Betty Lou Bredemus facts for kids

Betty Lou Bredemus (born August 13, 1934 – died February 19, 2015) was an American actress and a coach for actors. She was the mother of famous actors Julia Roberts and Eric Roberts. Her granddaughter, Emma Roberts, is also a well-known actress. Betty Lou Bredemus also served in the United States Air Force. She received a National Defense Service Medal for her service. During her time in the Air Force, she entertained troops by performing in plays on military bases.

Early Life

Betty Lou Bredemus was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her father was Wendell John Bredemus, who was a football player. Her mother was Elizabeth Ellen Billingsley.

Career in Theater and Teaching

Betty Lou Bredemus met her first husband, Walter Grady Roberts, while they were both acting in a play. The play was called George Washington Slept Here. It was directed by Rance Howard, who is the father of famous director Ron Howard. Betty Lou and Walter became good friends with Rance and his wife, Jean. Together, they decided to perform plays for soldiers at USO bases.

Betty Lou and Walter got married in 1955. Their first child, Eric Roberts, was born in April 1956. After serving in the army, Walter decided to become a playwright. He moved his family to Louisiana so he could study at Tulane University. The family lived in special housing on the university campus. Walter left college before finishing his degree. In 1960, the family moved to Decatur, Georgia. Betty Lou started working in public relations at Emory University. Walter worked in different theater jobs.

In 1965, Betty Lou and Walter created a children's TV show. It was for a local TV network and was called Bum Bum and His Buddies. In the very first episode, Betty Lou played the character of Bum Bum the clown. They had also made a short TV series before this, called Creole Capers. After making 15 episodes of Bum Bum and His Buddies, Betty Lou and Walter started a new project. They created the Atlanta Actors and Writers Workshop. Here, they taught acting classes to young people from ages five to eighteen. Also in 1965, Betty Lou gave birth to their daughter, Lisa. The workshop became very popular with children in Atlanta.

Some of the children who joined the workshop were the kids of Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King. Their oldest daughter, Yolanda King, took acting classes taught by Walter. In 1967, Betty Lou and Walter's daughter, Julia Roberts, was born. Betty Lou's pregnancy meant she had to stop performing some of her duties at the workshop. When Julia was born, Betty and Walter were having money problems. Coretta Scott King kindly offered to pay their hospital bill. The King children were still taking classes at the workshop during this time.

The workshop eventually closed down. Betty Lou and Walter divorced in 1972. She later married Michael Motes in 1972. They had a daughter named Nancy in 1976. Betty Lou divorced Michael Motes in 1983. She then went back to using her maiden name, Bredemus.

Later Life and Passing

Betty Lou Bredemus encouraged her children to pursue acting careers. This happened throughout the 1980s and 1990s. However, she mostly stayed out of the public eye herself. Her daughter, Nancy Motes, passed away on February 9, 2014, at 37 years old.

Betty Lou Bredemus died on February 19, 2015, in Los Angeles. She had been battling lung cancer. She was 80 years old when she passed away. She is survived by three of her children and six grandchildren.

Images for kids

• Betty Lou Bredemus and Julia Roberts.jpg

  Betty Lou Bredemus with her daughter, Julia Roberts.