Betty Balfour

Betty Balfour (born Florence Lilian Woods; 27 March 1902 – 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.
Life and career
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), rediscovered in 2014, and Reveille (1924), 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 to composer Jimmy Campbell went on the rocks in 1941 after ten years and an attempt of a comeback on the stage failed in 1952. She died at age 74 in Weybridge, Surrey.
Filmography
Nothing Else Matters (1920) – Sally
Mary-Find-the-Gold (1921) – Mary Smith
Squibs (1921) – Squibs Hopkins
Squibs Wins the Calcutta Sweep (1922) – Squibs Hopkins
Wee MacGregor's Sweetheart (1922) – Christine
Mord Em'ly (1922) – Maud Emily
Love, Life and Laughter (1923) – Tip-Toes
Squibs' Honeymoon (1923) – Squibs Hopkins
Squibs M.P. (1923) – Squibs Hopkins
Reveille (1924) – Mick
Satan's Sister (1925) – Jude Tyler
Somebody's Darling (1925) – Joan Meredith
Monte Carlo (1925) – Betty Oliver
Blinkeyes (1926) – Blinkeyes
Cinders (La petite bonne du palace) (1926)
Pearl of Love (1925)
La Petite Bonne du palace (The Maid at the Palace) (1926) – Betty Cinders
The Sea Urchin (1926) – Fay Wynchbeck
Topical Budget newsreel: "Cinema Stars' Rally" (1926) – self
Croquette (Monkey Nuts) (1928) – Croquette
Le Diable au cœur (Little Devil May Care) (1928) – Ludivine Ducaille – une fille étrange
Die sieben Töchter der Frau Gyurkovics (A Sister of Six) (1926) – Mizzi
Champagne (1928) – The Girl
A Little Bit of Fluff (1928) – Mamie Scott
Die Regimentstochter (Daughter of the Regiment) (1929) – Marie – Regiments Daughter
Paradise (1928) – Kitty Cranston
Bright Eyes (Champagner) (1929) – Jenny
The Vagabond Queen (1929) – Sally / Princess Zonia
Raise the Roof (1930) – Maisie Grey
The Nipper (also known as The Brat) (1930) – The Nipper
My Old Dutch (1934) – Lil
Evergreen (1934) – Maudie
Brown on Resolution – Elizabeth Brown
Squibs (1935) – Amelia "Squibs" Hopkins
Eliza Comes to Stay (1936) – Eliza Vandan
29 Acacia Avenue (1945) – Mrs. Robinson
References
External links
Photographs and literature at Virtual History
1902 births
1977 deaths
English film actresses
English silent film actresses
English stage actresses
People from Chester-le-Street
20th-century English actresses
Actresses from London
Actresses from County Durham