The Fabulous Betty Lou Gerson

Today we explore the life of Betty Lou Gerson, an amazing character actress who played the role of Cruella De Vil in 101 Dalmations.
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Writing/Editing By - Amber Hannen
Narration By - Lee Alirez
Twitter: @Bombastictaro
Newgrounds: BigTaro
Script Consultant: Adam Bakst
Instagram: @adam_bakst
Resources/Further Reading:
ET Betty Lou Gerson Interview
• ALL THREE Cruella de V...
The Adventures of Sam Spade - The Soap Opera Caper
• Video
Betty as a Psychic on the Mickey Rooney Show
• Betty Lou Gerson as a ...
Betty on Hazel
• Betty Lou Gerson as a ...
Betty on I married Joan
• Betty Lou Gerson Helps...
Old Time Radio Downloads
www.oldtimerad...
Feeling Animated
feelinganimate...
Dr Grob’s Animation Review
drgrobsanimati...
Backlots
backlots.net/t...
Roger Ebert Review
www.rogerebert...
Film Reference
www.filmreferen...
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.o...
Disney Wiki
disney.fandom....
IMDB
www.imdb.com/n...
www.vexels.com...

[@BadGuyRants]

Both Maleficent & Cruella being voiced by old Hollywood radio actresses, added so much to the characters. You can’t find that level of professionalism anymore.

[@Balthazar2242]

Yeah no professional actors exist anymore. It's all robots voicing things today.

[@BadGuyRants]

@@Balthazar2242 This comment is terrible because the Disney company isn’t even remotely on this level nor is American animation as a whole. Oh & they did make that cgi Luke with an AI voice, so you’re wrong on multiple levels.

[@Penguins34455]

Eleanor Audley played maleficent and evil stepmother, Cinderella

[@Paarthurnax_]

the character Cruella was truly made for her!

[@speedracer2008]

Love her vocal performance as Cruella de Vil. I rank it up there with Jeremy Irons as Scar, Tony Jay (RIP) as Frollo, and Vincent Price (RIP) as Ratigan.

[@gregorykeithmorris3970]

Betty Lou's voice and Marc's animation definitely did justice to Dodie Smith's creation. Again, sensational video.

[@Emeline419]

My step mom for over 29 years...we had some wonderful times together, lots of tales to be told through the ages. She and Tallulah Bankhead (both REAL southern women) were friends with boundaries. Betty always said she lost a few potential jobs being accused of 'copying' Tallulah's voice...just retelling the story would bring out her Cruella side. Walt Disney called her his 'Lucky Charm' and that's why he used her voice in other films and also cast her as the old crone. On the 25th anniversary of '101 Dalmatians' she was gifted with the actual white fox jacket they had her wear inspiring Marc's drawings of the marvelous coat for the film.

[@Dizographies]

That is amazing! Thank you for sharing! Imo she may have been influenced by Tallulah's voice, but in doing so she made a completely unique and complex personality, absolutely amazing talent! So cool that she got to keep the jacket, and I've never heard the Lucky Charm bit of info, thank you!!

[@johngerson7335]

Any chance she had relatives from Philadelphia, PA., or Charleston S.C?

[@mofomartianp]

That's very interesting... also noteworthy that Betty Lou Gerson was Jewish, so it seems especially odd that Walt Disney would call her his lucky charm. But her voice work for Cruella speaks for itself.

[@matthewdarnell3535]

She was fabulous! ❤

[@psgamer-0199]

In my childhood no Disney villain scared me but Cruella de Vil. And I'm so happy to listen to Betty Lou say she had a wonderful time voicing Cruella❤ Almost nothing gives more pleasure than to know an actor enjoys tremendously the job they've done with a character. Specially iconic characters such as Cruella. Rest in peace, Betty. And thank you for your wonderful and beautiful performance❤

[@lisamcdonald1014]

1914-1999

[@everettparker1313]

This was an Incredible Masterpiece Video for The Late Betty Lou Gerson (April 20, 1914- January 12, 1999). Betty Lou Gerson was Perfectly Casted as Cruella De Vil to Bring This Iconic Disney Villainess to Life.

[@mattmayo3539]

Cruella was my introduction to being eccentric, fabulous and wealthly. Iconic.

[@ruthiehenshallfan99]

She had such a wonderful voice!

[@tigerlilly9038]

"A‐mee-chi" (Shame on you, young man!!) 😊 Respect the elders, lol.

[@lewisedwards4058]

An Icon of the Voice Over field.

[@a.rosesrbleu9580]

It's amazing she was so amused by a character that frightened so many children because she wanted to kill puppies and skin them and wear their coats----that was the truly frightening thing...that and she cussed in a Disney movie..."You idiots!" She exclaimed to Horace and Jasper---something she even did on the vinyl record of the story, which i had as a child and was surprised i was allowed to listen to it since it had cussing in it...

[@a.rosesrbleu9580]

Cruella was brought to life by Betty Lou's voice and Mary Wickes' body movements...a truly well-rounded character!

[@lisamcdonald1014]

Miserable, darling, as usual, perfectly wretched

[@johnny6171]

I recommend that you talk with someone about the Pronunciation of Actors and actresses names Please don't mispronounced my name

[@ibmsst]

Legend. ❤️ “How marvelous!”

[@TheEchovoices]

she was so awesome very very talented

[@deepikarathod8259]

She's a legend truly

[@bobcockrum91]

The narrator of this piece should have been coached on pronunciations -- Don A-mee-chee, not Don A-mehch-ee ... Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar was one show, not "Yours Truly" and "Johnny Dollar" ... and "I Married Joan," not "I Married Jo-Ann." Sheeesh!

