Betty Francisco (born Elizabeth Barton; September 26, 1900 – November 25, 1950) was an American

silent-film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, wh ...

actress, appearing primarily in supporting roles. Her sisters Evelyn and Margaret were also actresses.

Early years

Francisco was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. As a child, she acted in stock theater companies. When she was older, she became an artists' model.

Career

Francisco is credited in more than 50 films from 1920 to 1934, after which it appears she retired from motion picture acting. Her first film credit was in the 1920 film ''A Broadway Cowboy''. Selected as one of the

WAMPAS Baby Stars The WAMPAS Baby Stars was a promotional campaign sponsored by the United States Western Association of Motion Picture Advertisers, which honored 13 (15 in 1932) young actresses each year whom they believed to be on the threshold of movie stardom. ...

in 1923, she nevertheless continued to be cast in secondary roles and rarely played the lead. She was often cast as the "other woman", as in ''

Across the Continent ''Across the Continent'' is a lostProgressive ...

'' (1922), ''Fair Play'' (1925), and ''

The Spirit of Youth ''The Spirit of Youth'' is a 1929 American silent drama film directed by Walter Lang. A complete print of the film exists. Cast * Dorothy Sebastian as Betty Grant * Larry Kent as Jim Kenney * Betty Francisco as Claire Ewing * Maurice Murphy ...

'' (1929). Her work included a wide range of genres; in 1923, for example, she was cast in the costume drama ''

Ashes of Vengeance ''Ashes of Vengeance'' is a 1923 American drama film directed by Frank Lloyd and starring Norma Talmadge and Wallace Beery. Plot At the ball celebrating the wedding of Henry of Navarre on August 23, 1572, the evil Queen Mother Catherine de' Me ...

'', the contemporary melodrama '' Flaming Youth'', and the western '' Double Dealing''. She is seen in the

Harry Langdon Harry Philmore Langdon (June 15, 1884 – December 22, 1944) was an American comedian who appeared in vaudeville, silent films (where he had his greatest fame), and talkies.Obituary ''Variety'', December 27, 1944, page 39. Life and career Bor ...

comedy ''

Long Pants ''Long Pants'' (also known as ''Johnny Newcomer'') is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by Frank Capra and starring Harry Langdon. Additional cast members include Gladys Brockwell, Alan Roscoe, and Priscilla Bonner. Plot The silent ...

'' (1927). Her career continued into the sound era. She appears in some of the earliest movie musicals: ''

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

'' (1929), ''

Smiling Irish Eyes ''Smiling Irish Eyes'' (1929) is a Vitaphone American pre-Code musical film with Technicolor sequences. The film is now considered a lost film. However, the Vitaphone discs still exist. Plot Rory O'More leaves his sweetheart Kathleen O'Connor ba ...

'' (1929), and Cecil B. DeMille's ''

Madam Satan ''Madam Satan'' or ''Madame Satan'' is a 1930 American pre-Code musical comedy film in black and white with Multicolor sequences. It was produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille and starred Kay Johnson, Reginald Denny, Lillian Roth, and Ro ...

'' (1930). Her last film was ''Romance in the Rain'' (1934).

Personal life

In 1930, Francisco married Fred Spradling, a stock broker. She died at her Corona ranch on November 25, 1950 at 50 years old and was interred at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park cemetery in

Glendale, California Glendale is a city in the San Fernando Valley and Verdugo Mountains regions of Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, California, United States. At the 2020 United States Census, 2020 U.S. Census the population was 196,543, up from ...

Partial filmography

* ''

A Broadway Cowboy ''A Broadway Cowboy'' is a 1920 American silent Western comedy film directed by Joseph Franz and starring William Desmond. It was distributed by Pathé Exchange. Plot As described in a film magazine, Betty Jordan (Francisco), daughter of a M ...

'' (1920) * '' The Furnace'' (1920) * ''

Greater Than Love ''Greater Than Love'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by Fred Niblo. An incomplete print of the film exists in the Library of Congress.''Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection a ...

