Walker was born Edith Seeman in Elizabeth, New Jersey to Latvian Jewish immigrants. She acted in the original cast of Paddy Chayefsky's play Middle of the Night, which first premiered in 1956, and she reprised her role as the Widow for the film adaptation three years later. In addition to performing in Chayefsky's play The Passion of Josef D, she acted in a number of other television dramas, such as Decoy, Playhouse 90, and The Doctors, playing a patient named Polly Merriweather in Dec. 1967.
As a popular comedian of the 1950s and 1960s, Walker was best known for her "telephone act", wherein she delivered a monologue to her unseen friend "Ceil" at the other end of the line. The humor of this act draws upon the Jewish stereotypes of the "overbearing mother", which had gained popularity originally in Jewish joke books after World War II. While the "Jewish mother" trope gained popularity in newer venues, such as on television, in print, and on comedy albums, notably, she was often personified in these media through her "son's vision" of her. It is also notable, then, that Walker actively assumed these traits, which gave her transgressive mimetic power over them.[1][2] Walker made guest appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Merv Griffin Show, The Mike Douglas Show, and The Steve Allen Show, where she often performed her monologue to "Ceil."
Walker released or performed on several comedy albums, including:
When You're in Love the Whole World Is Jewish – 1966 (performer)
The Yiddish Are Coming, The Yiddish Are Coming – 1967 (performer)
Hum-Hum-Hum – 1969
Aunt Lena and Her Entire Family Circle – 1979
Critical receptionEdit
In the 1960 review of her debut album Love and Laughter,Billboard stated that she is "One of the theater's and the movies' top character actresses" and an "engaging comedienne" before concluding, "much that is funny is here."[3] The reception of this album in the historically Jewish city of Newark suggests its popularity within concentrated Jewish communities: in another Billboard article on how radio stations are breaking up traditional news programs with comedy clips, the commentator for Newark's WNTA station noted that record sales in the area for her album greatly benefited from on-air exposure.[4]
Bob Booker and George Foster's album on which Walker played a leading role, You Don't Have to Be Jewish, was a commercial and critical success. In a 1965 newspaper, journalist Walter Winchell jokes that, as "the No. 1 seller in suburbia", "It has replaced the fountain pen at bar mitzvahs."[5] Like her other albums, Walker's humor is rooted in her portrayal of Jewish women who are loud, outspoken, and speak in a drawn-out Long Island accent. On account of its success, Booker and Foster released two more sequels, When You're in Love the Whole World Is Jewish and The Yiddish Are Coming, The Yiddish Are Coming. Walker was an integral performer on both.
PosthumousEdit
Walker was designated one of the "Queens of Comedy" along with Jean Carroll, Totie Fields, and Belle Barth in Corey Kahaney's innovative stand-up showcase The J.A.P. Show: Jewish American Princesses of Comedy.[6] Along with Cathy Ladman, Jessica Kirson, and Jackie Hoffman, Kahaney honors these four "queens" in the show by interspersing footage from their routines throughout her own.[7]
^Prell, Riv-Ellen (1900). Fighting to Become Americans. Boston: Beacon Press. p. 150.
^Mock, Roberta (May 1999). "Female Jewish Comedians: Grotesque Mimesis and Transgressing Stereotypes". New Theatre Quarterly. 15 (2): 99–108. doi:10.1017/S0266464X00012793. ISSN 1474-0613. S2CID 190691799.
^Inc, Nielsen Business Media (1960-08-15). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 29. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
^Inc, Nielsen Business Media (1960-12-31). Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 1. betty walker.{{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
^"The High Point Enterprise from High Point, North Carolina on October 22, 1965 · Page 7". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2017-11-16.
^Greenspoon, Leonard Jay (2011). Jews and Humor. Purdue University Press. p. 170. ISBN9781557535979.
^Gelder, Lawrence Van (2007-04-23). "The J.A.P. Show: Jewish American Princesses of Comedy - Theater - Review". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-11-15.
, comedycollege.publicradio.org; accessed January 2, 2017.
