Betty Draper
Born approx 1932. Maiden name Hofstadt. First name Elisabeth (or with a z), called Betty, Betsy, Bets, Birdie (seemingly exclusively by husband Don).
Has two children, Sally and Robert.
Her mother, Ruth, died early 1960 (approximately 3 months before Ladies Room).
Betty’s father, Gene (Ryan Catrona), (listed in S1 credits as Gene Driscoll, though in S2 Betty’s maiden name was revealed to be Hofstadt–a show bible snafu) has diabetes and high blood pressure. He has a summer house (presumably has had it for many years) in Cape May, and his main residence is in Pennsylvania. Gene met Gloria (Darcy Shean) sometime before Ruth died (Gloria attended the funeral). By mid-1962 Gene and Gloria married.
Betty started seeing Dr. Wayne, a psychiatrist, in spring of 1960, because her hands were going inexplicably numb. Stopped seeing him sometime between November 1960 and February 1962.
Her brother William has a wife, Judy, and unruly children.
There was a Grandpa Herman who woke up with a cold leg (had diabetes? lost his leg).
Graduated from Bryn Mawr. Spent the summer after graduation in Italy. Began modeling that summer, with a designer named Giovanni, (wanted to be called Johnny).
Then modeled in Manhattan, which is how she met Don (he was the copywriter on a furrier account; she was a model for the product). Shared an apartment with multiple roommates, including Juanita Carson.
Betty’s first kiss was with a Jewish boy named David Rosenberg.
Betty had a schoolgirl friend named Deidre Shaw.
Smokes Salems.
July 28th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Someone over on TWoP has a theory that maybe Betty habitually shaves a couple years off her age, and wasn’t 28 in 1960 like she told Glen, considering that Sally had just turned six, and Betty is a college graduate, spent a summer in Europe, and did some modeling before she met Don.
Now that she says she was 22 when living with Juanita I’m kind of wondering about that theory. Not that it’s a big deal in the timeline, but Betty does seem like the type to be 28 for seven years.
I get the impression that women started modeling at an older age in the 60s than they do now. From the ads, it didn’t look like they were so keen on painting up a tall 15 year old, and actually wanted women showing the clothes.
July 28th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Jackie, I suspected the same as I was re-watched the episode where she tells Glen her age. Something about the way she asks Helen’s age and the tone/word choice when she tells hers, made me wonder if she took a few years off. She could have easily left it at saying that she was about the same age as his mother.
July 28th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
I had gotten a similar vibe from that scene. And if she did, it’s that much more pathetic that she wants to appear younger than she is to a nine year old. Though I guess 30 was more of a milestone age back then- “never trust anyone over 30″ or so it went? I guess when I was little I thought of 30 as being a real grown-up. And somewhow I think of an 18 year old dating a 30 year old being more inappropriate than an 18 year old dating a 29 year old.
July 28th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
The vibe I got from that scene is that she revealed her real age because she was younger than Helen, but I don’t know for sure.
I wouldn’t put it past Betty to lie about her age, but I’m not sure she would be doing it yet, although I suppose that’s something you should start young for max believability.
She definitely has issues with aging.
August 4th, 2008 at 2:43 am
In season two, ep. 1, Juanita says “Betty Hofstadt?!”. So is Hofstadt Betty’s maiden name? Above it says her Dad’s last name is Driscoll. I wonder if we can get confirmation?
August 4th, 2008 at 3:03 am
Btw, I did some online searching, but couldn’t find any references to a maiden name for Betty, only saw references to Hofstadt in FTWTY recaps.
August 4th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Her father was referred to as “Gene” in the episode in which he appeared, and listed in the credits as “Gene Driscoll.”
However, Juanita definitely called Betty “Betty Hofstadt,” which must be a maiden name, and if it’s spoken in the episode that takes precedence over something that was just in the credits, so I’ll fix it.
August 4th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Excellent, Deborah. I still haven’t been able to find confirmation anywhere, but it makes sense if Juanita knew her as Betty Hofstadt.
August 4th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Betty smokes Salems.
August 5th, 2008 at 6:45 am
I’m putting it back, with a note that it got changed. To me, this is a purpose of the bible, to call out the bible mistakes.
September 10th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Attended Lower Merion High School which is located on Philadelphia’s Main Line (Ardmore, to be precise). Main Line is the suburban area where The Philadelphia story was set and in 1960 was a WASPY enclave.
September 12th, 2008 at 10:45 am
The gay designer Betty hung out with in Italy wanted to be called “Gianni,” not “Johnny.” (Listen to her pronunciation.) And because of the look of the clothes he gave to her, which she models for her neighbor friend, they are in the style of Gianni Versace. I thought it was a fun little insert of a “brush with fame” moment, and sort of Forest Gump-like.
September 12th, 2008 at 11:14 am
She specifically said he wanted to be called Johnny because he was obsessed with all things American. Gianni wouldn’t do that.
September 13th, 2008 at 11:55 am
Oh, you’re right, Ms. Lipp! I forgot about that American reference. Still…I think they were referring to Gianni Versace. Those clothes were unmistakable!!
September 13th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Oh, and by the way, what a kick for the costume department of the show to create some designs that were what would have been very early Versace…they really got it right.
October 3rd, 2008 at 1:54 pm
“Im not sad Im nordic?”
October 3rd, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Actually, yeah… and German grandmother. I’ll get it in.
October 3rd, 2008 at 4:08 pm
Betty seems concerned about spanking, ie: Don not administering. I wonder if she secretly wants to be spanked.
October 26th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
Although I agree they were toying with the audience with the Gianni reference, and the nod on the clothes, Gianni Versace was born December 2 1946. We know that Betty was a model right after college only until she met Don and then got pregant with Sally. Sally is 6 in 1960 and Betty is 28 so Betty could have been in Italy around 1954 at the very latest and Versace would have been AT MOST 8 or probably even 7 (due to the December birthday) so its not possible that he was the designer she knew.
December 1st, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Betty is slowly becoming one of the breakout female characters on the show.
She really blossomed throughout series 2.
I even made a youtube fan vid for the housewife LOL.