Betty Jewel (born Julia Baroni) was an American actress active in the 1920s.

Biography

Betty was born in Omaha to an Italian father, Attilio, and a French mother (who seems to have died when Betty was young). She later graduated from a convent before deciding to pursue a career in show business. Early on, she was a

Ziegfeld Florenz Edward Ziegfeld Jr. (; March 21, 1867 – July 22, 1932) was an American Broadway impresario, notable for his series of theatrical revues, the ''Ziegfeld Follies'' (1907–1931), inspired by the ''Folies Bergère'' of Paris. He also p ...

showgirl. Her father owned a number of Italian restaurants, and he managed to secure his daughter a meeting with

D.W. Griffith David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 – July 23, 1948) was an American film director. Considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture, he pioneered many aspects of film editing and expanded the art of the na ...

through some of his customers. Griffith took a liking to her and christened her "The Third Orphan of the Storm" (the other two being Dorothy and Lillian Gish). Soon she was tapped to feature in films like '' The Silent Command'' and ''

The New Commandment The New Commandment is a term used in Christianity to describe Jesus's commandment to "love one another" which, according to the Bible, was given as part of the final instructions to his disciples after the Last Supper had ended, and after Judas ...

''; she'd later win star status in Westerns like '' The Mysterious Rider'' and ''Arizona Bound''. She reportedly spent a year learning to ride horses at

Griffith Park Griffith Park is a large municipal park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains, in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park includes popular attractions such as the Los Angeles Zoo, the Autry Museum of the Ameri ...

in Los Angeles, California, to prepare for roles in these Westerns. She married Max Schlesinger in 1927; the pair eventually divorced, at which point she seems to have retired from the business. She later married Frank Elfred. She was also briefly linked to British actor

Ronald Colman Ronald Charles Colman (9 February 1891 – 19 May 1958) was an English-born actor, starting his career in theatre and silent film in his native country, then immigrating to the United States and having a successful Hollywood film career. He wa ...

Filmography

* '' Orphans of the Storm'' (1921) * '' The Silent Command'' (1923) * ''

Mile-a-Minute Romeo ''Mile-a-Minute Romeo'' is a 1923 American silent Western film directed by Lambert Hillyer and written by Robert N. Lee. It is based on the 1922 novel ''Gun Gentlemen'' by Max Brand. The film stars Tom Mix, Betty Jewel, J. Gordon Russell, J ...

'' (1923) * ''

The Necessary Evil ''The Necessary Evil'' is a lost 1925 American silent drama film directed by George Archainbaud and starring Ben Lyon, Viola Dana, and Frank Mayo. The film's sets were designed by the art director Milton Menasco. Plot As described in a film ...

'' (1925) * ''

Partners Again ''Partners Again'' is a 1926 American silent comedy film that was produced by Samuel Goldwyn, released through United Artists, and directed by Henry King. This ethnic Jewish humor film is based on the 1922 Broadway play ''Partners Again'' star ...

'' (1926) * '' The Mysterious Rider'' (1927) * '' Arizona Bound'' (1927) * '' The Last Outlaw'' (1927)

References

External links

* 1899 births 1963 deaths American film actresses Actresses from Omaha, Nebraska 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American people {{US-actor-stub