Betsy Blair began her career on stage in the early 1940s and, after a break for marriage and motherhood (her first husband was dancer Gene Kelly), made her film debut in "The Guilt of Janet Ames" (1947). She went on to draw notice for her turn as a down-on-her-luck rich girl in "Another Part of the Forest" and as one of the mad women in "The Snake Pit" (both 1948). Blair, though, is perhaps best remembered for her sensitive portrayal of the plain schoolteacher who finds love with Ernest Borgnine in "Marty" (1955), for which she earned a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination.
After separating from Kelly, Blair moved to Europe where she played another schoolteacher in Juan Antonio Bardem's "Calle Mayor/The Lovemaker" (1956), however, this time her character's attempts to realize a lasting romance came to nought. She acted in Michelangelo Antonioni's "Il Grido/The Outcry" (1957) and Claude Berri's "Marry Me, Marry Me" (1969) but for the most part remained content in a state of virtual retirement, from which she emerged periodically for projects like Tony Richardson's film version of Edward Albee's "A Delicate Balance" (1973), Costa-Gavras' "Betrayed" (1988), as Tom Berenger's mother, and the CBS miniseries "Scarlett" (1994), as a nun. In 2001, the still attractive actress re-emerged once again to play a key role in the film adaptation of "The Hours".
Significant Others
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Husband: . lived in London
Milestones
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1940 Appeared on Broadway in support of Ethel Merman in Cole Porter's "Panama Hattie"
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1941 Returned to Broadway in William Saroyan's "The Beautiful People", produced and directed by the playwright
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1945 Was understudy for role of Laura in the original Broadway production of "The Glass Menagerie"
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1947 Film acting debut in "The Guilt of Janet Ames", followed by a small role in "A Double Life"
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1948 Appeared as the daughter of an aristocratic family in need of funds in "Another Part of the Forest" and provided one of the stand-out portrayals of insanity in "The Snake Pit"
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1950 Acted in John Sturges' "Mystery Street"
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1951 Played Maurice Evans' wife in Sturges' "Kind Lady"
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1955 Won Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actress for her sensitive, plain schoolteacher in "Marty"
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1956 Portrayed spinster schoolteacher who does not get her man in Juan Antonio Bardem's "Calle Mayor/The Lovemaker"
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1957 Acted in Michelangelo Antonioni's "Il Grido/The Outcry"
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1969 Appeared in Claude Berri's "Marry Me, Marry Me"
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1973 Played Joseph Cotten's wife in "A Delicate Balance", directed by Tony Richardson; last film for more than a decade
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1986 Returned to features in "Flight of the Spruce Goose" and "Descente aux enfers"
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1988 Cast as Lady McLaidlaw in the TV remake of "Suspicion" (PBS)
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1988 Last feature to date, Costa-Gavras' "Betrayed", playing Tom Berringer's mother
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1994 Made one-shot return to acting portraying Sister Mary Catherine in CBS miniseries "Scarlett"
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2001 Returned to feature films with small role in "The Hours"
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After second marriage, settled in England
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As a teenager, began auditioning for dance roles on Broadway and in nightclubs
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Moved to France and lived there for about five years
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Raised in New Jersey