Betty Balfour

Actor
BirthdayMar 27, 1903 (74 years old)
DeathdayNov 4, 1977
Place of birthLondres, Angleterre
GenderFemale

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

Betty

Aug 19, 1928

Maudie

Apr 1, 1934

Ludivine Bucaille - une fille étrange

Mar 3, 1928

Elizabeth Brown

May 15, 1935

Amelia "Squibs" Hopkins

Jun 11, 1935

Mrs Robinson

May 1, 1945

Jenny

Mar 29, 1929

Sally / Princess Zonia

May 11, 1929

Tip-Toes

Jun 1, 1923

The Nipper

Jun 1, 1930

Maisie Grey

Feb 13, 1930

Mizzi

Dec 28, 1926

Kitty Cranston

Sep 10, 1928

Eliza Vandan

Apr 9, 1936

Fay Wynchbeck

Nov 1, 1926

Lil

Oct 1, 1934

Marie

Jun 11, 1929

Mick

Jun 1, 1924

Squibs Hopkins

Sep 1, 1922

Betty

Aug 19, 1928

Maudie

Apr 1, 1934

Ludivine Bucaille - une fille étrange

Mar 3, 1928

Elizabeth Brown

May 15, 1935

Amelia "Squibs" Hopkins

Jun 11, 1935

Mrs Robinson

May 1, 1945

Acting


Participated in 20 movies, 0 TV series

1945

Mrs Robinson


1936

Eliza Vandan


1935

Amelia "Squibs" Hopkins


1935

Elizabeth Brown


1934


1934

Maudie


1930

The Nipper, Producer


1930

Maisie Grey



1929

Sally / Princess Zonia


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