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Betty Garrett




  Birthname Betty Garrett
  Birthdate May 23 , 1919
  Birthplace St Joseph , Missouri , US
  Spouse Larry Parks (1944-1975) (his death)


Betty Garrett ( May 23 , 1919 , St. Joseph, Missouri ) is an American Actress and Dancer who belonged to the golden era of the movie musical. However, she is probably best known for a pair of roles in two prominent 1970s sitcoms. In late 1973 , she joined the cast of '' All In The Family '', playing Archie Bunker's socially liberal next-door neighbor, Irene Lorenzo, a role she would remain in until her character was phased out in late 1975 . The following year she joined the cast of '' Happy Days '' Spin-off , '' Laverne And Shirley '' as Edna Babish, Laverne and Shirley's landlady, who eventually married Laverne's father. She remained with that series until 1982 . She was married to Larry Parks , star of '' The Jolson Story '' (1946) and '' Jolson Sings Again '' (1949). However, in 1951, Parks became one of the Blacklist ed "Hollywood 19" to be brought before the House Un-American Activities Committee . Although she herself was never accused, her career Hollywood suffered because of her husband's predicament. She found out to her happy surprise that the blacklist did not extend to Las Vegas or New York City .


PERFORMING CAREER

Betty Garrett trained at New York's Neighborhood Playhouse and, undecided between drama and dance, tried both, acting with , Garrett moved to California where she starred in '' On The Town '', '' Take Me Out To The Ball Game '', '' Words And Music '', '' Neptune's Daughter '', and '' My Sister Eileen ''. She also began appearing on television in drama and variety shows, and made recordings.

Garrett and Parks formed a musical team and toured nightclubs and theatres in the United States and England. Part of the reasons the couple started acting in England was because of her husband Larry Parks being black listed, which also affected her career, making it hard for them to work in the states. The two also appeared together on Broadway in '' Bells Are Ringing '' and ''Beg, Borrow or Steal''.

A diversified performer, when not appearing in musicals for films and stage, she has played non-musical roles, starring in plays such as ''A Girl Could Get Lucky'', '' And Miss Reardon Drinks A Little '', and '' Plaza Suite ''. She also appeared in '' Spoon River Anthology '', which originated at Theatre West , went to Broadway for a four-week concert engagement, and stayed a season. When it was revived in Los Angeles several years ago, Garrett won a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for this performance. Her second Los Angeles Drama Critics Award came when she first presented ''Betty Garrett and Other Songs'' at Theatre West . She has also appeared in this production at the Westwood Playhouse in Los Angeles.

Betty also ventured into directing with Arthur Miller 's '' The Price '' at Theatre West. Her effort gained critical acclaim. More recently Garrett received her Star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame .

She is also an alumna of the Annie Wright School in Tacoma, WA.


TRIVIA

  • Garrett admitted to having a major crush on her co-star Jack Lemmon in the musical comedy My Sister Eileen in 1955. But she insisted that nothing happened as they were both "very solidly married at that time".



  • Attended high school and graduated from The Annie Wright School in Tacoma, Washington.




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TELEVISION WORK



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