Betsy Palmer

Betsy Palmer Headshot

Actress

Birth Date: November 1, 1926

Death Date: May 29, 2015

Birth Place: East Chicago, Indiana

Born Patricia Betsy Hrunek in Indiana in 1926, actress Betsy Palmer was a graduate of DePaul University. Palmer's very first acting job came in 1951 when she discovered at a party in the apartment of Frank Sutton, an actor later known for his work on the sitcom "Gomer Pyle USMC" (CBS 1964-69). At the time Palmer had only been in New York City for one week. She was soon cast in a daily soap opera called "Miss Susan," produced in Philadelphia. In 1953 Palmer developed the role of Virginia in the teleplay of Paddy Chayefsky's "Marty." The story was Chayefsky's attempt to tell the story of an honest, regular-looking everyguy looking for love. Palmer next played Kitty Carter in "The Long Gray Line" (1955), starring Maureen O'Hara. That same year she had the female lead in the World War II comedy "Mister Roberts" (1955) starring Henry Fonda and Jack Lemmon. Palmer was a longtime guest on the popular show "I've Got a Secret" (CBS 1952-1967), but, perhaps most famously Palmer was cast as Mrs. Voorhees, Jason's mother, in the original "Friday the 13th" (1980). Palmer initially derided the film as garbage and claimed she only took the job so she could afford to buy a new car. The film's wide enduring appeal was a huge surprise, and Palmer reprised her role with chagrin in the film's sequel, although she refused to appear in "Freddy vs. Jason" (2003) because of the low pay rate she was offered. In 2015 Palmer died in Danbury, CT of natural causes. She was 88.

Credits

His Name was Jason: 35 Jahre Freitag, der 13.

Actor
Movie
2011

Bell Witch: The Movie

Actor
Bell Witch
Movie
2007

Waltzing Anna

Actor
Anna Rhoades
Movie
2006

Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film

Self
Movie
2006

Miedo 2: Terror en la Noche de Brujas

Actor
Movie
1999

The Fear: Halloween Night

Actor
Grandmother
Movie
1999

Miedo 2

Actor
Movie
1999

Just Shoot MeStream

Guest Star
Rhonda
Series
1997

Still Not Quite Human

Actor
Aunt Mildred
Movie
1992

Casi Humano Todavía

Actor
Movie
1992

Goddess of Love

Actor
Hera
Movie
1988

Windmills of the Gods

Actor
Mrs. Hart Brisbane
Movie
1988

Charles in ChargeStream

Guest Star
Gloria
Series
1984

Murder, She WroteStream

Guest Star
Valerie
Series
1984

NewhartStream

Guest Star
Series
1982

Friday the 13th Part 2Stream

Actor
Mrs. Pamela Voorhees
Movie
1981
32%

Isabel's Choice

Actor
Ellie Fineman
Movie
1981

Friday the 13thStream

Actor
Mrs. Pamela Voorhees
Movie
1980
66%

Knots Landing

Actor
Series
1979

ColumboStream

Guest Star
Martha Lamarr
Series
1971

Love, American Style

Actor
Barbara Kreitman
Series
1969

The Ballad of Louie the Louse

Actor
Tina Adams
Show
1959

The Last Angry Man

Actor
Anna Thrasher
Movie
1959

The True Story of Lynn Stuart

Actor
Phyllis Carter aka Lynn Stuart
Movie
1958

The Tin Star

Actor
Nona Mayfield
Movie
1957

The Alcoa Hour

Actor
Ann Fenn
Show
1955

The Long Gray LineStream

Actor
Kitty Carter
Movie
1955
90%

Queen Bee

Actor
Carol Lee Phillips
Movie
1955

Mister RobertsStream

Actor
Lt. Ann Girard
Movie
1955
93%

Climax!Stream

Actor
Series
1954

The United States Steel Hour

Actor
Show
1953

Sentence of Death

Actor
Ellen Morrison
Show
1953

What's My Line?Stream

Guest
Game Show
1950

Studio OneStream

Actor
Ellen Morrison
Series
1948

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