Sad News: Betsy Palmer Passes Away At 88

Very, very sad news to report tonight. Betsy Palmer, the legendary actress of television and film has passed away at the age of 88. The Associated Press has learned Betsy passed away this past Friday of natural causes at a hospice care center in Connecticut, according to her longtime manager, Brad Lemack.

Betsy was such an inspirational part of the Friday The 13th franchise meeting many fans at conventions in the mid 2000's. Although Betsy originally was not receptive to the success of the franchise in the early years of the films, her appreciation of the fans grew over the decades. I am truly happy to have met her once many years ago and my prayers go out to her daughter Melissa.

Thank you Betsy for creating one of the most iconic characters to ever grace the silver screen. R.I.P Betsy!


By JOHN ROGERS, Associated Press

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.

Palmer had appeared in numerous TV shows dating to the early 1950s Golden Age of Television. Among them were such classic dramas as "Kraft Theatre," ''Playhouse 90" and "Studio One."

Her film credits included "Mr. Roberts" with Henry Fonda, "The Long Gray Line" with Tyrone Power and Maureen O'Hara, "Queen Bee" with Joan Crawford, and "The Tin Star" with Fonda and Anthony Perkins.

Other TV credits included "Knot's Landing," ''The Love Boat," ''Newhart," ''Just Shoot Me" and "Murder, She Wrote." She also appeared in several Broadway plays, including "Same Time, Next Year" and "Cactus Flower."

Palmer is survived by her daughter, Melissa Merendino