Betty Thomas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Betty Thomas
Thomas at the Emmy Awards Governors Ball in 1994
Born	Betty Lucille Nienhauser (1947-07-27) July 27, 1947 (age 77) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Occupation	Actress, director
Years active	1975–present
Spouse(s)	Douglas Thomas

Betty Thomas (born Betty Lucille Nienhauser on July 27, 1947) is an American director and actress. She is famous for her role as Sergeant Lucy Bates in the TV show Hill Street Blues, which won her an Emmy Award. Betty Thomas is one of only two directors (and the only one working alone) to have many movies on the list of the highest-earning films directed by women in the U.S.

Early Life and Second City

Betty Thomas was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1947. After finishing high school in Ohio in 1965, she went to Ohio University. She earned a degree in fine arts.

After college, Betty worked as an artist and a high school teacher. She then joined The Second City, a very famous place for improv comedy in Chicago.

Joining The Second City

Betty Thomas didn't plan to become an entertainer at first. She started working as a waitress at The Second City to earn extra money for a trip. While she was there, people encouraged her to try out for the comedy group. She joined them and became a part of the team.

She was known for her strong and honest performances. She even became the first woman to direct one of their main stage shows! Betty also worked with other rising stars like Bill Murray. When The Second City opened a new branch in Los Angeles, Betty moved there. Later, she appeared as a special guest on an episode of SCTV in 1983, reuniting with some of her old castmates.

Career Highlights

Acting Roles

Betty Thomas as Lucy Bates in Hill Street Blues, 1982

When Betty Thomas arrived in Los Angeles, she got small parts in movies like Used Cars (1980). Her big break as an actress came when she was cast as police officer Lucy Bates in the TV series Hill Street Blues (1981–87).

In the show, her character, Lucy Bates, grew from a new police officer to a confident sergeant. Betty was nominated for an Emmy award seven times for her role. She won the award for Best Supporting Actress in the 1984–85 season.

Directing Films and TV Shows

Betty Thomas started her directing career by chance. She told a reporter she planned to direct an episode of Hooperman. The show's producer heard this and gave her a real chance! After that, she began directing episodes of Hooperman and later Doogie Howser, M.D. in 1989.

She also directed many episodes of the HBO series Dream On. For her work on Dream On, she won an Emmy for Best Director. People even called her "The Midnight Queen" because she liked to film scenes at night!

In 1992, Betty directed her first full-length movie, Only You. It was a light, fun romantic comedy. The film's producer chose her to direct because the story was about a man looking for the perfect woman. He felt a female director would make the movie feel less sexist.

Three years later, Betty directed The Brady Bunch Movie (1995). This movie was a funny, modern take on the 1970s TV show The Brady Bunch. It was a huge hit at the box office, earning much more than it cost to make. At the time, it was one of the highest-earning films ever directed by a woman.

She continued to direct other successful movies, including Private Parts (1997), Dr. Dolittle (1998), 28 Days (2000), and John Tucker Must Die (2006). In 2009, her movie Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel earned over $200 million. This made her the most successful woman director at the box office up to that time.

Betty Thomas has also received special awards for her directing. In 2001, she won the Dorothy Arzner Directors Award from the Women in Film Organization. In 2021, she received the Directors Guild of America Robert B. Aldrich Award.

Filmography

Film Director

Television Director

Acting Roles (Selected)

See also

In Spanish: Betty Thomas para niños