27 Facts About Betty Furness

Elizabeth Mary Furness was an American actress, consumer advocate, and current affairs commentator.

Betty Furness was born in Manhattan, the daughter of wealthy business executive George Choate Betty Furness and his wife Florence.

Betty Furness attended the Brearley School and Bennett Junior College.

Betty Furness made her stage debut in the school holidays in the title role of Alice in Wonderland.

Betty Furness began her professional career as a model before being noticed by a talent scout and being signed to a film contract in 1932 by RKO Studios.

In 1948, Betty Furness was performing in the television series Studio One, which was broadcast live.

Betty Furness filled in for an actor to promote Westinghouse products during the advertisement break, and impressed the company with her easy and professional manner.

For decades, Betty Furness was "credited" for the blooper, until she set the record straight in the 1981 TV special TV's Censored Bloopers.

Betty Furness proved a successful spokeswoman because of her good looks and attractive, but neat and modest clothing, which she changed three times a day.

Betty Furness proved strongly independent-minded about her appearance and image, refusing to adopt a stage name or wear an apron after Westinghouse offered these suggestions.

Betty Furness did however agree to wear a wedding ring on camera to appear more like a housewife.

Betty Furness purchased all of her clothing herself, not wanting Westinghouse to decide her appearance for her.

Betty Furness hosted ABC's Penthouse Party which ran for 39 episodes from September 1950 to June 1951.

Betty Furness appeared in a series of live mysteries on ABC, under the weighty title Your Kaiser Dealer Presents Kaiser-Frazer "Adventures In Mystery" Starring Betty Furness In "Byline" which ran in November and December 1951, and again on ABC in syndication in the fall of 1957.

From January 1,1953 through July 3,1953, she appeared in her own daytime television series Meet Betty Furness, which was sponsored by Westinghouse.

Betty Furness then attempted to move into a less commercialized role in television, but found herself too closely associated with advertising to be taken seriously.

Betty Furness has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, for her contribution to motion pictures at 1533 Vine Street and for her contribution to television at 6675 Hollywood Blvd.

In 1967, President Lyndon B Johnson, aware of her work for the Democratic Party, contacted Furness and offered her the position of Special Assistant for Consumer Affairs.

Betty Furness accepted the assignment and continued in this role until the end of the Johnson administration in 1969.

Betty Furness was appointed by then-Governor of New York Nelson Rockefeller in August 1970 to serve as the first chairman and executive director of the New York State Consumer Protection Board, and served in the position until July 1971 before returning to television.

In 1971, Betty Furness was elected to the Common Cause National Governing Board.

In 1977 her program Buyline: Betty Furness won the Peabody Award.

Betty Furness married again in 1967 to Leslie Midgley, who survived her.

In 1990, Betty Furness was treated for stomach cancer, and cut down her schedule on The Today Show to four days.

Betty Furness was not happy with her termination and cited it as an example of age discrimination.

Betty Furness expressed her desire to continue working, but a recurrence of stomach cancer prevented her from doing so.

Betty Furness expressed her philosophy of never declining a job, and she believed it was the reason that she progressed through such an unconventional series of professions.