
Betty Garrett
Known for Acting · 43 credits
- Born
- 1919-05-23
- Died
- 2011-02-12
- Place of birth
- Saint Joseph, Missouri, USA
Biography
Betty Garrett (May 23, 1919 - February 12, 2011) was an American actress, comedian, singer and dancer, who starred in several Hollywood musicals and stage roles. She was at the top of her game when the Communist scare in the 1950s brought her career to a screeching, ugly halt. She and her husband Larry Parks, an Oscar-nominated actor, were summoned by the House UnAmerican Activities Committee and questioned about their involvement.
As the drama played out, a very pregnant Garrett was never called to testify, but her husband was. With his admission of Communist Party membership from 1941-1945 and refusal to name names, he made it to the Hollywood Blacklist. After the incident, Garrett and Parks worked up nightclub singing/comedy acts along with appearing in legit plays. Although Parks never quite shook off the blacklist incident, he did win a role in John Huston's film, Freud (1962). Garrett went on to appear in roles in many television series.
Known For
TV Shows (19)

Grey's Anatomy
2005
as Eleanor

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
as Self

Murder, She Wrote
1984
as Kit Parkins / Martha Neilson

The Love Boat
1977
as Martha McCoy

The Fugitive
1963
as Margaret Ruskin

Great Performances
1971
as Mary Hallen

The Golden Girls
1985
as Sarah

Boston Public
2000
as Miriam Guber

Laverne & Shirley
1976
as Edna Babish

Becker
1998
as Mrs. Firth

The Colgate Comedy Hour
1950
as Self

All in the Family
1971
as Irene Lorenzo

Dinah!
1974
as Self

The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
1956
as Self

Mr. Merlin
1981

Townies
1996

Blacke's Magic
1986

Union Square
1997
as Agnes

The Good Life
1994
as Phyllis
Movies (24)

Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There
2003
as Self

On the Town
1949
as Brunhilde Esterhazy

That's Entertainment!
1974
as (archive footage) (uncredited)

That's Entertainment! III
1994
as (archive footage)

That's Dancing!
1985
as Ruth Sherwood (archive footage)

The Long Way Home
1998
as Veronica

Words and Music
1948
as Peggy Lorgan McNeil

Hollywood: The Dream Factory
1972
as Self (archive footage)

Dark and Stormy Night
2009
as Mrs. Hausenstout

Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer
2002
as Self

Take Me Out to the Ball Game
1949
as Shirley Delwyn

My Sister Eileen
1955
as Ruth Sherwood

Carol Channing: Larger Than Life
2012
as Self

Trail of the Screaming Forehead
2007
as Mrs. Cuttle

All the Way Home
1981
as Catherine

Neptune's Daughter
1949
as Betty Barrett

The Shadow on the Window
1957
as Linda Atlas

Jack Lemmon: America's Everyman
1996
as Self

Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1920s: The Dawn of the Hollywood Musical
2008
as Self

Big City
1948
as Shoo Shoo Grady

The Costume Designer
1950
as Self (archive footage)

Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1940s: Stars, Stripes and Singing
2009
as (archive footage)

Frank Sinatra Memorial
2000
as Self
Troupers
2011
About Betty Garrett
Betty Garrett (May 23, 1919 - February 12, 2011) was an American actress, comedian, singer and dancer, who starred in several Hollywood musicals and stage roles. She was at the top of her game when the Communist scare in the 1950s brought her career to a screeching, ugly halt. She and her husband Larry Parks, an Oscar-nominated actor, were summoned by the House UnAmerican Activities Committee and questioned about their involvement. As the drama played out, a very pregnant Garrett was never called to testify, but her husband was. With his admis… With 43 credits spanning from 1948 to 2012, Betty Garrett has appeared in 24 films and 19 TV shows.
Fans searching for Betty Garrett movies, Betty Garrett filmography, or the latest projects starring Betty Garrett can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Betty Garrett Movies
- Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There (2003) — as Self
- On the Town (1949) — as Brunhilde Esterhazy
- That's Entertainment! (1974) — as (archive footage) (uncredited)
- That's Entertainment! III (1994) — as (archive footage)
- That's Dancing! (1985) — as Ruth Sherwood (archive footage)
Where to Watch Betty Garrett Films
Most Betty Garrett movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Betty Garrett, check our movies catalogue and browse page.