This weekend Betty Garrett died. She was 91. Most people will remember her as the next-door neighbor on All In the Family or for her continuing role on Laverne and Shirley. I remember her most as the man-hungry cab driver in On The Town and as Ruth in the film My Sister Eileen. She was also famous for being married to Larry Parks, who most young people won't remember, but when he played Al Jolson he was a huge star. Anyway, the thing about Betty Garrett is she never was a big star. And I can see why. As much as I didn't dislike her, I never felt she bought any kind of true strength to a project. She was talented and competent, but not compelling and memorable. She was rather like your really nice aunt who somehow became a movie star, and yet not a star. I always feel bad when one of the old-time stars dies and think of how much I liked them in their many roles. I feel bad about Betty Garrett's death because she was an entertainment fixture for so long. But as horrible as it is to say, I never saw her without wishing that somebody else were playing her role.
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