Betsy Palmer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Betsy Palmer
Palmer in 1960
Born	Patricia Betsy Hrunek (1926-11-01)November 1, 1926 East Chicago, Indiana, U.S.
Died	May 29, 2015(2015-05-29) (aged 88) Danbury, Connecticut, U.S.
Education	East Chicago Business College Art Institute of Chicago
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1951–2007
Notable work	Friday the 13th
Television	I've Got a Secret, anthology series, game shows
Spouse(s)	Vincent J. Merendino ​ ​ (m. 1954; div. 1971)​
Children	1

Betsy Palmer (born Patricia Betsy Hrunek; November 1, 1926 – May 29, 2015) was an American actress. She was famous for her many roles in movies and on Broadway. She also appeared a lot on television, especially as a regular guest on the game show I've Got a Secret. Later, she became well-known for playing Pamela Voorhees in the 1980 horror movie Friday the 13th.

Early Life

Betsy Palmer was born Patricia Betsy Hrunek on November 1, 1926. Her hometown was East Chicago, Indiana. Her mother, Marie, started a business college before she got married. Her father, Vincent, was a chemist who came from Czechoslovakia. He stayed home to take care of the family.

Betsy loved acting from a young age. She performed in school plays throughout her childhood. After finishing Roosevelt High School in 1944, she went to East Chicago Business College. She then worked as a secretary for a railroad company. She didn't enjoy this job because it kept her away from people.

Later, Betsy took a test that showed she was good at arts. Her father introduced her to a former actor from New York. This actor suggested she study acting. Betsy worked during the day and took night classes. She graduated from the Goodman School of Drama at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Acting Career

Palmer in 1958

Betsy Palmer started her acting career in summer theater shows. She worked in places like Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and Woodstock, Illinois. She even performed with famous actors like Paul Newman and Imogene Coca. After saving $400, she decided to move to New York City to become an actress. She also changed her name to Betsy Palmer.

Her first TV acting job was in 1951. She joined the cast of a short daily TV show called Miss Susan. She was "discovered" for this role very quickly after moving to New York.

Betsy Palmer performed in many stage plays. She toured with the musical South Pacific. She also played the main role in Maggie, a musical from 1953.

In 1953, she played Virginia in the TV play Marty. She also appeared on the TV show Studio One. Betsy became a familiar face on TV. In 1958, she was a news reporter on Today. She was also a regular panelist on the quiz show I've Got a Secret. She joined the show in 1958 and stayed until it ended in 1967. She was the last surviving member of the original cast of I've Got a Secret.

Betsy Palmer also starred in several movies. In 1955, she was in The Long Gray Line with Tyrone Power. She played Nurse Lt. Ann Girard in Mister Roberts. In that movie, she acted alongside Henry Fonda and James Cagney. That same year, she was in Queen Bee with Joan Crawford. In 1957, she starred with Anthony Perkins and Henry Fonda in The Tin Star. In 1958, she played an undercover agent in The True Story of Lynn Stuart.

Betsy Palmer performed in seven Broadway shows. She often took over roles from other actresses in long-running plays. For example, she replaced Lauren Bacall in Cactus Flower in 1967. She also replaced Ellen Burstyn in Same Time Next Year in 1977.

Her most famous movie role came in 1980. She played Pamela Voorhees in Friday the 13th. She took this role because she needed money to buy a new car. Her old car had broken down. The movie offered $1000 a day for 10 days of work. Even though she wasn't sure about the movie at first, she later grew to like it. She even said, "I was dumb, 'Friday the 13th' is an excellent film." She also made a short appearance in Friday the 13th Part 2. She was asked to be in Freddy vs. Jason in 2003, but she turned it down because the payment offer was too low.

In 1982, Betsy Palmer joined the TV show As the World Turns. From 1989 to 1990, she played Virginia "Ginny" Bullock on Knots Landing. In 2002, she voiced the ghost of a witch in the horror film Bell Witch: The Movie. She continued acting into her late 70s and early 80s. In 2005, she was in the short film Penny Dreadful. In 2007, she appeared in Waltzing Anna.

In 2006, a documentary about her was released called Betsy Palmer: Scream Queen Legend.

Personal Life

Betsy Palmer dated actor James Dean. They met while working on a TV show called Studio One.

In 1954, Betsy married Vincent J. Merendino, who was a medical doctor. They met on a blind date in New York. They divorced in 1971 after 17 years of marriage. They had one daughter named Melissa.

Betsy Palmer passed away on May 29, 2015, at the age of 88. She died of natural causes in Danbury, Connecticut.

Filmography

Betsy Palmer and Jackie Gleason in The Time of Your Life (1958)

Palmer on I've Got a Secret with host Garry Moore and three of Bing Crosby's sons (1961)

Television Appearances

From 1953 to 2001, Betsy Palmer was a guest star on many TV shows, including:

Awards and Recognition

Betsy Palmer received several awards for her acting work.

See Also

In Spanish: Betsy Palmer para niños