Betsy Blair has passed away at 85
Betsy Blair has passed away at 85
miss pennywise
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/7/04
#1Betsy Blair has passed away at 85
Posted: 3/20/09 at 9:55pm
I just read this tonight.
Betsy Blair, Star of Stage and Screen
http://www.roches.com/television/ss83kod.html
**********
"If any relationship involves a flow chart, get out of it...FAST!"
~ Best12Bars
#2re: Betsy Blair has passed away at 85
Posted: 3/20/09 at 10:49pm
I had tea with her once at the Plaza. A lovely and fascinating woman. The first thing she said to me was "I bet you want to know if Gene was gay. All the boys want to know if Gene was gay. Well, he wasn't." I was speechless.
She then proceeded to tell me that the reason their marriage had fallen apart was that she had an affair with the charismatic leader of the Hollywood cell of the Communist Party, which was a member of.
My jaw must have dropped open because she said, "I bet you're wondering how any woman could cheat on Gene Kelly. Well, it wasn't for sex--it was for politics. I was in love with politics not Hollywood, and Gene was all Hollywood. But I acted terribly and I was ostracized by his friends. And I was blacklisted too. It was a terrible time for me."
She then talked about her marriage to Karel Reisz and her wonderful life in London. And the names of friends she mentioned as casually as if they were nobodies! Judy Garland, Noel Coward, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor....I was dizzy, as if I were drunk, but we were drinking tea not cocktails.
I never saw her again after that.
miss pennywise
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/7/04
#2re: Betsy Blair has passed away at 85
Posted: 3/20/09 at 11:30pmIt sounds just like her book!
http://www.roches.com/television/ss83kod.html
**********
"If any relationship involves a flow chart, get out of it...FAST!"
~ Best12Bars
WishingOnlyWounds2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/25/08
#3re: Betsy Blair has passed away at 85
Posted: 3/20/09 at 11:55pmMay she rest in peace.
2008: Feb. 18- Rent, Feb. 19- Curtains, April 18- Xanadu, April 22- Wicked, April 26- Legally Blonde, May 31- Wicked, June 13- The Little Mermaid, June 28- Wicked and Young Frankenstein, July 2- The Little Mermaid, July 6- A Chorus Line and Legally Blonde, August 16- Xanadu, September 13- Legally Blonde and 13, September 28- Xanadu and Spring Awakening, Oct. 12-GYPSY and [title of show], Oct. 19- Hairspray & Legally Blonde, Nov. 9- Wicked and 13, Dec. 14-13, Dec. 26- Billy Elliot, 2009: Jan 1- Shrek, Jan 2- 13 and Wicked, Jan 4- 13, Feb 17- In The Heights, Feb 19- Billy Elliot, Feb 22- Sweeney Todd (tour), March 28- Mary Poppins, April 4- Mamma Mia!, April 15- Jersey Boys (on tour), April 25- next to normal & 9 to 5
May 1- Billy Elliot, May 3- Spelling Bee (tour), May 8- Chicago, May 21- Wicked, June 6- Everyday Rapture, June 23- The Wiz, June 25- Hair July 15- Shrek, August 9- Wicked, September 7- Rock of Ages, October 11- Next To Normal, October 23- The Marvelous Wonderettes, November 7- Ragtime November 29- Dreamgirls, December 25- Billy Elliot, December 30- Finian's Rainbow, 2010: January 9- Bye Bye Birdie, January 16- Memphis February 17- The Phantom of The Opera, February 18- God of Carnage, March 7- Billy Elliot, March 31- American Idiot
#4re: Betsy Blair has passed away at 85
Posted: 3/21/09 at 10:51amRIP Betsy.
"Everytime you step on that stage it is somebody's first Broadway show and somebody's last Broadway show. Make it count."
#5re: Betsy Blair has passed away at 85
Posted: 3/21/09 at 11:23am
I'm always astounded by that group of "chorus girls" in Panama Hattie.
June Allyson, Betsy Blair, Lucille Bremer, and Vera Ellen. All in the chorus! With Betty Hutton in a bit role (that started out bigger than "bit" until Ethel Merman cut her number).
Betsy was also the original understudy for Laura in the Glass Menagerie. She was a terrific actress with a penchant for politics in a time that didn't allow such "shockingly deviant behavior."
Her scenes with Ernest Borgnine in "Marty" are among my favorite acting scenes in any more ever. Pure cinema magic.
"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
esparza 333
Broadway Star Joined: 7/24/07
#6re: Betsy Blair has passed away at 85
Posted: 3/21/09 at 6:04pmShe was a excellent actress. I was introduced to her through her interviews in Rick McKay's Broadway the Golden Age. Her interviews about working with Laurette Taylor are wonderful. May she rest in piece.
Current Avatar:The sensational Aaron Tveit in the soon to be hit production of Catch Me If You Can.
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