Betty Driver facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Betty Driver
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Driver in 2001
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| Born | 20 May 1920 Leicester, England
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| Died | 15 October 2011 (aged 91) Cheadle, Greater Manchester, England
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| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1928–2011 |
| Known for | Role of Betty Williams in Coronation Street (1969–2011) |
| Spouse(s) | Wally Peterson (m. 1953; div 1960) |
Elizabeth Mary Driver, known as Betty Driver, was a famous British actress and singer. She was born on 20 May 1920 and passed away on 15 October 2011. She is best known for playing Betty Williams in the popular TV show Coronation Street. She played this role for 42 years, from 1969 to 2011, appearing in over 2,700 episodes!
Before Coronation Street, Betty was a talented singer. She even appeared in musical films like Boots! Boots! (1934) with George Formby. She was also in Penny Paradise (1938), which was directed by Carol Reed. For her amazing career, she was given an MBE award in 2000.
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Early Life and Discovering Her Talent
Betty Driver was born in Leicester, England, in 1920. She was the older of two daughters. Her family moved to West Didsbury, Manchester, in 1922. Betty went to school there, and her younger sister, Freda, was in the same class as Patricia Manfield. Patricia later became the actress Pat Phoenix, who played Elsie Tanner in Coronation Street.
Betty's mother noticed her daughter had a special talent for singing when Betty was seven years old. One day, at a show, the star asked the audience to sing along. Betty's voice stood out so much that she was asked to sing with him. After that, her mother started taking her to talent contests in Manchester, and Betty won them all. She would often sing popular songs by Gracie Fields.
A Career in Show Business
Betty started performing professionally at just eight years old. Her mother encouraged her to appear with the Terence Byron Repertory Theatre Company. By the age of 10, she was singing for the BBC. When she was 12, she began touring all over the UK in her first big show.
At 14, while performing in London, Betty was noticed by an agent named Bert Aza. He gave her a lead role in a show called Mr Tower of London, which ran for about two years. This was the same show that had made Gracie Fields famous years earlier.
Betty also had a chance to appear in the film Boots! Boots! (1934) with George Formby. Although there were some challenges, her scene was included in the original movie. Later, in 1938, she made another film called Penny Paradise.
When she was 19, World War II began, and many studios closed. Betty continued to tour the country in variety shows. During this time, she changed her singing style and became a ballad singer. She also entertained troops with ENSA (Entertainments National Service Association).
In the 1940s, Betty became a singer with big bands. She had her own radio show called A Date with Betty and made many popular records. She even toured internationally, performing in Australia, Cyprus, Malta, and the Middle East.
Joining Coronation Street
In 1964, Betty auditioned for the role of Hilda Ogden in Coronation Street, but the part went to another actress. However, she was later cast in Pardon the Expression, a spin-off show from Coronation Street, alongside Arthur Lowe. After this, she decided to take a break from acting and ran a pub in Derbyshire with her sister.
But in 1969, Betty was asked to return to acting to play Betty Turpin (later Betty Williams) in Coronation Street. This became her most famous role, and she played the character for over 40 years! Her character, Betty, was known for serving "Betty's Hot Pot" at the Rover's Return pub, which became a very famous dish.
Betty Driver was honored on the TV show This Is Your Life in 1976. In 1994, BBC Radio 2 aired The Betty Driver Story, which featured interviews with Betty and her sister. She also wrote a book about her life in radio and television called Betty, published in 2000.
In 2000, she received the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) from Queen Elizabeth II. In 2010, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Soap Awards. Betty always said she would never retire because she loved being part of Coronation Street.
Personal Life
Betty Driver married South African singer Wally Peterson in 1953. Their marriage ended after seven years. Betty lived with and cared for her sister Freda until Freda's death in 2008.
Even though her character on Coronation Street was famous for making hotpot, Betty Driver was actually a vegetarian and said she rarely cooked!
Death
Betty Driver passed away on 15 October 2011, at the age of 91, after being in the hospital for about six weeks.
Film and TV Roles
- Boots! Boots! (1934)
- Penny Paradise (1938)
- Let's Be Famous (1939)
- Facing the Music (1941)
- Rooftop Rendezvous (1949–1950)
- The Betty Driver Show (6 episodes, 1952)
- Television Christmas Party (1952)
- Pardon the Expression (31 episodes, 1965–66)
- Love on the Dole (1967)
- Coronation Street (1969–2011) – Betty Williams (2,732 episodes)
