Betty Anderson

Betty Anderson was a fictional character in the novel Peyton Place, written by Grace Metalious as well as the subsequent movies and TV series based on the novel. In the movie, she was played by actress Terry Moore; and in the TV series, she was played by actress Barbara Parkins; in the short lived soap opera, she was played by actress Julie Parrish.

Betty was the daughter of John and Berit Anderson, and lived in the small community of Peyton Place. She was known for her less than moral behavior. In the book, she was described as "having not only the morals but the claws of an alley cat". She had a crush on Rodney Harrington, the son of mill owner, Leslie Harrington. Leslie and Rodney had a fine relationship. Betty and Rodney had gone on a drive to a nearby lake, and then it was discovered that she was pregnant; some time later, Rodney had died in a car accident. She eventually had a son named Roddy, (whom she adored).

For some time, she lived in New York, where she worked as a waitress; then after Roddy was born, she returned to Peyton Place, with a former neighbor in New York, Agnes Carlisle, who often watched Roddy. The family eventually moved to a house on Laurel Street, and they lived as well as they could.

In the TV Series, Betty was more prominent. She was the daughter of Julie Anderson, and was in love with Rodney Harrington, much like in the novel. However, her competition was Allison MacKenzie. Later on, she married a man named Steven Cord; and then after divorcing him, remarried Rodney. During a reunion movie, it was announced by Betty, that Dana Harrington, who was in love with a girl named Megan Harrington, (no relation) was the son of her former husband Steven Cord. This allowed Megan and Dana to be together.