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 Betsy Palmer was probably best known for playing Jason Voorhees' mother in the horror film Friday the 13th (1980), but her career as an actress began many years before.Palmer was born Patricia Betsy Hrunek in East Chicago, Indiana, to Marie (n��e Love), who launched the Chicago Business College, and Rudolph Vincent Hrunek, a Czech-born industrial chemist. Palmer played a young female officer opposite Jack Lemmon in Mister Roberts (1955), and appeared in another war film the same year, The Long Gray Line (1955). Throughout the late 1950s, Palmer was recognized as a news reporter on Today (1952) on NBC, then became largely involved in television. She remained in made-for-TV films and notable guest appearances, before playing the murderous avenging mother, Mrs. Voorhees, in the horror film Friday the 13th (1980). She also continued working in television, and appearing in low-budget films like The Fear: Resurrection (1999). Palmer spent her later years between her home in New York City and Sedona, Arizona.Betsy Palmer died of natural causes on a Friday, May 29, 2015, at a hospice care center in Danbury, Connecticut.
Bio:
Betsy Palmer was probably best known for playing Jason Voorhees' mother in the horror film Friday the 13th (1980), but her career as an actress began many years before.Palmer was born Patricia Betsy Hrunek in East Chicago, Indiana, to Marie (n��e Love), who launched the Chicago Business College, and Rudolph Vincent Hrunek, a Czech-born industrial chemist. Palmer played a young female officer opposite Jack Lemmon in Mister Roberts (1955), and appeared in another war film the same year, The Long Gray Line (1955). Throughout the late 1950s, Palmer was recognized as a news reporter on Today (1952) on NBC, then became largely involved in television. She remained in made-for-TV films and notable guest appearances, before playing the murderous avenging mother, Mrs. Voorhees, in the horror film Friday the 13th (1980). She also continued working in television, and appearing in low-budget films like The Fear: Resurrection (1999). Palmer spent her later years between her home in New York City and Sedona, Arizona.Betsy Palmer died of natural causes on a Friday, May 29, 2015, at a hospice care center in Danbury, Connecticut.
Tivia:
Lived with James Dean for eight months.Stated that she never would have played the role of Mrs. Pamela Voorhees in Friday the 13th (1980) if it had not been for the fact that she was in desperate need of a new car.Was asked to reprise her role of Mrs. Pamela Voorhees in Freddy vs. Jason (2003) but turned down because she felt the role was too small for her. The role went to Paula Shaw.Attended the 25th Anniversary "Friday the 13th" Convention on May 13 and 14, 2005, in her trademark Mrs. Voorhees sweater at the Hollywood and Highland Center in Los Angeles, CA.Best known for her many television appearances and, later, for her role as Pamela Voorhees in the horror film Friday the 13th (1980).Lifelong friend of James Dean.Was once a chauffeur for Mady Christians, and once a professional secretary.Remained good friends with Adrienne King, during and after Friday the 13th (1980) and its spin-off movie, Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981).Was the last surviving member of the I've Got a Secret (1952) original version's cast.Her first-ever job was as a secretary at the B&O Railroad.Her ex-Friday the 13th (1980) co-star, Adrienne King, attended conventions with her, before Palmer's death.In her final years, she moved back to Connecticut, to be closer to her daughter.Acting mentor and friends of: Adrienne King and Kevin Bacon.After her role on Bell Witch: The Movie (2007), she retired from acting at age 80.While doing a film for Warner Bros., producers Mark Goodson and Bill Todman, were approaching her for I've Got a Secret (1952), as one of the panelists. Fortunately, she got the position.When she was starring on Friday the 13th (1980), she didn't prepare for the fighting.Between 1953 to 2001, Palmer had appeared on 73 television shows.Friends with: Shirley Jones, Florence Henderson, Angela Lansbury, Jack Lord, Gavin MacLeod, Dick Van Dyke, Bill Cullen, Henry Morgan, Bess Myerson, Michele Lee, Julie Harris, Robert Conrad, Leonard Nimoy, Julie Adams, Piper Laurie, Will Hutchins and James Dean.The first book she ever read was "I Have a Secret," years later, she ended up doing I've Got a Secret (1952).Had met struggling actor Gavin MacLeod in The True Story of Lynn Stuart (1958). The two would be friends for over 55 years, until Palmer's death in mid-2015. Both Palmer and MacLeod worked on episodes of both series: Hawaii Five-O (1968) and The Love Boat (1977).Before she was a successful actress, she sold shoes at Marshall Fields, in Chicago, Illinois.In her young career, she admired Joan Crawford.Before she was a successful actress, in her early career, she was a 'Today' girl, on Today (1952).Her acting mentors were the late Luise Rainer and Paul Muni, who were another one of her idols.Began acting when she was a little girl.In 1949, at age 22, Palmer worked alongside, 2 unfamiliar actors, Sally Berman and Tom Bosley, in summer stock, which they wound up doing opera, and would work, each weekend. The 3 continued doing so for six months.Palmer