External linksEdit
Betty Walker's obituary in New York Times (July 28, 1982)
September 01, 2023
betty, walker, british, actress, this, name, listed, under, stage, name, helen, roberts, august, 1928, july, 1982, jewish, american, actress, comedian, performed, primarily, during, 1950s, 1960s, bornedith, seeman, 1928, august, 1928elizabeth, jerseydiedjuly, . The British actress of this name is listed under her stage name Helen Roberts Betty Walker August 7 1928 July 26 1982 was a Jewish American actress and comedian who performed primarily during the 1950s and 1960s Betty WalkerBornEdith Seeman 1928 08 07 August 7 1928Elizabeth New JerseyDiedJuly 26 1982 1982 07 26 aged 53 Occupation s Actress and Comedian Contents 1 Life and career 2 Critical reception 3 Posthumous 4 Filmography 5 References 6 External linksLife and career EditWalker was born Edith Seeman in Elizabeth New Jersey to Latvian Jewish immigrants She acted in the original cast of Paddy Chayefsky s play Middle of the Night which first premiered in 1956 and she reprised her role as the Widow for the film adaptation three years later In addition to performing in Chayefsky s play The Passion of Josef D she acted in a number of other television dramas such as Decoy Playhouse 90 and The Doctors playing a patient named Polly Merriweather in Dec 1967 As a popular comedian of the 1950s and 1960s Walker was best known for her telephone act wherein she delivered a monologue to her unseen friend Ceil at the other end of the line The humor of this act draws upon the Jewish stereotypes of the overbearing mother which had gained popularity originally in Jewish joke books after World War II While the Jewish mother trope gained popularity in newer venues such as on television in print and on comedy albums notably she was often personified in these media through her son s vision of her It is also notable then that Walker actively assumed these traits which gave her transgressive mimetic power over them 1 2 Walker made guest appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson The Merv Griffin Show The Mike Douglas Show and The Steve Allen Show where she often performed her monologue to Ceil Walker released or performed on several comedy albums including Love and Laughter 1960 Hello Ceil It s Me 1964 You Don t Have to Be Jewish 1965 performer When You re in Love the Whole World Is Jewish 1966 performer The Yiddish Are Coming The Yiddish Are Coming 1967 performer Hum Hum Hum 1969 Aunt Lena and Her Entire Family Circle 1979Critical reception EditIn the 1960 review of her debut album Love and Laughter Billboard stated that she is One of the theater s and the movies top character actresses and an engaging comedienne before concluding much that is funny is here 3 The reception of this album in the historically Jewish city of Newark suggests its popularity within concentrated Jewish communities in anotherBillboard article on how radio stations are breaking up traditional news programs with comedy clips the commentator for Newark s WNTA station noted that record sales in the area for her album greatly benefited from on air exposure 4 Bob Booker and George Foster s album on which Walker played a leading role You Don t Have to Be Jewish was a commercial and critical success In a 1965 newspaper journalist Walter Winchell jokes that as the No 1 seller in suburbia It has replaced the fountain pen at bar mitzvahs 5 Like her other albums Walker s humor is rooted in her portrayal of Jewish women who are loud outspoken and speak in a drawn out Long Island accent On account of its success Booker and Foster released two more sequels When You re in Love the Whole World Is Jewish and The Yiddish Are Coming The Yiddish Are Coming Walker was an integral performer on both Posthumous EditWalker was designated one of the Queens of Comedy along with Jean Carroll Totie Fields and Belle Barth in Corey Kahaney s innovative stand up showcase The J A P Show Jewish American Princesses of Comedy 6 Along with Cathy Ladman Jessica Kirson and Jackie Hoffman Kahaney honors these four queens in the show by interspersing footage from their routines throughout her own 7 Filmography EditYear Title Role Notes1944 Frenchman s Creek Minor Role Uncredited1945 Out of This World Guitarist Uncredited1945 Incendiary Blonde Cigarette Girl Uncredited1950 The Goldbergs Mrs Bertha Kramer1959 Middle of the Night Rosalind Neiman1960 Exodus Sarah1963 Violent Midnight1971 Who Is Harry Kellerman and Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me Margot SolowayReferences Edit Prell Riv Ellen 1900 Fighting to Become Americans Boston Beacon Press p 150 Mock Roberta May 1999 Female Jewish Comedians Grotesque Mimesis and Transgressing Stereotypes New Theatre Quarterly 15 2 99 108 doi 10 1017 S0266464X00012793 ISSN 1474 0613 S2CID 190691799 Inc Nielsen Business Media 1960 08 15 Billboard Nielsen Business Media Inc p 29 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a last has generic name help Inc Nielsen Business Media 1960 12 31 Billboard Nielsen Business Media Inc pp 1 betty walker a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a last has generic name help The High Point Enterprise from High Point North Carolina on October 22 1965 Page 7 Newspapers com Retrieved 2017 11 16 Greenspoon Leonard Jay 2011 Jews and Humor Purdue University Press p 170 ISBN 9781557535979 Gelder Lawrence Van 2007 04 23 The J A P Show Jewish American Princesses of Comedy Theater Review The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2017 11 15 Lessons in Laughter Betty Walker profile comedycollege publicradio org accessed January 2 2017 External links EditBetty Walker s obituary in New York Times July 28 1982 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Betty Walker amp oldid 1167692246, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