'' (1921) * '' Straight from Paris'' (1921) * ''

A Guilty Conscience ''A Guilty Conscience'' is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by David Smith and starring Antonio Moreno, Betty Francisco and Harry von Meter.Munden p.318 Cast * Antonio Moreno as Gilbert Thurstan * Betty Francisco as Emily Thurstan * ...

'' (1921) * '' Midsummer Madness'' (1921) * ''

Across the Continent ''Across the Continent'' is a lostProgressive ...

'' (1922) * ''

Her Night of Nights ''Her Night of Nights'' is a 1922 American silent comedy film directed by Hobart Henley and written by Doris Schroeder. The film stars Marie Prevost, Edward Hearn, Hallam Cooley, Betty Francisco, Charles Arling, and Jane Starr. The film was rel ...

'' (1922) * '' Double Dealing'' (1923) * ''

'' (1923) * ''

The Old Fool ''The Old Fool'' is a 1923 American Silent film, silent Western (genre), Western film directed by Edward D. Venturini and starring James O. Barrows, Lloyd Hughes (actor), Lloyd Hughes and Jim Mason (American actor), Jim Mason.Darby, William. ''M ...

'' (1923) * ''

Poor Men's Wives ''Poor Men's Wives'' is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by Louis J. Gasnier and starring Barbara La Marr, David Butler and Betty Francisco.Connelly p.216 The previous year Gasnier had directed a film called ''Rich Men's Wives''. Syn ...

'' (1923) * ''

Crinoline and Romance ''Crinoline and Romance'' is a 1923 American silent comedy film directed by Harry Beaumont and starring Viola Dana, Claude Gillingwater, and John Bowers. Plot As described in a film magazine, Colonel Charles E. Cavanaugh (Gillingwater) lives i ...

'' (1923) * '' Flaming Youth'' (1923) * ''

A Noise in Newboro ''A Noise in Newboro'' is a 1923 American silent comedy film directed by Harry Beaumont and starring Viola Dana, David Butler and Eva Novak.MacKinnon p.188 Cast * Viola Dana as Martha Mason * David Butler as Ben Colwell * Eva Novak as Anne ...

'' (1923) * ''

The Love Piker ''The Love Piker'' is a 1923 American silent romantic drama film directed by E. Mason Hopper and starring Anita Stewart, Robert Frazer and Betty Francisco.Connelly p.379 Synopsis A wealthy society woman falls in love with an engineer, but as th ...

'' (1923) * '' Maytime'' (1923) * ''

Gambling Wives ''Gambling Wives'' is a 1924 American silent melodrama film. Directed by Dell Henderson and produced by actor-producer Ben F. Wilson, it was released through Arrow Films. The film stars Marjorie Daw. Plot As described in a film magazine revi ...

'' (1924) * ''

The Wife of the Centaur ''The Wife of the Centaur'' is a 1924 American silent film, silent drama film directed by King Vidor, and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer shortly after it formed from a merger of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures, and Louis B. Mayer, Mayer Pictur ...

'' (1924) * '' Big Timber'' (1924) * ''

East of Broadway ''East of Broadway'' is a 1924 American silent film, silent comedy film directed by William K. Howard and starring Owen Moore, Marguerite De La Motte, and Mary Carr. Plot As described in a review in a film magazine, Peter Mullaney (Moore), a typ ...

'' (1924) * '' On Probation'' (1924) * ''

How to Educate a Wife ''How to Educate a Wife'' is a lost 1924 American comedy film directed by Monta Bell and written by Grant Carpenter and Douglas Z. Doty. The film stars Marie Prevost, Monte Blue, Claude Gillingwater, Vera Lewis, Betty Francisco and Creighton ...

'' (1924) * ''

Jimmie's Millions ''Jimmie's Millions'' is a 1925 American silent action film directed by James P. Hogan and starring Richard Talmadge, Betty Francisco, and Charles Clary Charles Clary (March 24, 1873 – March 24, 1931) was an American actor of the sil ...

