Betty Balfour

Attore, Produttore, Sceneggiatore

27 marzo 1903 — 4 novembre 1977 (74 anni)
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.

Film e Serie su Plex

  • Tabarin di lusso
    Tabarin di lusso1928

Famoso per

  • Tabarin di lusso
    Tabarin di lusso1928
  • Paradiso in fiore
    Paradiso in fiore1934
  • Born for Glory
    Born for Glory1935
  • The Devil in the Heart
    The Devil in the Heart1928
  • Squibs
    Squibs1935
  • My Old Dutch
    My Old Dutch1934
  • La congiura delle beffe
    La congiura delle beffe1929
  • Love, Life and Laughter
    Love, Life and Laughter1923
  • Scusate, signorina
    Scusate, signorina1926
  • Raise the Roof
    Raise the Roof1930
  • Squibs
    Squibs

Filmografia

1945
The Facts of Love · as Mrs Robinson
1935
Born for Glory · as Elizabeth Brown
1935
Squibs · as Amelia "squibs" Hopkins
1934
My Old Dutch · as Lil
1934
Evergreen · as Maudie
1930
Raise the Roof · as Maisie Grey
1929
The Vagabond Queen · as Sally / Princess Zonia
1928
Paradise · as Kitty Cranston
1928
Champagne · as BettySu Plex
1927
The Devil in the Heart · as Ludivine Bucaille - Une Fille Étrange
1926
A Sister of Six · as Mizzi
1926
La petite bonne du palace · as Betty Cinders
1925
Satan's Sister · as Jude Tyler
1925
Somebody's Darling · as Joan Meredith
1924
Réveille · as Mick
1923
Squibs' Honeymoon · as Squibs Hopkins
1923
Squibs M.P. · as Squibs Hopkins
1923
1922
Me and My Girl · as Maud Emily
1922
Squibs Wins the Calcutta Sweep · as Squibs Hopkins
1922
1921
Mary-Find-the-Gold · as Mary Smith
1921
Squibs · as Squibs Hopkins
1920

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