Betty Miles
Encyclopedia
Betty Miles was an American B-movie
film actress of the late 1930s and well into the 1940s. Her father, George Henry T. Henninger, was a Texas
cattleman, and had taught her to ride horses from an early age.
as Elizabeth Harriet Henninger, Miles attended the University of Southern California
, graduating in 1931 with a degree in monoeconomics and polyscience. While attending college, she took part in several debate
competitions, winning three. Educated, athletic, attractive, and an accomplished equestrian
, she began acting after graduation, playing in several theater plays through 1936. In 1937, she received her first film role in Nothing Sacred
, in which she played a minor role.
when, while watching the filming of a movie scene, she noticed that the actress was having difficulty with her riding, causing several retakes. Miles offered to help her with instruction, and in doing so she showed herself to be an accomplished and talented rider, and was given a contract by Monogram.
In 1941 she starred in Ridin' the Cherokee Trail with Tex Ritter
and Slim Andrews. That same year she starred in another five films, most notably The Return of Daniel Boone, with Bill Elliott
. From 1943 through 1944 she starred in another six films, three in each year, often playing opposite Tom Keene. She starred in several of the Trail Blazer serials, alongside Hoot Gibson
, Bob Steele
, and Ken Maynard
. Her last role was in Gangsters of the Frontier
with Tex Ritter and Dave O'Brien
. In her films, she typically did her own riding and stunts. During that same period, she often worked as a stuntwoman
on films.
After her film career ended, she began working on tour with several circuses, alongside her friend and fellow accomplished rider and actress Evelyn Finley
. She also at times during this period taught dramatic acting classes for 20th Century Fox
, Universal Pictures
, Monogram, and Columbia Pictures
.
public school system. She later served as the "Dean of Girls" for the Simi Valley
school systems, then later held positions of a similar role in the Turlock
and Los Angeles
school systems.
She retired from teaching in 1976, and moved to Hughson, California
, where she lived the remainder of her life to be near to her son, Lynn Miles, and her two grandchildren. She died there on June 9, 1992, at the age of 82.
B-movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
film actress of the late 1930s and well into the 1940s. Her father, George Henry T. Henninger, was a Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
cattleman, and had taught her to ride horses from an early age.
Early life
Born in Santa Monica, CaliforniaSanta Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
as Elizabeth Harriet Henninger, Miles attended the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, graduating in 1931 with a degree in monoeconomics and polyscience. While attending college, she took part in several debate
Debate
Debate or debating is a method of interactive and representational argument. Debate is a broader form of argument than logical argument, which only examines consistency from axiom, and factual argument, which only examines what is or isn't the case or rhetoric which is a technique of persuasion...
competitions, winning three. Educated, athletic, attractive, and an accomplished equestrian
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
, she began acting after graduation, playing in several theater plays through 1936. In 1937, she received her first film role in Nothing Sacred
Nothing Sacred (film)
Nothing Sacred is a 1937 Technicolor screwball comedy film made by Selznick International Pictures and distributed by United Artists. It was directed by William A. Wellman and produced by David O. Selznick, from a screenplay credited to Ben Hecht, based on a story by James H. Street...
, in which she played a minor role.
Acting and stuntwoman career
Having an interest in western films, she caught the attention of Monogram PicturesMonogram Pictures
Monogram Pictures Corporation is a Hollywood studio that produced and released films, most on low budgets, between 1931 and 1953, when the firm completed a transition to the name Allied Artists Pictures Corporation. Monogram is considered a leader among the smaller studios sometimes referred to...
when, while watching the filming of a movie scene, she noticed that the actress was having difficulty with her riding, causing several retakes. Miles offered to help her with instruction, and in doing so she showed herself to be an accomplished and talented rider, and was given a contract by Monogram.
In 1941 she starred in Ridin' the Cherokee Trail with Tex Ritter
Tex Ritter
Woodward Maurice Ritter , better known as Tex Ritter, was an American country music singer and movie actor popular from the mid-1930s into the 1960s, and the patriarch of the Ritter family in acting...
and Slim Andrews. That same year she starred in another five films, most notably The Return of Daniel Boone, with Bill Elliott
Wild Bill Elliott
Wild Bill Elliott was an American film actor. He specialized in playing the rugged heroes of B-Westerns, particularly in the Red Ryder series of films.-Early life:...
. From 1943 through 1944 she starred in another six films, three in each year, often playing opposite Tom Keene. She starred in several of the Trail Blazer serials, alongside Hoot Gibson
Hoot Gibson
Hoot Gibson was an American rodeo champion and a pioneer cowboy film actor, director and producer.-Early life and career:...
, Bob Steele
Bob Steele (actor)
Bob Steele was an American actor. He was born Robert Adrian Bradbury in Portland, Oregon, into a vaudeville family. After years of touring, the family settled down in Hollywood in the late 1910s, where his father, Robert N...
, and Ken Maynard
Ken Maynard
Ken Maynard was an American motion picture stuntman and actor.-Biography:Born Kenneth Olin Maynard in Vevay, Indiana, he was one of five children. His younger brother, Kermit Maynard, also became a stuntman and actor....
. Her last role was in Gangsters of the Frontier
Gangsters of the Frontier
Gangsters of the Frontier is a 1944 American film directed by Elmer Clifton.The film is also known as Raiders of the Frontier in the United Kingdom.- Cast :*Tex Ritter as Tex Haines*Dave O'Brien as Texas Ranger Dave Wyatt...
with Tex Ritter and Dave O'Brien
Dave O'Brien (actor)
Dave O'Brien was an American film actor, director and writer. Born David Poole Fronabarger in Big Spring, Texas, O'Brien started his film career in bit parts before gradually winning larger roles, mostly in B pictures....
. In her films, she typically did her own riding and stunts. During that same period, she often worked as a stuntwoman
Stunt performer
A stuntman, or daredevil is someone who performs dangerous stunts, often as a career.These stunts are sometimes rigged so that they look dangerous while still having safety mechanisms, but often they are as dangerous as they appear to be...
on films.
After her film career ended, she began working on tour with several circuses, alongside her friend and fellow accomplished rider and actress Evelyn Finley
Evelyn Finley
Evelyn Finley was an American B-movie actress and stuntwoman of the 1940s through the 1980s, mostly in western films...
. She also at times during this period taught dramatic acting classes for 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
, Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
, Monogram, and Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures
Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production and distribution company. Columbia Pictures now forms part of the Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, a subsidiary of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. It is one of the leading film companies...
.
Later life
By 1946 her involvement with acting had finished, and she elected not to return to the circus. She became a teacher for the FresnoFresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
public school system. She later served as the "Dean of Girls" for the Simi Valley
Simi Valley, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Simi Valley had a population of 124,237. The population density was 2,940.8 people per square mile...
school systems, then later held positions of a similar role in the Turlock
Turlock, California
Turlock is a city in Stanislaus County, California, United States, part of the Modesto Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 Census, Turlock had a population of 80,549, up from 55,810 at the 2000 census, making it the second-largest city in Stanislaus County.-Geography:Turlock lies in the...
and Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
school systems.
She retired from teaching in 1976, and moved to Hughson, California
Hughson, California
Hughson is a city in Stanislaus County, California, United States. It is part of the Modesto Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 6,640 at the 2010 census, up from 3,980 at the 2000 census.-History of farming:...
, where she lived the remainder of her life to be near to her son, Lynn Miles, and her two grandchildren. She died there on June 9, 1992, at the age of 82.