Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Elizabeth Mary Furness (January 3, 1916 – April 2, 1994) was an American actress, consumer advocate, and current affairs commentator. She began her professional career as a model before being noticed by a talent scout and being signed to a film contract in 1932 by RKO Studios. Her first film role was as the "Thirteenth Woman" in the film Thirteen Women (1932) but her scenes were deleted before the film's release. Over the next few years, she appeared in several RKO films, and became a popular actress. Among her film successes were Magnificent Obsession (1935) and the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film Swing Time (1936). By the end of the decade, she had appeared in over forty films, but during the 1940s, she found it difficult to secure acting roles. In 1948, Furness was performing in the television series Studio One, which was broadcast live. She filled in for an actor to promote Westinghouse products during the advertisement break, and impressed the company with her easy and professional manner. They offered her a contract to promote their products and she thus became closely associated with them.
Acted in 43
1950s
- 1954
- 1952
Ellis in Freedomland
Spokeswoman for Westinghouse
Pontius Pilate
Movie
- 1950
Studio One: Wuthering Heights
Announcer
1940s
- 1948
1930s
- 1939
North of Shanghai
Helen Warner
- 1937
It Can't Last Forever
Carol Wilson
The Good Old Soak
Lucy Hawley
Fair Warning
Kate Farnham
Mama Steps Out
Leila Cuppy
They Wanted to Marry
Sheila Hunter
- 1936
Mister Cinderella
Patricia 'Pat' Randolph
All American Chump
Kitty Crane
The President's Mystery
Charlotte Brown
The Three Wise Guys
Clarabelle Brooks
Sunkist Stars at Palm Springs
Movie
- 1935
Magnificent Obsession
Joyce Hudson
Here Comes Cookie
Phyllis Allen
The Keeper of the Bees
Molly
Calm Yourself
Mary Elizabeth Allenby
McFadden´s Flats
Molly McFadden
Shadow of Doubt
Lisa
- 1934
The Band Plays On
Kitty O'Brien
A Wicked Woman
Yancey Stroud, aka Yancey Trice
Dangerous Corner
Mrs. Betty Whitehouse
Gridiron Flash
Jane Thurston
The Life of Vergie Winters
Joan Shadwell
Beggars in Ermine
Joyce Dawson
- 1933
Let's Fall in Love
Linda
Ace of Aces
Card Playing Party Guest (uncredited)
Aggie Appleby, Maker of Men
Evangeline
Midshipman Jack
Ruth Rogers
Headline Shooter
Miss Saunders
Emergency Call
Alice Averill
Cross Fire
Pat "Mike" Plummer
Scarlet River
Babe Jewel
The Great Jasper
Sylvia Bradfield
Lucky Devils
Ginger
- 1932
Renegades of the West
Mary Fawcett
Appearances10
1950s
- 1959
Westinghouse Total Electric Home
Narrator
- 1958
- 1957
- 1954
Twelve Angry Men
Herself / Commercial Spokeswoman
- 1952
The Play of the Nativity of the Child Jesus
Self
- 1951
A Bolt of Lightning
Self - Commercial Spokeswoman
- 1950
The Rockingham Tea Set
Self - Commercial Spokeswoman
