Betty Bronson's discovery is a quintessential Hollywood fairy tale. As a teenage extra in New Jersey, she was catapulted from obscurity to stardom when she was hand-picked by author J.M. Barrie to play the iconic role of Peter Pan in the 1924 film adaptation. Bronson's selection was a stunning upset, as she beat out several Hollywood superstars, including Gloria Swanson and Mary Pickford, who was nearly 30 years old at the time and had built a career playing youthful roles.
Bronson's captivating performance and innocent charm earned her instant fame, and for a year following the film's release, she was the toast of the town, with her popularity rivaling that of Pickford, who was then known as "America's Sweetheart". The studio, however, failed to capitalize on Bronson's talent, squandering her potential in small or unchallenging roles.
The 1925 follow-up to Peter Pan, A Kiss for Cinderella, seemed destined for similar success, but instead, it bombed, and the public's taste had shifted towards more adult themes and the charms of flappers like Clara Bow and Colleen Moore. Bronson's career was relaunched as a flapper, sophisticate, and occasional period dame, but her superstardom had waned.
In her first sound appearance, The Singing Fool (1928) with Al Jolson, Bronson showcased her excellent voice, but it became clear that her impressive pantomimic skills were wasted in the new form of filmmaking. She retired from acting in 1933 to marry and only appeared on-screen intermittently thereafter.