was inducted to Northwest Indiana's South Shore Wall of Legends, but did not attend the ceremony. [19 December 2013].During her run on Knots Landing (1979), Palmer mentioned in an interview the number of movies that she had done, then followed it with: "That's not counting Friday the 13th. I don't really count that as a movie.".Her parents were Marie (n��e Love) Hrunek, who launched the Chicago Business College, and Rudolph Vincent Hrunek, an industrial chemist from Czechoslovakia.Co-hosted with ex-I've Got a Secret (1952) panelmate, Bill Cullen, on "Ideas for Better Living".Before she was a successful actress, she worked with Luise Rainer in a play, "Biography.".Before she was a successful actress, she was once a letter turner on Wheel of Fortune (1952).When she was little, her family moved to Hessville, Indiana.Attended and graduated from DePaul University in Chicago, IL.Studied drama at HB Studio in Greenwich Village, New York City.She won the lead role of Pamela Voorhees in Friday the 13th (1980) when she was on Broadway and did 1 1/2 yrs. of the play, 'Same Time, Next Year,' while living in Connecticut. She was driving in Connecticut after her performance that evening when her car conked out on her.Had left acting in the 1970s, to return to Broadway.Won the 2006 Best Actress Award at the Terror Film Festival for Penny Dreadful (2005).Had one daughter with Dr. Vincent J. Merendino: Melissa "Missy" Merendino (born 1962).Before she was a successful actress, she worked at WGN-TV in Chicago in the secretarial pool.Often spends her time between her home in New York City and Sedona, AZ.Graduated from East Chicago Roosevelt High School in East Chicago, Indiana, in 1944.When she was doing television, she had to leave her parents' house in Chicago to move to New York City where she saved $400 from her summer stock work. A few weeks later, she moved to NYC.Betsy Palmer passed away on May 29, 2015, at age 88, six days after Anne Meara, and within four months of seven television legends, also born in 1926, either aged 88 or 89: Robert H. Schuller, James Best, Roger Mayer, Stan Freberg, Verne Gagne, Bud Yorkin and Elisabeth Elliot Gren.Her hobbies (throughout her long life) were: partying, petting, dining out, reading, spending time with family, collecting necklaces and cooking.Her ex-husband, Dr. Vincent J. Merendino, died on April 8, 2007, just 8 years before Palmer's own death. He was 90.Betsy Palmer died on May 29, 2015, at age 88. Just 20 days before her death, her movie Friday the 13th (1980) was released 35 years ago.Met her first husband, Dr. Vincent J. Meredino, at a luncheon, while in New York.Like many young women of her generation, when Palmer couldn't afford the money to go to college she learned to be a stenographer.She attended Warren G Harding Elementary School in Hammond, Indiana, living an A Christmas Story childhood. |
| Name: |
Betsy Palmer |
Type: |
Actress,Additional Crew,Soundtrack (IMDB) |
| Area: |
All World |
Platform: |
IMDB |
| Category: |
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Business scope: |
Actress,Additional Crew,Soundtrack |
| Products for sale: |
Actress,Additional Crew,Soundtrack |
| Last update: |
2024-07-01 05:16:33 |
| Height: |
5' 7' (1.70 m) |
| Biography: |
Betsy Palmer was probably best known for playing Jason Voorhees\' mother in the horror film Friday the 13th (1980), but her career as an actress began many years before.Palmer was born Patricia Betsy Hrunek in East Chicago, Indiana, to Marie (n��e |
| Trivia: |
Lived with James Dean for eight months.Stated that she never would have played the role of Mrs. Pamela Voorhees in Friday the 13th (1980) if it had not been for the fact that she was in desperate need of a new car.Was asked to reprise her role of Mrs. Pamela Voorhees in Freddy vs. Jason (2003) but turned down because she felt the role was too small for her. The role went to Paula Shaw.Attended the 25th Anniversary "Friday the 13th" Convention on May 13 and 14, 2005, in her trademark Mrs. Voorhees sweater at the Hollywood and Highland Center in Los Angeles, CA.Best known for her many television appearances and, later, for her role as Pamela Voorhees in the horror film Friday the 13th (1980).Lifelong friend of James Dean.Was once a chauffeur for Mady Christians, and once a professional secretary.Remained good friends with Adrienne King, during and after Friday the 13th (1980) and its spin-off movie, Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981).Was the last surviving member of the I've Got a Secret (1952) original version's cast.Her first-ever job was as a secretary at the B&O Railroad.Her ex-Friday the 13th (1980) co-star, Adrienne King, attended conventions with her, before Palmer's death.In her final years, she moved back to Connecticut, to be closer to her daughter.Acting mentor and friends of: Adrienne King and Kevin Bacon.After her role on Bell Witch: The Movie (2007), she retired from acting at age 80.While doing a film for Warner Bros., producers Mark Goodson and Bill Todman, were approaching her for I've Got a Secret (1952), as one of the panelists. Fortunately, she got the position.When she was starring on Friday the 13th (1980), she didn't prepare for the fighting.Between 1953 to 2001, Palmer had appeared on 73 television shows.Friends with: Shirley