Betsy von Furstenberg obit

Betsy von Furstenberg, Actress and Aristocrat, Dies at 83

 

 She was not on the list.

Betsy von Furstenberg, an elegant star of Broadway during the 1950s who also made appearances in early television and on daytime soaps, died April 21 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease in Manhattan. She was 83.

The stylish actress played a series of debutantes and society girls onstage. She made a big impression playing Myra Hagerman in Edward Chodorov’s original comedy “Oh, Men! Oh, Women!” on Broadway in 1953. (Barbara Rush played the role in the 1957 feature adaptation). During the decade she enjoyed success on the Rialto in plays including “The Chalk Garden,” “Child of Fortune,” “Nature’s Way” and a revival of “Much Ado About Nothing,”

She made her screen debut in director Géza von Radványi’s 1950 Italian war drama “Women Without Names.” During the 1950s she appeared in a number of episodic anthology shows beginning with “Starlight Theatre” in 1951 and also including “Playhouse 90,” “Pulitzer Prize Theatre,” “Armstrong Circle Theatre” and “Kraft Theatre.” She also guested on Western “Have Gun — Will Travel” and on “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” in 1958.

Later she appeared on soap “The Secret Storm” as Niele Neeves in 1973-74, on “Another World” as the Duchess of Essex in 1980 and on “As the World Turns” as Lisa Miller Hughes Eldridge Shea Colman McColl #3 in 1983-84.

Born in Germany as Elizabeth Caroline Maria Agatha Felicitas Therese von Furstenberg-Hedringen, she was the daughter of Count Franz-Egon von Furstenberg. She performed with the American Ballet Theatre when she was 7, studied acting with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse and made a splash with her stage debut in New York with Philip Barry’s “Second Threshold” in 1951: Life magazine put her on the cover and dubbed her “the most promising young actress of the year.”

Survivors include a son and a daughter; two grandchildren; and a half brother.

Actress (29 credits)

 1983-1984 As the World Turns (TV Series)

Lisa McColl

- Steve and Betsy Get Married (1984) ... Lisa McColl

- Episode dated 30 May 1984 (1984) ... Lisa McColl

- Episode dated 28 October 1983 (1983) ... Lisa McColl

- Episode #1.7008 (1983) ... Lisa McColl

 1980 Another World (TV Series)

Duchess of Essex

- Episode #1.4143 (1980) ... Duchess of Essex

 1973 Bachelor-at-Law (TV Movie)

Gloria Farrell

 1972 Your Money or Your Wife (TV Movie)

Jill Bennett

 1970 Loving

Grace's Aunt (uncredited)

 1963 The Doctors (TV Series)

Stephanie Van Buren

- The Candidate: Part 5 (1963) ... Stephanie Van Buren

- The Candidate: Part 4 (1963) ... Stephanie Van Buren

- The Candidate: Part 3 (1963) ... Stephanie Van Buren

- The Candidate: Part 2 (1963) ... Stephanie Van Buren

- The Candidate (1963) ... Stephanie Van Buren

 1963 The Defenders (TV Series)

Brenda Moran

- The Last Illusion (1963) ... Brenda Moran

 1962 Golden Showcase (TV Series)

Therese

- Tonight in Samarkand (1962) ... Therese

 1960 Adventures in Paradise (TV Series)

Dani Baxter

- The Big Surf (1960) ... Dani Baxter

 1960 The Chevy Mystery Show (TV Series)

Susan Jerome

- The Machine Calls It Murder (1960) ... Susan Jerome

 1960 Buick-Electra Playhouse (TV Series)

Dorothy Fisher

- The Fifth Column (1960) ... Dorothy Fisher

 1960 The Fifth Column (TV Movie)

 1959 Play of the Week (TV Series)

Jessica

- Crime of Passion (1959) ... Jessica

 1959 One Step Beyond (TV Series)

Helga

- Reunion (1959) ... Helga

 1959 The United States Steel Hour (TV Series)

Mimi

- Trouble-in-Law (1959) ... Mimi

 1958-1959 Alfred Hitchcock Presents (TV Series)

Thelma / Laura Gild

- The Diamond Necklace (1959) ... Thelma

- Disappearing Trick (1958) ... Laura Gild

 1958 Playhouse 90 (TV Series)

Lisa

- Word from a Sealed-Off Box (1958) ... Lisa

 1958 Have Gun - Will Travel (TV Series)

Isabel Westrope

- Girl from Piccadilly (1958) ... Isabel Westrope (as Betsy Von Furstenberg)

 1955-1957 Kraft Theatre (TV Series)

Lady Essex

- Most Blessed Woman (1957)

- The King's Bounty (1955) ... Lady Essex

 1956 Robert Montgomery Presents (TV Series)

- Don't Do Me Any Favors (1956)

 1956 Appointment with Adventure (TV Series)

- All Through the Night (1956)

 1954 The Secret Storm (TV Series)

Niele Neeves (1973-1974)

 1953 Medallion Theatre (TV Series)

- Gran'ma Rebel (1953)

 1953 Campbell Summer Soundstage (TV Series)

- No Scar (1953)

 1953 Armstrong Circle Theatre (TV Series)

Effie Carr

- The Checkerboard Heart (1953) ... Effie Carr

 1951 Pulitzer Prize Playhouse (TV Series)

- Second Threshold (1951)

 1951 Faith Baldwin Romance Theatre (TV Series)

- Follow Fat Flora (1951)

 1951 Starlight Theatre (TV Series)

Ann

- Julie (1951) ... Ann

 1950 Women Without Names

Boshe the Girl from Munich (as Betsy Furstenberg)