Merseyside Mirth Makers - Betty Marsden

Betty Marsden

Betty Marsden was born in West Derby, Liverpool in February 1919 and later grew up in near poverty in Somerset. Her music teacher recognised her talent at the age of six, and became her guardian, and Betty appeared at Bath Pavilion aged 11 as the First Fairy in A Midsummer Night's Dream. She made her London debut later that year as the Prince in The Windmill Man at Victoria Palace, a fairy play with music.

Gaining a scholarship for six years to the Italia Conti Stage School, she first acted in the West End in 'Closing at Sunrise' at the Royalty Theatre, Soho in 1935 before touring with ENSA to entertain the troops during the Second World War. This would begin a long stage career for Betty, who went on to star in a vast number of plays including twelve years of intimate reviews, starting at the Irving Club and including such hits as 'After The Show', 'Airs On A Shoestring' and 'From Here and There'. In 1958 she co-starred with colleague Kenneth Williams in the pantomime Cinderella at the London Coliseum. Betty played the Fairy Godmother opposite Tommy Steele, Yana and Jimmy Edwards.

'Round The Horne'

She was undoubtedly a gifted comedienne and rose to fame in the late 1950's as the undoubted star of two very popular BBC radio comedy shows, 'Beyond Our Ken' in 1958 and then 'Round The Horne' from 1965 to 1968, standing her ground against the combined forces of Kenneth Williams and Hugh Paddick. This, it should be remembered, was at a time when female performers weren't well represented at all and she had both an instantly recognisable face and voice to a certain generation of the British public as well as to fans of classic comedy. Following a a fairly brief yet memorable cameo appearance in 'Carry On Regardless' Betty got a starring role opposite Terry Scott in 'Carry On Camping'. As Harriet Potter, she will forever be remembered for her tandem riding and hyena-like laugh.

'Carry On Camping' with Terry Scott

Betty continued to act right up until her death. She had moved to the actors' home, Denville Hall in the Spring of 1998. She died at the bar in July of that year, at the age of 79. She had been suffering from heart problems.
Dilys Laye recounted a story about Betty during the recording of an audio commentary for Carry On Camping. "Apparently Betty had always claimed to want to "die with a gin in my hand". I think she probably just about managed that."

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