Betty Balfour

Betty Balfour

Born: March 27, 1903
Died: November 4, 1977
in London, England, UK
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Betty Balfour (27 March 1903 – 4 November 1977) was an English screen actress, popular during the silent era, and known as the "British Mary Pickford" and "Britain's Queen of Happiness". She was best known to audiences for her Squibs series of films. Balfour was the most popular actress in Britain in the 1920s, and in 1927 she was named by the Daily Mirror as the country's favourite world star. Her talent was most evident in the Squibs comedy series produced by George Pearson, while in his Love, Life and Laughter (1923) and Reveille (1924), rediscovered in 2014, she demonstrated a serious side to her character. Her role as a wealthy heiress in Somebody's Darling (1925) was an attempt to break out of her previous role as Squibs, to avoid typecasting.

She made her stage debut in 1913, and was appearing in Medora at the Alhambra Theatre in Leicester Square when T. A. Welsh and Pearson saw and signed her for Nothing Else Matters in 1920. After replacing Gertrude Lawrence on stage in The Midnight Follies, Balfour was back with Pearson with her first starring role in Mary Find the Gold.

In 1916 she starred in Fred Karno's all female revue, 'All Women,' notable at the time for its all female cast, including stage manager, musical director and advanced agent.

Balfour made no attempt to break into Hollywood but like Ivor Novello she was able to export her talents to mainland Europe. She starred in the German films, Die sieben Töchter der Frau Gyurkovics and Die Regimentstochter; she also worked for Marcel L'Herbier in Le Diable au cœur, for Louis Mercanton in Croquette and La Petite Bonne du palace, and for Géza von Bolváry in Bright Eyes.

Back in Britain, she also starred in Alfred Hitchcock's Champagne (1928). Balfour's sound debut, The Nipper (1930), based on the Squibs character, was only moderately successful. Her popularity diminished in the 1930s, though she played a supporting role to Jessie Matthews in Evergreen (1934), appeared with John Mills in Forever England (1935) and played the matriarch in 29 Acacia Avenue (1945).

Balfour had less fortune in her private life. Her marriage with composer Jimmy Campbell went on the rocks in 1941 after ten years, a try of a comeback at the theatre failed in 1952. She died at age 74 in Weybridge, Surrey.

Movies for Betty Balfour...

