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Betty Balfour

Known For
Acting

Known Credits
24

Gender
Female

Birthday
March 27, 1903 (123 years old)

Place of Birth
London, England, UK

Betty Balfour

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Betty Balfour (27 March 1903 – 4 November 1977) was an English screen actress, popular during the silent era, and known as the "British Mary Pickford" and "Britain's Queen of Happiness". She was best known to audiences for her Squibs series of films. Balfour was the most popular actress in Britain in the 1920s, and in 1927 she was named by the Daily Mirror as the country's favourite world star. Her talent was most evident in the Squibs comedy series produced by George Pearson, while in his Love, Life and Laughter (1923) and Reveille (1924), rediscovered in 2014, she demonstrated a serious side to her character. Her role as a wealthy heiress in Somebody's Darling (1925) was an attempt to break out of her previous role as Squibs, to avoid typecasting.

She made her stage debut in 1913, and was appearing in Medora at the Alhambra Theatre in Leicester Square when T. A. Welsh and Pearson saw and signed her for Nothing Else Matters in 1920. After replacing Gertrude Lawrence on stage in The Midnight Follies, Balfour was back with Pearson with her first starring role in Mary Find the Gold.

In 1916 she starred in Fred Karno's all female revue, 'All Women,' notable at the time for its all female cast, including stage manager, musical director and advanced agent.

Balfour made no attempt to break into Hollywood but like Ivor Novello she was able to export her talents to mainland Europe. She starred in the German films, Die sieben Töchter der Frau Gyurkovics and Die Regimentstochter; she also worked for Marcel L'Herbier in Le Diable au cœur, for Louis Mercanton in Croquette and La Petite Bonne du palace, and for Géza von Bolváry in Bright Eyes.

Back in Britain, she also starred in Alfred Hitchcock's Champagne (1928). Balfour's sound debut, The Nipper (1930), based on the Squibs character, was only moderately successful. Her popularity diminished in the 1930s, though she played a supporting role to Jessie Matthews in Evergreen (1934), appeared with John Mills in Forever England (1935) and played the matriarch in 29 Acacia Avenue (1945).

Balfour had less fortune in her private life. Her marriage with composer Jimmy Campbell went on the rocks in 1941 after ten years, a try of a comeback at the theatre failed in 1952. She died at age 74 in Weybridge, Surrey.

Known For

Acting

194529 Acacia Avenueas Mrs Robinson
1936Eliza Comes to Stayas Eliza Vandan
1935Squibsas Amelia "Squibs" Hopkins
1935Brown on Resolutionas Elizabeth Brown
1934My Old Dutchas Lil
1934Evergreenas Maudie
1930The Nipperas The Nipper
1930Raise the Roofas Maisie Grey
1929Daughter of the Regimentas Marie
1929The Vagabond Queenas Sally / Princess Zonia
1929Bright Eyesas Jenny
1929Croquetteas Croquette
1928Paradiseas Kitty Cranston
1928Champagneas Betty
1928A Little Bit of Fluffas
1928Little Devil May Careas Ludivine Bucaille - une fille étrange
1926A Sister of Sixas Mizzi
1926The Cabaret Kidas Fay Wynchbeck
1926The Maid at the Palaceas Betty Cinders
1925Somebody's Darlingas Joan Meredith
1925Satan's Sisteras Jude Tyler
1924Réveilleas Mick
1923Love, Life and Laughteras Tip-Toes
1922Squibs Wins the Calcutta Sweepas Squibs Hopkins

Production

1930The Nipper...Producer
1925Satan's Sister...Producer