Search a film or person :
FacebookConnectionRegistration
Betsy Blair is a Actor American born on 11 december 1923 at Cliffside Park (USA)

Betsy Blair

Betsy Blair
If you like this person, let us know!
Birth name Elizabeth Winifred Boger
Nationality USA
Birth 11 december 1923 at Cliffside Park (USA)
Death 13 march 2009 (at 85 years) at London (United-kingdom)

Betsy Blair (December 11, 1923 – March 13, 2009) was an American actress of film and stage, long based in London.

Blair pursued a career in entertainment from the age of eight, and as a child worked as an amateur dancer, performed on radio, and worked as a model, before joining the chorus of Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe in 1940. There she met Gene Kelly; they were married the following year, when she was seventeen years old, and divorced sixteen years later in 1957.

After work in the theatre, Blair began her film career playing supporting roles in films such as A Double Life (1947) and Another Part of the Forest (1948). Her interest in Marxism led to an investigation by the House Un-American Activities Committee and Blair was blacklisted for some time, but resumed her career with a critically acclaimed performance in Marty (1955), winning a BAFTA Award and a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

She continued her career with regular theatre, film and television work until the mid-1990s.

Biography

Fille d'une institutrice du New Jersey, elle s'inscrit un peu par hasard à une audition à New York et débute comme chorus girl dans une boîte de nuit. Gene Kelly tombe sous son charme et l'épouse. Il l'initie également à la politique, mais ses sympathies marxistes finissent par lui coûter cher : Betsy se retrouve blacklistée durant le maccarthysme. Elle s'exile alors à Paris, non sans réussir à tourner Marty, qui obtient la Palme d'or au Festival de Cannes en 1955. Elle fréquente l'acteur français Roger Pigaut, divorce de Gene Kelly en 1957 avant d'épouser le réalisateur Karel Reisz dont elle sera la veuve en 2002. Elle continue ensuite à tourner des films et des téléfilms et fait beaucoup de théâtre aux USA, en Italie, en Angleterre ou en France (pour une reprise sur scène de « Tchin Tchin » et le film Mazel Tov de Claude Berri).Elle prend une semi retraite à la fin des années 1970. Elle publiera son autobiographie, "Le souvenir de tout cela : amours, politique et cinéma " au début des années 2000. Elle y revient notamment sur ses engagements politiques et les conséquences qu'ils eurent à la fois sur sa vie personnelle et sa carrière.

Best films

Marty (1955)
(Actress)
Descent Into Hell (1986)
(Actress)

Usually with

Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Betsy Blair (23 films)

