Betty Field
A fiercely talented stage and screen actress who brought a raw, modern nervous energy to Broadway triumphs and complex Hollywood roles.
1913–1973 (age 60)·American actress·Birthday: February 8·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Betty Field possessed an electric presence that felt distinctly contemporary, even when she was playing small-town girls. She exploded onto Broadway in 1939 as the fragile, desperate Libby in 'The Time of Your Life', a performance that announced a new kind of American actress—unvarnished, psychologically acute, and magnetically troubled. Hollywood quickly called, and she delivered memorable turns as the naive farm girl in 'Of Mice and Men' and the restless small-town wife in 'Kings Row'. Field never quite fit the glamorous studio mold; her strength was in portraying yearning, instability, and intelligence. She repeatedly returned to the theater, her first love, earning Tony nominations and cementing her reputation as a serious artist. Her career arc was that of an actor's actor, choosing compelling parts over stardom and leaving behind a gallery of beautifully unsettled women.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Betty was born in 1913, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Betty Was Born
The biggest hits of 1913
Betty's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1913Born
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1918Started school
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1926Became a teenager
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1929Could drive
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1931Could vote
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1934Turned 21
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1943Turned 30
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1953Turned 40
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 50
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 60
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
Key Achievements
- Earned critical acclaim for her Broadway debut as Libby in William Saroyan's 'The Time of Your Life' (1939).
- Received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play for 'Dream Girl' (1946).
- Starred as Mae in the film adaptation of John Steinbeck's 'Of Mice and Men' (1939).
- Delivered a powerful performance as the daughter seeking her mother's love in the film 'Bus Stop' (1956).
Did You Know?
She was discovered by a Broadway producer while working as a hat check girl at a theater.
Field studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
She was married to playwright Elmer Rice for over 20 years.
She turned down the role of Blanche DuBois in the national tour of 'A Streetcar Named Desire'.
“I don't want to be a star. I want to be an actress who works.”
