Betty Noyes
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth "Betty" Noyes Hand (October 11, 1912 - December 24, 1987) was a singer and actress best known for dubbing the singing voice of Debbie Reynolds
in the film Singin' in the Rain
. Today, this is a well known example of dubbing in a movie musical due to the irony of the fact that Debbie Reynolds' character in Singin' in the Rain was supposedly dubbing for another character. She is also known for singing the song Baby Mine in the 1941 film Dumbo
, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song
. However she was not given screen credit for this performance (no voice actors were for Dumbo). She never received any credits for work in film, but can be seen in uncredited bits in "I Married an Angel" (1942) and in the Don Knotts comedy "The Love God?" (1969). She also made two appearances on TV. She appeared as a mother who sings a brief solo in the 1965 TV movie of Rodger's and Hammerstein's Cinderella along with fellow dubber Bill Lee
. She also appeared in one episode of I Love Lucy
as an extra.
Debbie Reynolds
Debbie Reynolds is an American actress, singer, and dancer.She was initially signed at age 16 by Warner Bros., but her career got off to a slow start. When her contract was not renewed, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer gave her a small, but significant part in the film Three Little Words , then signed her to...
in the film Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain is a 1952 American comedy musical film starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds and directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, with Kelly also providing the choreography...
. Today, this is a well known example of dubbing in a movie musical due to the irony of the fact that Debbie Reynolds' character in Singin' in the Rain was supposedly dubbing for another character. She is also known for singing the song Baby Mine in the 1941 film Dumbo
Dumbo
Dumbo is a 1941 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released on October 23, 1941, by RKO Radio Pictures.The fourth film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, Dumbo is based upon the storyline written by Helen Aberson and illustrated by Harold Pearl for the prototype of a...
, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song
Academy Award for Best Original Song
The Academy Award for Best Original Song is one of the awards given annually to people working in the motion picture industry by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . It is presented to the songwriters who have composed the best original song written specifically for a film...
. However she was not given screen credit for this performance (no voice actors were for Dumbo). She never received any credits for work in film, but can be seen in uncredited bits in "I Married an Angel" (1942) and in the Don Knotts comedy "The Love God?" (1969). She also made two appearances on TV. She appeared as a mother who sings a brief solo in the 1965 TV movie of Rodger's and Hammerstein's Cinderella along with fellow dubber Bill Lee
Bill Lee (singer)
Bill Lee was an American playback singer who provided a voice or singing voice in many films, for actors in musicals and for many Disney characters. He was born in Johnson, Nebraska and died in 1980 in Los Angeles, California, of a brain tumor.Lee was part of a popular singing quartet known as The...
. She also appeared in one episode of I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy
I Love Lucy is an American television sitcom starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley. The black-and-white series originally ran from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, on the Columbia Broadcasting System...
as an extra.
Personal life
As she mostly played behind the scenes uncredited roles, little is known about her personal life. Her name has sometimes been reported as Betty Royce, including in Debbie Reynolds' own Biography however that is incorrect. She had two daughters.Known Work
- DumboDumboDumbo is a 1941 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released on October 23, 1941, by RKO Radio Pictures.The fourth film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, Dumbo is based upon the storyline written by Helen Aberson and illustrated by Harold Pearl for the prototype of a...
(1941) uncredited as singer of Baby Mine. - I Married an AngelI Married an AngelI Married An Angel is a musical comedy by Rodgers and Hart. It was adapted from a play by Hungarian playwright János Vaszary, entitled Angyalt Vettem Felesegul. The book was by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, with music by Rodgers and lyrics by Hart. The story concerns a wealthy banker who,...
(1942) uncredited specialty bit in Paris Honeymoon sequence - Singin' in the RainSingin' in the RainSingin' in the Rain is a 1952 American comedy musical film starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds and directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, with Kelly also providing the choreography...
(1952) uncredited as the singing voice of Kathy Seldon (Debbie ReynoldsDebbie ReynoldsDebbie Reynolds is an American actress, singer, and dancer.She was initially signed at age 16 by Warner Bros., but her career got off to a slow start. When her contract was not renewed, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer gave her a small, but significant part in the film Three Little Words , then signed her to...
' character). - Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) Singing Voice of Ruth
- I Love LucyI Love LucyI Love Lucy is an American television sitcom starring Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Vivian Vance, and William Frawley. The black-and-white series originally ran from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, on the Columbia Broadcasting System...
(1 episode, 1956) as Townsperson - Cinderella (1956) as Mother