"Kill her, Mommy. Kill her. Don't let her live."
--Mrs. Voorhees splitting into Jason in "Friday
The 13th" (1980).
Betsy Palmer must have had the best dentist during the time she played her iconic role of Mrs. Voorhees in the original "Friday The 13th."
She acts the role with her teeth, front and center, in a manner not seen before or since. In so doing, she achieved screen immortality. Which was a big surprise to her, back then.
And, ever since, this date has become iconically linked to her. At least, as far as some us go, who just LOVE Mrs. Voorhees.
My favorite moment is when laughs, then says, "I'M not afraid!"
Nor should any of us be. May you all have a happy Friday The 13th, hopefully for non-murderous reasons.
Behave yourselves today, girls! Not like that horn dog Barry, and that slut, Claudette!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't tell you how disoriented I get every Saturday night, when I see Betsy on ancient B&W reruns of Password and Name Game. She is an absolute ditsy dimwit who behaves as if she couldn't find her way off set, making Marilyn Monroe seem like Einstein. On Password, she habitually blurts out the actual password while trying to come up with a clue, repeatedly driving Allen Ludden up the wall (admittedly, that is great fun to watch).
ReplyDeleteTo think this apparent ding-a-ling ended up being one of the most intense, demented, remembered screen monsters of all time is hard to reconcile. Good on her for pulling it off.
ReplyDeleteDid you ever see Betsy in the Joan Crawford film,
"Queen Bee?" She plays a straight dramatic role as
some naïve thing who gets caught in Joan's web and
is found hanged in the stable.
She always personified Fifties wholesomeness.
Which is why her turn as Mrs. Voorhees was so
surprising, at the time. Who could have known
it would have been her signature role? Not
even Betsy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!