Betty Furness

Betty Furness has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contribution Motion Pictures, and to Television. She currently stars in Monarch of the Glen. During her illness she stated that she wanted nothing more than to be able to work, but her health continued to deteriorate until her death in New York from stomach cancer. In 1969, she starred as Sarah Churchill in The First Churchills, and in 1974, she played the lead in another 26-part serial, The Pallisers. She had always expressed throughout her life that her philosophy was to never turn down a job, and she stated that it was this attitude that had allowed her to progress through such an unconventional series of professions. Susan Hampshire appeared in several long-running television serials, notably in the BBC's blockbuster, The Forsyte Saga (1967), in which she played Fleur. Her dismissal was widely publicised and controversial and was viewed by many of Furness' supporters as ageism. In her autobiography, Susan's Story, she publicised her experiences, and her work on behalf of dyslexics eventually led to her being awarded the O.B.E.

She continued working for The Today Show until she was released from her contract in 1992. Her appeal was that of an "English rose", and few people were aware of her problem with dyslexia. In 1990 she was diagnosed with cancer. Soon afterwards, she was taken up by Walt Disney, and starred in The Three Lives of Thomasina and The Fighting Prince of Donegal. In 1977 her program Buyline: Betty Furness won the Peabody Award. She first became famous after playing the lead in a 1962 BBC adaptation of What Katy Did. In 1976 she began an association with The Today Show filling in as anchor, and providing regular reports. Susan Hampshire (born 12 May 1938) is an English actress best known for her many film and television roles.

Signed by WNBC in New York, Furness reported on consumer issues, and specifically targeted examples of consumer fraud. She headed the Consumer Affairs Departments of both New York City, and New York State from the late 1960s before returning to television. During her tenure she silenced her critics by applying herself studiously to her role and learning the issues relating to consumer rights. She accepted the assignment and continued in this role until the end of the Johnson administration in 1969.

In 1967 President Lyndon Baines Johnson, aware of her work for the Democrats contacted Furness and offered her a position as Special Assistant for Consumer Affairs. During this time she worked on radio, and also on behalf of the Democratic Party. She then attempted to move into a less commercialized role in television but found herself too closely associated with advertising to be taken seriously. In 1953 she appeared in her own television series Meet Betty Furness which was sponsored by Westinghouse and she remained a spokesperson for the company until 1960.

They offered her a contract to promote their products and she subsequently became closely associated with them. She filled in for an actor to promote Westinghouse products during the advertisement break, and impressed the company with her easy and professional manner. In 1948 she was performing in the television series Studio One which was broadcast live. By the end of the decade she had appeared in over forty films, but during the 1940s found it difficult to secure acting roles.

Among her film successes were Magnificent Obsession (1935) and the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film Swing Time (1936). Over the next few years she appeared in several RKO films, and became a popular actress. Her first film role was as the "Thirteenth Woman" in the 1932 film Thirteen Women but her scenes were deleted before the film's release. Born in New York, New York, Furness began her professional career as a model before being signed to a film contract by RKO Studios.

Elizabeth Mary Furness, better known as Betty Furness (January 3, 1916–April 2, 1994) was an American actress, consumer advocate and current affairs commentator.