Betty Bronson(1906-1971)
- Actress
Betty Bronson's discovery reads like a Hollywood dream. As a New Jersey
teenage bit-player, she was rocketed from obscurity when she was chosen
to play the part of Peter Pan in 1924's
Peter Pan (1924). She was hand-selected
by author J.M. Barrie and beat several
Hollywood superstars to the part, most notably
Gloria Swanson and
Mary Pickford. Pickford, though nearly 30,
had built a career out of playing such parts, and faced the first
serious threat to her status as "America's Sweetheart". Betty's
beautifully expressive performance and unsophisticated looks earned her
instant success. For the year following "Peter Pan"'s release,
Bronson-mania easily equaled the sort of hysteria previously reserved
only for Pickford.
Unfortunately, Bronson's studio seemed unsure of how to exploit this talent, which was wasted in small or unchallenging roles. "Peter Pan"'s 1925 follow-up, A Kiss for Cinderella (1925), seemed destined for the same success--but instead was a major flop. In only one year the public taste had changed so much as to render the sentimental entertainment of yesteryear obsolete. Had Bronson emerged ten years earlier she would have been a worthy competitor to Pickford; in 1925, audiences were suddenly more interested in the more adult charms of flappers such as Clara Bow and Colleen Moore. Betty, too, was re-launched as a flapper, sophisticate and occasional period dame. Her career was moderately successful but her superstardom had subsided. She sparkled and demonstrated an excellent voice in her first sound appearance (Le fou chantant (1928) with Al Jolson) but it became clear that her formidable skills as a pantomimist was wasted in the new form. She retired in 1933 to marry, and only appeared on-screen intermittently thereafter.
Unfortunately, Bronson's studio seemed unsure of how to exploit this talent, which was wasted in small or unchallenging roles. "Peter Pan"'s 1925 follow-up, A Kiss for Cinderella (1925), seemed destined for the same success--but instead was a major flop. In only one year the public taste had changed so much as to render the sentimental entertainment of yesteryear obsolete. Had Bronson emerged ten years earlier she would have been a worthy competitor to Pickford; in 1925, audiences were suddenly more interested in the more adult charms of flappers such as Clara Bow and Colleen Moore. Betty, too, was re-launched as a flapper, sophisticate and occasional period dame. Her career was moderately successful but her superstardom had subsided. She sparkled and demonstrated an excellent voice in her first sound appearance (Le fou chantant (1928) with Al Jolson) but it became clear that her formidable skills as a pantomimist was wasted in the new form. She retired in 1933 to marry, and only appeared on-screen intermittently thereafter.
