Betsy Palmer, dies; was killer cook in 'Friday the 13th'

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Betsy Palmer, the veteran character actress who achieved lasting, though not necessarily sought-after, fame as the murderous camp cook in the cheesy horror film "Friday the 13th," has died at age 88.

Palmer died Friday of natural causes at a hospice care center in Connecticut, her longtime manager, Brad Lemack, told The Associated Press on Sunday.

Palmer had appeared in films, on Broadway and in TV shows for decades before she took the role of Mrs. Voorhees in the campy 1980 movie in which young camp counselors suddenly begin meeting their bloody demise. The back story was that she was the mother of Jason Voorhees, who had died at the camp years before. He would come to life in several sequels that Palmer passed on.

She would say in later years that she only took the role in that first film because she wanted the money to buy a new car.

FULL story at link.


Betsy Palmer is seen in a publicity photo from the 1980s horror classic "Friday the 13th" in which she played a murderous camp cook. (File)

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/ad4cb723515a4be5b12232f82d8cb444/betsy-palmer-dies-was-killer-cook-friday-13th

[valerief]

1. I remember her from game shows.

[Rhiannon12866]

4. That's what I remember, too!

[JI7]

7. i loved watching reruns of this on game show network

along with what's my line.

[LibDemAlways]

17. The only time they run those shows lately is over

the Christmas holidays. A few years ago they were on more regularly, though late at night. My then teenage daughter would watch with me and was always interested in hearing more about the panelists and especially the Mystery Guest on What's My Line. For me, born in 1952, it was pure nostalgia. For her, it was like time travel - a peek into an era when a woman employed as a judge or a scientist was so unusual that it could land her a spot on a game show. Simpler times, yes, but sometimes quite amazing -like the episode of I've Got a Secret festuring a man who had witnessed the assassination of President Lincoln when he was a boy or Salvador Dali or Eleanor Roosevelt on What's My Line? Just plain interesting.

[earthside]

2. I just watched her yesterday ...

... in The Tin Star.

She was a good actress and quite attractive.

[Thinkingabout]

3. I remember her on I've Got A Secret.

[femmocrat]

5. Me too. She was so pretty.

Just found out that she was in Mr. Roberts too.

[NV Whino]

8. Thank you!

I just watched that last night, and I kept puzzling over who that one woman was. Betsy Palmer, of course.

[Major Hogwash]

14. Me, too.

I didn't even know she was in the movie "Friday the 13th".

[calimary]

16. Betsy Palmer! I remember her on those shows, too.

She was always so charming.

Man... time passes.

[NaturalHigh]

6. Rest in peace, Mrs. Voorhees.

[Hawaii Hiker]

9. I enjoy the first 3 "Friday The 13th" movies

They may be campy, not the best scripts, but there's something atmospheric about those early 1980's horror films...

After the 3rd Friday the 13th, series goes downhill quickly...

RIP Ms. Palmer

[47of74]

10. RIP Mrs. Voorhees

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

11. She used to call in to Air America a lot

Wish I could remember which show - Dave Bender's, I think. Or maybe Lionel.

As ridiculous as the film is, she seemed like a cool lady.

[Pastiche423]

12. She lived with James Dean for eight months

Peaceful journey, Betsy.

[rpannier]

13. Sad. Sorry she has passed away

Saw the movie when it came out
Loved it and still do

[romanic]

15. R.I.P.

Great actress and classic horror villian, bless her.

[LibDemAlways]

18. I didn't know Betsy Palmer was in the

Friday the 13th series. I guess I'm old. To me she was the pretty lady and professional game show panelist seated between Bill Cullen and Henry Morgan on I've Got a Secret. Very sorry to hear of her passing.

[Drunken Irishman]

19. She was the original killer in the movie...

Jason is the face of Friday the 13th - but in the original, he was just a boy and not the hockey wearing maniac we came to (love?). In the original, throughout the movie, the killer is unknown, with most of the kills coming from the killer's POV. It isn't until the end when it's revealed to be Mrs. Voorhees, who's killing the camp counselors on the anniversary of the drowning of her son - Jason. She's then beheaded at the end of the movie ... only to return in flashbacks and dream sequences in the next couple installments.