Display filmography as list

Actress

Betrayed
Betrayed (1988)
, 2h7
Directed by Costa-Gavras
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Crime, Romance
Themes Films about writers, Films about journalists, Films about racism, Political films
Actors Debra Winger, Tom Berenger, John Heard, John Mahoney, Betsy Blair, Ted Levine
Roles Gladys Simmons
Rating62% 3.1476453.1476453.1476453.1476453.147645
Set in the American Midwest, the film begins with the murder of a Jewish radio host in Chicago. FBI undercover agent Catherine Weaver (Winger), alias Katie Phillips, sets out to infiltrate a farming community, suspected of harbouring those responsible.
Descent Into Hell, 1h28
Directed by Francis Girod
Origin France
Genres Drama, Thriller, Crime
Themes Assassinat, Seafaring films, Transport films, Le thème des vacances
Actors Claude Brasseur, Sophie Marceau, Betsy Blair, Hippolyte Girardot, Sidiki Bakaba, Gérard Rinaldi
Roles Mrs. Burns
Rating53% 2.6946552.6946552.6946552.6946552.694655
Descente aux enfers is a psychological thriller set under the sun and heat of the Caribbean, relating the story of a married couple at the breaking point. An alcoholic husband Alan Kolber (Claude Brasseur) and his 20 years younger wife Lola (Sophie Marceau) unexpectedly manage to get reunited through tragedies and secrets, despite the guilt and sorrow involved.
A Delicate Balance, 2h13
Directed by Tony Richardson
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Themes Films about families, Films based on plays
Actors Katharine Hepburn, Paul Scofield, Lee Remick, Kate Reid, Joseph Cotten, Betsy Blair
Roles Edna
Rating65% 3.29423.29423.29423.29423.2942
The film spans three days in the life of Agnes and Tobias, an upper middle class couple who share their comfortable suburban Connecticut home with her acerbic alcoholic sister Claire. It is matriarch Agnes who helps the trio maintain a delicate balance in their lives, held together by habit, shared memories, and considerable consumption of dry martinis.
Marry Me! Marry Me!, 1h27
Directed by Claude Berri
Origin France
Genres Drama, Comedy, Comedy-drama
Themes Films about religion, Films about Jews and Judaism
Actors Claude Berri, Élisabeth Wiener, Prudence Harrington, Louisa Colpeyn, Grégoire Aslan, Régine
Roles Second English Teacher
Rating52% 2.64032.64032.64032.64032.6403
Claude, un jeune juif d'extraction modeste et Isabelle, fille de diamantaires anversois, se rencontrent sur une plage en été. Lui rêve de famille, de femme et d'enfants. Elle ne pense qu'à s'amuser. Lorsque Isabelle tombe enceinte, Claude est poussé par les deux familles à l'épouser. Mais il fuit dans les bras d'une ravissante anglaise, Helen...
All Night Long, 1h31
Directed by Basil Dearden
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Musical
Themes Films about music and musicians, Théâtre, Jazz films, Musical films, Films based on plays, Films based on works by William Shakespeare
Actors Patrick McGoohan, Keith Michell, Richard Attenborough, Betsy Blair, Bernard Braden, Harry Towb
Roles Emily
Rating70% 3.542273.542273.542273.542273.54227
The musician Aurelius Rex and his wife Delia, a retired singer, are the recipients of an anniversary party in London thrown by a wealthy music promoter, Rod Hamilton.
Careless
Careless (1962)
, 1h55
Directed by Mauro Bolognini
Genres Drama, Romance
Actors Claudia Cardinale, Anthony Franciosa, Betsy Blair, Philippe Leroy, Aldo Bufi Landi, Marcella Rovena
Roles Amalia Brentani
Rating70% 3.528653.528653.528653.528653.52865
Emilio Brentani, modeste employé de bureau, âgé d'une quarantaine d'années, rêve de devenir écrivain. Il vit avec sa sœur, une vieille fille privée d'amour et n'a qu'un seul ami, le sculpteur Stefano… Celui-ci lui fait rencontrer Angiolina, dont la beauté le bouleverse. Bien qu'amoureux d'elle, Emilio, par peur et par égoïsme tout à la fois, n'ose pourtant rien entreprendre. Angiolina, de son côté, joue la comédie, ment et dissimule qu'elle est une prostituée… De fait, Emilio finira ses jours seul, sans bonheur mais sans souffrance…
The Dolphins, 1h42
Directed by Francesco Maselli
Origin France
Genres Drama
Actors Claudia Cardinale, Gérard Blain, Betsy Blair, Anna Maria Ferrero, Sergio Fantoni, Tomás Milián
Roles Contessa Rita Cherè
Rating66% 3.327573.327573.327573.327573.32757
Dans une ville de province, des jeunes gens désœuvrés passent le temps.
Lies My Father Told Me, 1h
Directed by Don Chaffey
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama
Actors Harry Brogan, Betsy Blair, John Cowley
Roles Mother
Rating69% 3.470013.470013.470013.470013.47001
The Halliday Brand, 1h19
Directed by Joseph H. Lewis
Origin USA
Genres Western
Actors Joseph Cotten, Viveca Lindfors, Betsy Blair, Ward Bond, Bill Williams, Jay C. Flippen
Roles Martha Halliday
Rating62% 3.145893.145893.145893.145893.14589
Daniel and Martha Halliday, son and daughter of the powerful Big Dan, strenuously object to his bigotry and violence. When he leads the lynching of her half-breed beau, Jivaro Burris, it is the last straw.
Il Grido
Il Grido (1957)
, 1h42
Directed by Michelangelo Antonioni
Origin Italie
Genres Drama
Themes Films about suicide, Transport films, Road movies
Actors Steve Cochran, Alida Valli, Betsy Blair, Dorian Gray, Gabriella Pallotta, Monica Vitti
Roles Elvia
Rating75% 3.7962153.7962153.7962153.7962153.796215
Aldo (Steve Cochran) has worked at the sugar refinery in Goriano for seven years. His long-time mistress, Irma (Alida Valli), learns that her husband, who left for Australia years ago in search of a job, recently died there. Irma goes to the sugar refinery and drops off Aldo's lunch, but does not stay to talk with him. Concerned about her behavior, Aldo goes back to the house where they discuss her husband's death. Aldo suggests that after seven years they can finally get married and legitimize their daughter, Rosina (Mirna Girardi). The next day, Irma reveals that she loves someone else. Aldo can hardly believe her words, saying, "All these years, nothing was true." In the coming days he tries desperately to change her mind but it is no use, and the relationship ends with him slapping her in public.
Main Street, 1h39
Directed by Juan Antonio Bardem
Origin Espagne
Genres Drama
Actors Betsy Blair, José Suárez, Lila Kedrova, Luis Peña, Manuel Alexandre, Dora Doll
Roles Isabel
Rating76% 3.8262053.8262053.8262053.8262053.826205
Isabel (Betsy Blair) is a good-natured and sensible spinster who lives in a small town with her widowed mother. At the age of 35, she is losing all hope of getting married and having children.
Meeting in Paris, 1h30
Directed by Georges Lampin, Jean Léon
Origin France
Genres Comedy
Actors Robert Lamoureux, Betsy Blair, Jacques Castelot, Julien Carette, Raymond Bussières, Gérard Séty
Roles Nancy Blanding
Rating52% 2.631382.631382.631382.631382.63138
Nancy Blanding est une richissime héritière américaine qui séjourne à Paris et qui dépense sans compter, jusqu'à ce qu'elle se fasse couper les vivres par son père. Le marquis de Cernay qui courtise la jeune femme mais qui a surtout des vues sur sa fortune engage Maurice Legrand afin de la suivre. Nancy désormais sans ressource se débrouille pour trouver du travail et une chambre dans un petit hôtel. Maurice se prend tellement au jeu en suivant la jeune femme qu'il en devient follement amoureux. Afin de retenir son attention, il simule un fracture en dégringolant d'un escalier public. La jeune femme le soigne et une idylle commence à se dessiner entre les deux jeunes gens. Cependant le marquis de Cernay informe Nancy que Maurice ne peut avoir de fracture puisqu'il l'a vue faire du vélo. La jeune américaine gifle Maurice et retourne à sa vie mondaine.