Jones, Florence Henderson, Angela Lansbury, Jack Lord, Gavin MacLeod, Dick Van Dyke, Bill Cullen, Henry Morgan, Bess Myerson, Michele Lee, Julie Harris, Robert Conrad, Leonard Nimoy, Julie Adams, Piper Laurie, Will Hutchins and James Dean.The first book she ever read was "I Have a Secret," years later, she ended up doing I've Got a Secret (1952).Had met struggling actor Gavin MacLeod in The True Story of Lynn Stuart (1958). The two would be friends for over 55 years, until Palmer's death in mid-2015. Both Palmer and MacLeod worked on episodes of both series: Hawaii Five-O (1968) and The Love Boat (1977).Before she was a successful actress, she sold shoes at Marshall Fields, in Chicago, Illinois.In her young career, she admired Joan Crawford.Before she was a successful actress, in her early career, she was a 'Today' girl, on Today (1952).Her acting mentors were the late Luise Rainer and Paul Muni, who were another one of her idols.Began acting when she was a little girl.In 1949, at age 22, Palmer worked alongside, 2 unfamiliar actors, Sally Berman and Tom Bosley, in summer stock, which they wound up doing opera, and would work, each weekend. The 3 continued doing so for six months.Palmer was inducted to Northwest Indiana's South Shore Wall of Legends, but did not attend the ceremony. [19 December 2013].During her run on Knots Landing (1979), Palmer mentioned in an interview the number of movies that she had done, then followed it with: "That's not counting Friday the 13th. I don't really count that as a movie.".Her parents were Marie (n��e Love) Hrunek, who launched the Chicago Business College, and Rudolph Vincent Hrunek, an industrial chemist from Czechoslovakia.Co-hosted with ex-I've Got a Secret (1952) panelmate, Bill Cullen, on "Ideas for Better Living".Before she was a successful actress, she worked with Luise Rainer in a play, "Biography.".Before she was a successful actress, she was once a letter turner on Wheel of Fortune (1952).When she was little, her family moved to Hessville, Indiana.Attended and graduated from DePaul University in Chicago, IL.Studied drama at HB Studio in Greenwich Village, New York City.She won the lead role of Pamela Voorhees in Friday the 13th (1980) when she was on Broadway and did 1 1/2 yrs. of the play, 'Same Time, Next Year,' while living in Connecticut. She was driving in Connecticut after her performance that evening when her car conked out on her.Had left acting in the 1970s, to return to Broadway.Won the 2006 Best Actress Award at the Terror Film Festival for Penny Dreadful (2005).Had one daughter with Dr. Vincent J. Merendino: Melissa "Missy" Merendino (born 1962).Before she was a successful actress, she worked at WGN-TV in Chicago in the secretarial pool.Often spends her time between her home in New York City and Sedona, AZ.Graduated from East Chicago Roosevelt High School in East Chicago, Indiana, in 1944.When she was doing television, she had to leave her parents' house in Chicago to move to New York City where she saved $400 from her summer stock work. A few weeks later, she moved to NYC.Betsy Palmer passed away on May 29, 2015, at age 88, six days after Anne Meara, and within four months of seven television legends, also born in 1926, either aged 88 or 89: Robert H. Schuller, James Best, Roger Mayer, Stan Freberg, Verne Gagne, Bud Yorkin and Elisabeth Elliot Gren.Her hobbies (throughout her long life) were: partying, petting, dining out, reading, spending time with family, collecting necklaces and cooking.Her ex-husband, Dr. Vincent J. Merendino, died on April 8, 2007, just 8 years before Palmer's own death. He was 90.Betsy Palmer died on May 29, 2015, at age 88. Just 20 days before her death, her movie Friday the 13th (1980) was released 35 years ago.Met her first husband, Dr. Vincent J. Meredino, at a luncheon, while in New York.Like many young women of her generation, when Palmer couldn't afford the money to go to college she learned to be a stenographer.She attended Warren G Harding Elementary School in Hammond, Indiana, living an A Christmas Story childhood. |
| Trademarks: |
Natural blonde hair
Deep sultry voice |
| Quotes: |
[Getting the role of Pamela Voorhees in Friday the 13th (1980)] My agent called and said "How'd you like to do a movie?" Great! I had not done a movie in years, California? No, it's going to be shot in New Jersey, and it's ten days work, [I'll] make $1,000 a day. But there's a catch: It's a horror film. I said "Oh no! It's bad enough I'm known as a game show player on I've Got a Secret (1952). I said "Send me the script." He sent it to me, I read it, and I said "What a piece of shit!" No one's ever going to see this thing! It will come, it will go, that's the end of it. I called him, and said "I'll do it." And that's my part of story. |
| Salaries: |
Friday the 13th (1980) - $10,000 ($1,000/day) |
| Job title: |
Actress,Additional Crew,Soundtrack |
| Others works: |
(1952) Co-hosted, with Todd Russell, the original CBS-TV weekly game show Wheel of Fortune (1952).
Stage: Appeared (as Dolly Levi) in "Hello, Dolly!" at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ.
(1974) Stage: Appeared in William Inge's &q |
| Spouse: |
Dr. Vincent Joseph Merendino (May 8, 1954 - September 18, 1971) (divorced, 1 child) |
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