -- wonderful spirit--!!

[Faygo Kid]

25. Close to Greatest Threads. Please help put her over the top.

She deserves it. Wonderful actress, and a better person.