'' (1925) * ''

Wasted Lives ''Wasted Lives'' is a 1925 American silent film, silent drama film directed by John Gorman (director), John Gorman and starring Elliott Dexter, Cullen Landis and Edith Roberts (actress), Edith Roberts.Munden p.867 Cast * Elliott Dexter as Clayton ...

'' (1925) * ''

Fair Play Fair play or Fairplay usually refers to sportsmanship. Fair play or Fairplay may also refer to: Media * ''Fair Play'' (1925 film), an American silent film * ''Fair Play'', a 1972 TV movie starring Paul Ford * ''Fair Play'' (2014 film), a Czech ...

'' (1925) * '' Private Affairs'' (1925) * '' Seven Keys to Baldpate'' (1925) * ''

Irene Irene is a name derived from εἰρήνη (eirēnē), the Greek for "peace". Irene, and related names, may refer to: * Irene (given name) Places * Irene, Gauteng, South Africa * Irene, South Dakota, United States * Irene, Texas, United Stat ...

'' (1926) * ''

Don Juan's Three Nights ''Don Juan's Three Nights'' also known as ''Don Juan's 3 Nights'' is a 1926 American silent romantic drama film directed by John Francis Dillon and starring Lewis Stone, Shirley Mason, and Malcolm McGregor. It was produced by Henry Hobart an ...

'' (1926) * ''

The Phantom of the Forest ''The Phantom of the Forest'' is a 1926 American silent film, silent Western (genre), Western film, also classified as a Northern (genre), Northern. It is directed by Henry McCarty (writer), Henry McCarty and stars Thunder the Dog, Betty Francis ...

'' (1926) * ''

The Gingham Girl ''The Gingham Girl'' is a 1927 American comedy film directed by David Kirkland and written by David Kirkland, Rex Taylor and Ewart Adamson. It is based on the 1922 play ''The Gingham Girl'' by Daniel Kusell. The film stars Lois Wilson (actress), ...

'' (1927) * ''

Too Many Crooks ''Too Many Crooks'' is a 1959 British comedy film directed by Mario Zampi. The plot concerns a bunch of inept crooks who kidnap the wife of a shady businessman, only for him to decide he doesn’t want her back. It stars George Cole, Sidney Ja ...

'' (1927) * ''

The Gay Retreat ''The Gay Retreat'' is a 1927 American silent comedy film directed by Benjamin Stoloff and starring Gene Cameron, Betty Francisco, Judy King, Sammy Cohen, Jerry Madden, and Holmes Herbert. The film was released by Fox Film Corporation on Septemb ...

'' (1927) *''

Queen of the Chorus ''Queen of the Chorus'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by Charles J. Hunt and starring Virginia Brown Faire, Rex Lease and Betty Francisco.Munden p.625 It was made by the independent producer Morris R. Schlank. Synopsis Broadway ...

'' (1928) * ''

'' (1929) * ''

'' (1929) * '' Street of Chance'' (1930) * ''

'' (1930) * ''

The Widow from Chicago ''The Widow from Chicago'' is a 1930 American pre-Code crime drama film directed by Edward F. Cline and starring Alice White, Edward G. Robinson, Neil Hamilton, and Frank McHugh. It was released by First National Pictures, a subsidiary of War ...

'' (1930) * ''

Charlie Chan Carries On ''Charlie Chan Carries On'' (1930) is the fifth novel in the Charlie Chan series by Earl Derr Biggers. Plot summary Inspector Duff, a Scotland Yard detective and friend of Chan's, first introduced in '' Behind That Curtain'', is pursuing a murde ...

'' (1931) * ''Romance in the Rain'' (1934)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Francisco, Betty 1900 births 1950 deaths Actresses from Little Rock, Arkansas American film actresses American silent film actresses 20th-century American actresses Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) WAMPAS Baby Stars