Bet E. Martin

American popular singer. Born Kansas City, Missouri. Her father John Marnell was an orchestra leader who also played drums and sang. After he retired from show business, he moved the family to Chicago where Bet E. completed her education while modeling part time and singing with a band. She auditioned and was chosen to sing with Chuck Foster's orchestra at the Silverman Hotel in Chicago. Her next step up was to be selected for a role in the documentary film, "Behind The Wall", for Universal-International. This was followed by her own hour-long interview, music and fashion chatter heard daily on Chicago's WCFL. While guesting on the Chicago TV show, "Bandstand Mantinee", she met Jim Krum, the show's producer, who saw a potential star and signed her to a personal management contract. What followed was many TV, radio and personal appearances plus a recording contract. She appeared on the Pat Buttram CBS radio network show for Wrigley's Gum; on a series of TV shows with Griff Williams and his orchestra on WBKB in Chicago, and appeared in many nighclubs in Chicago and at the Chicago Theatre. She also joined Raymond Burr of TV's "Perry Mason" on a two-month tour of Army bases. She sang at leading nightclubs such as the Shamrock-Hilton in Houston; the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans; the Radisson Hotel in Minneapolis; Rancho Don Carlos in Winnipeg; the Colony Club in Omaha; and the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas to mention just a few. She also sang on tour across Europe and the Oriet.