[@Dizographies]

Yeah...he's no longer working with us. we're a very small group and don't have enough time to coach. We just have to trust they do their research (there are only three of us including him) Our new guy has never gotten a pronunciation wrong, he's really good. I'm very very happy with him :D

[@476233]

I never noticed her bed likes like a demon face and there is a demon face on her phone lol. I love Betty Lou, her voice was magnificent and she seems like such a sweet woman here.

[@WJC981]

Thanks so much for this! I loved her

[@Dizographies]

No problem! I'm glad you enjoyed it! She is my absolute favorite too, 101 Dalmatians is my fav Disney movie :D

[@kennethrohloff7535]

Very nice segment. I wish we still lived back in those days.

[@blushslice]

Now I know where cruella got her gorgeous cheek bones, Betty was gorgeous!!!

[@lisamcdonald1014]

The visual look of an archetypal villainess

[@suitman]

Betty Lou gerson the superior cruella de vil

[@amy-ql5wo]

Tbf both her and Glenn Close are just marvelous.

[@jdpragmatic8644]

As the saying goes: “You can’t beat the original”

[@ryanwoo4347]

my fav villain of all time ❤🖤🤍

[@hiridavidfeign]

This is fantastic. Betty Lou is also in two episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show. The episode I'm No Henry Walden is a must-see, where she delivers the best line ever, "I don't own a television machine." kzbin.info/www/bejne/fmSroHujh7eiedU

[@denisenoe3702]

I've been told that Betty Lou Gerson used the name Lynn Ainley to act as character Cora in "The Man With My Face." Was BLG the same person as Lynn Ainley?

[@scotnick59]

"I Married JOAN", not JoAnne!

[@a.rosesrbleu9580]

Now there was an underrated comedic genius in Joan---better than Lucy!

[@OysterPir8]

Will you do the Rescuers?

[@dragonfire810]

Eric Cleworth best designer for the Dragon from Sleeping Beauty

[@Dizographies]

I'll put him on the list :)

[@dragonfire810]

@@Dizographies here’s a clip of the dragon that you could use:kzbin.info/www/bejne/eoWnk2d9YttssNk

[@darrelllancaster9554]

One of my favorite radio actors. Truly a superb talent.

[@mikhailabunidal9146]

Want to see Pat Buttram pn Dizographies please

[@jonathanfunnell4167]

EXCELLENT ACTRESS JUST LOVE HER

[@lisamcdonald1014]

Lovely, clear natural

[@mattheviewer]

Very interesting! Pity very little mention was made of Marc Davis, who animated __all__ of Cruella DeVille in the film (it was his last character animation before he moved on to illustrating/designing rides for the Disney parks).

[@Dizographies]

I have a separate episode for him if you want to check it out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYSoZYdvYpWXasU

[@cannon0587]

A true legend

[@allenjones3130]

Rest in peace, Betty.

[@ThePinkDragon]

ooh she was in guiding light

[@1805movie]

"Robert Ebert" It's Roger Ebert.

[@MadsterV]

Good old Bobby Bert.

[@mrs.anonymous6291]

FUNNY!? FUNNY!? I am half kidding but this character not only terrorized me to death when I was maybe, 5 years old when I saw it in 1970 ie OK I'm that old- but I became obsessed with French Country phones, which I have several already ....

[@gargoylestories]

This was a great video. I didn't know anything about Betty Lou Gerson. So thank you so much for this!

[@davidmohr4249]

I subscribe to Sirius XM solely to listen to old radio dramas, especially Johnny Dollar. I never knew Gerson was so involved in early radio prior to her Disney work.

[@DavidLynchGraphics]

Did Gerson do the 1964 redub of the Widow Sugrue in Darby O'Gill and the Little People? If not, who did?

[@drsunshine1959]

What a terrific looking woman she was! And "Nightmare Alley" was NOT a B movie.

[@MadsterV]

Cruella was scary BECAUSE she was realistic. A vile person that you could run into.

[@gstone8255]

Sorry, i can't hear Glinda withuot thinking of Wicked(my all time favorite musical).

[@gstone8255]

Cruella reminds me of Norma Desmond.

[@lisamcdonald1014]

In a sophisticated, devilish manner

[@princesskaguya2000]

Cats dont Dance is such a sleeper and Fanny was an outstanding character

[@bethhart7033]

Love biographies that was a good one thank you for sharing

[@FunnyAtv-oz8wu]

I ❤ listening too soape oprah

[@tigerlilly9038]

All my life O to be in bed draped in sables and hair rollers..... perfect marriage of lavish and messy LOVE LOVE LOVE!!

[@mikhailabunidal9146]

🕯 ✡️z"l/rip✡️ 🕯

[@markchastain6122]

Roger Ebert!

[@xjAlbert]

Thanks for celebrating Gerson with this fabulous video! At 8:32, film critic Roger Ebert is assigned a new first name.

[@drewwilson9149]

Also, it’s I Married Joan. Great theme song.

[@d.Arbelles]

BOX 13

[@dimitar569]

🙂

[@centrist1008]

I hate bots

[@charliebarnes7514]

Did you say "Robert" Ebert?! Hey, what's in a name? I'm not convinced that all the radio voices that you attribute to Betty Lou Gerson are actually her. But hey, if you've heard one voice, you've heard them all. Seriously, if you're going to put this out there, make the best effort to get it right.

[@Dizographies]

Its true I've made few mistakes that have been pointed out in my videos. I correct them all in my correction videos if you want to check them out. This is an older video that I did, I have since improved a lot in double checking my VA's pronunciations, and checking my spelling.