Betty Ann Carr
Encyclopedia
Betty Ann Carr is an American actress, musician, composer and film editor best remembered for her television work.
and one-half French
and was the oldest of six children. She was raised on a small farm in Asbury, Missouri, outsideJoplin, Missouri
and according to the actress, grew up in a poor family, saying: "We were poor, but so was everybody else, so I didn't think about that.
Despite interests in music as a child, Carr studied Drama at the San Diego State University
.
Siblings are Perry, James, Susan, Benny, Kay Brown.
. Her first prominent role came in 1971, replacing actress Sandra Ego as Betty Ann Sundown in the western series Cade's County
until 1972. Besides appearing in the series, she taught to Indian actors at Jay Silverheels
's drama school in San Fernando Valley
. On this work, she commented in a 1973 interview:
Carr, however, did not consider herself as an 'Indian actress' until casting directors rejected her at auditions because she looked "too ethnic" or "too dark" for non-Indian parts. Carr is probably best remembered for appearing as Monica Bell in the daytime soap opera Return to Peyton Place
, for which she flew from San Diego to Los Angeles. Carr achieved some fame with the role, which she first played in May 1973, and was featured in several soap-oriented magazines. She also composed songs for musicians by the time, and edited an Indian film.
Following the show's cancellation, Carr went on to guest star in several TV series and she was active as an actress until 1985.
Early life
Carr was born to William Raymond and Helen Marie Brown as one-half CherokeeCherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
and one-half French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
and was the oldest of six children. She was raised on a small farm in Asbury, Missouri, outsideJoplin, Missouri
Joplin, Missouri
Joplin is a city in southern Jasper County and northern Newton County in the southwestern corner of the US state of Missouri. Joplin is the largest city in Jasper County, though it is not the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 50,150...
and according to the actress, grew up in a poor family, saying: "We were poor, but so was everybody else, so I didn't think about that.
Despite interests in music as a child, Carr studied Drama at the San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
.
Siblings are Perry, James, Susan, Benny, Kay Brown.
Career
Carr started her career by appearing as a dancer in Rowan & Martin's Laugh-InRowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In is an American sketch comedy television program which ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to May 14, 1973. It was hosted by comedians Dan Rowan and Dick Martin and was broadcast over NBC...
. Her first prominent role came in 1971, replacing actress Sandra Ego as Betty Ann Sundown in the western series Cade's County
Cade's County
Cade's County is a modern-day Western/crime drama which aired on CBS during the 1971–72 television season. There were 24 episodes.-Synopsis:...
until 1972. Besides appearing in the series, she taught to Indian actors at Jay Silverheels
Jay Silverheels
Jay Silverheels was a Canadian Mohawk First Nations actor. He was well known for his role as Tonto, the faithful American Indian companion of the Lone Ranger in a long-running American television series. -Early life:...
's drama school in San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
. On this work, she commented in a 1973 interview:
- "Indians never were schooled in drama. If we want good actors we must begin by training the young; so I teach kids, 18 and under. For a while we had a busload of students from 12 to 16 coming in weekly from the Sherman InstituteSherman Indian High SchoolSherman Indian High School is an off-reservation boarding high school for Native Americans. Originally opened in 1892 as the Perris Indian School, in Perris, California, United States, the school was relocated to Riverside, California, in 1903, under the name The Sherman Institute...
, but that stopped when the Institute ran out of money to pay the driver."
Carr, however, did not consider herself as an 'Indian actress' until casting directors rejected her at auditions because she looked "too ethnic" or "too dark" for non-Indian parts. Carr is probably best remembered for appearing as Monica Bell in the daytime soap opera Return to Peyton Place
Return to Peyton Place (TV series)
Return to Peyton Place is an American daytime soap opera which aired on NBC from April 3, 1972 to January 4, 1974. The series was a spin-off of the primetime drama series Peyton Place rather than an adaptation of the 1959 novel of the same name by Grace Metalious.The storylines from the daytime...
, for which she flew from San Diego to Los Angeles. Carr achieved some fame with the role, which she first played in May 1973, and was featured in several soap-oriented magazines. She also composed songs for musicians by the time, and edited an Indian film.
Following the show's cancellation, Carr went on to guest star in several TV series and she was active as an actress until 1985.