June 23, 2025 and two years ago on this day in 2023, Actress Betta St. John, who played Fay Ames in “Tarzan the Magnificent,” and Diana Penrod in “Tarzan and the Lost Safari” died in Brighton, Brighton and Hove, United Kingdom. As Diana in Lost Safari, she was captured by warriors from Opar. As Fay Ames in Magnificent, she plays the gullible wife of Lionel Jeffries, a woman who is tricked by Coy Banton, who was played by future Tarzan, Jock Mahoney.
Born Betty Jean Striegler, Betta St. John was an American actress, singer, and dancer who worked on Broadway, the West End, and in Hollywood films. She started her career aged 10 as a child actress in uncredited movie parts in her native USA. As an adult actress her first starring role was in the MGM film Dream Wife opposite Cary Grant in 1953. In 1954 she starred with Victor Mature in Dangerous Mission. Later residing in England she appeared in starring roles in British films including High Tide at Noon, the two Tarzan films, and the horror features Corridors of Blood with Boris Karloff and Horror Hotel with Christopher Lee. She portrayed Liat in the original Broadway cast of “South Pacific.” At age ten, she was offered a role in “The Wizard of Oz,” but her parents turned it down.
The fictional drabble for today, “Don’t Need A Hero,” was inspired by Betta St. John’s career.
“Grandma,” said Betta St. John’s granddaughter Kristen. “I’ve been watching your films and you were always in trouble, kidnapped, captured, or something like that. You were a scream queen."
“We didn’t say ‘scream queen.’ I played damsels in distress.”
“Grandma, no one says damsel anymore and I don’t need some man to rescue me.”
“Times changed. These days women don’t play a damsel in distress, they get to play a dragon in a dress. But man or woman, sometimes everyone needs a little help. Somedays you’re the helper and somedays you’re the needy. The trick is to know the difference.”
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