29 Acacia Avenue
Title: 29 Acacia Avenue
Character: Mrs Robinson
Released: May 1, 1945
Type: Movie
The Robinsons are two respectable middle class parents living with their children in a suburban house in Acacia Avenue. Preferring to holiday every year in Bognor, they are pressed into booking a cruise for their annual vacation and thereby leaving their teenage children free run of their house. As the youngsters enjoy their newfound freedom and discover the angst of teenage life, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson begin to have second thoughts about their cruise and decide to return home early.
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Eliza Comes to Stay
Title: Eliza Comes to Stay
Character: Eliza Vandan
Released: April 9, 1936
Type: Movie
A British comedy film directed by Henry Edwards
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Squibs
Title: Squibs
Character: Amelia "Squibs" Hopkins
Released: June 11, 1935
Type: Movie
Squibs, a cockney flowerseller with a father overwhelmed by gambling debts wins through with the help of assorted friends and a romantically inclined policeman.
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Brown on Resolution
Title: Brown on Resolution
Character: Elizabeth Brown
Released: May 15, 1935
Type: Movie
Forever England gives John Mills his first leading role as Brown. Born after a brief affair between his mother and a naval officer, he joins the Royal Navy during the First World War. There his bravery and marksmanship keeps a German ship in port so a British ship can sink it. He becomes a hero, but at what cost?
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My Old Dutch
Title: My Old Dutch
Character: Lil
Released: October 1, 1934
Type: Movie
Moving family drama of the life of a working-class Hackney couple over 40 years, inspired by the famous music hall song This moving family drama - with time for some laughs - portrays the life and hardships of a working class Hackney couple over a span of 40 years. Our intrepid couple (wonderfully played by Betty Balfour and Michael Hogan) have to face everything life throws at them with fortitude, from the Great War (a son in the RAF and zeppelin raids) to a raging oil fire during the Great Strike. The inimitable Gordon Harker provides sterling support. The film the couple watch at the cinema is the 1915 version of My Old Dutch, starring Albert Chevalier (writer of the original music hall song) and Florence Turner. As the complete silent film is now believed to be lost, this 1934 version contains the only surviving footage.
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Evergreen
Title: Evergreen
Character: Maudie
Released: April 1, 1934
Type: Movie
Harriet Green, a beloved and radiant music hall star of the Edwardian era, mysteriously disappears on the eve of her wedding. Years later, she reappears on the stage as young looking and beautiful as ever.
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The Nipper
Title: The Nipper
Character: The Nipper
Released: June 1, 1930
Type: Movie
A producer makes a star of the cockney waif who tried to rob him.
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Raise the Roof
Title: Raise the Roof
Character: Maisie Grey
Released: February 13, 1930
Type: Movie
The wealthy Rodney Langford, who dreams of going on the stage, hopes to fulfil his ambitions by buying a failing revue called 'Raise the Roof', starring Maisie Grey. His father, fearing scandal, bribes amoral actor Atherley Armitage to sabotage the show. But, when all hope seems lost, Maisie comes up with an ingenious idea to try and save the day.
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Daughter of the Regiment
Title: Daughter of the Regiment
Character: Marie
Released: June 11, 1929
Type: Movie
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The Vagabond Queen
Title: The Vagabond Queen
Character: Sally / Princess Zonia
Released: May 11, 1929
Type: Movie
The Vagabond Queen is a 1929 British comedy film directed by Géza von Bolváry and starring Betty Balfour, Glen Byam Shaw and Ernest Thesiger. It was the final film directed in Britain by Bolváry before he returned to Germany. A young woman takes the place of a Princess who is a target for an assassination. This film was released in May 1929 as a silent film and re-released with synchronized music and sound effects in August 1930.
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Bright Eyes
Title: Bright Eyes
Character: Jenny
Released: March 29, 1929
Type: Movie
A 1929 British-Austrian romance film directed by Géza von Bolváry.
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Paradise
Title: Paradise
Character: Kitty Cranston
Released: September 10, 1928
Type: Movie
The daughter of a poor clergyman wins £500 and goes to find happiness on the Riviera.
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Champagne
Title: Champagne
Character: Betty
Released: August 19, 1928
Type: Movie
Betty, the rebellious daughter of a millionaire, decides to marry the penniless Jean—against her father's will—and runs away to France and lives a life of luxury on the profits from her father's business. Pretending his business is crashing, her father finally puts a stop to her behavior, which forces Betty to support herself by getting a job in a night club.
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A Little Bit of Fluff
Title: A Little Bit of Fluff
Released: July 28, 1928
Type: Movie
Syd Chaplin And Betty Balfour star in this British International Picture.
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Little Devil May Care
Title: Little Devil May Care
Character: Ludivine Bucaille - une fille étrange
Released: March 3, 1928
Type: Movie
Ludivine, a lttle tomboy, takes on the too polite Delphin. Being caught, and punished, she wants him and his father to be dead. When the latter dies, she feels guilty and takes Delphin under her wing.
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A Sister of Six
Title: A Sister of Six
Character: Mizzi
Released: December 28, 1926
Type: Movie
A silent romantic comedy
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The Cabaret Kid
Title: The Cabaret Kid
Released: November 1, 1926
Type: Movie
A pilot saves a dancer from a Paris nightclub owner and they stow away to Cornwall.
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Réveille
Title: Réveille
Character: Mick
Released: June 1, 1924
Type: Movie
A seamstress stops a poor ex-soldier from becoming a left-wing agitator.
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Love, Life and Laughter
Title: Love, Life and Laughter
Character: Tip-Toes
Released: June 1, 1923
Type: Movie
Love, Life and Laughter tells the story of a pair of working class youngsters with big dreams – a cheery chorus girl and a serious writer. The film toys with our expectations, blurring the boundaries of reverie and reality; tragedy and comedy. Directed by George Pearson, the film was considered lost for many years until in March 2014 when a copy was discovered in an old Dutch cinema.
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Squibs Wins the Calcutta Sweep
Title: Squibs Wins the Calcutta Sweep
Character: Squibs Hopkins
Released: September 1, 1922
Type: Movie
A flower girl wins £60,000 and takes her family to Paris to save her sister from her murderous husband.