A tough-talking character actress from Missouri, Betty Roadman usually played prison matrons (Trade Winds, 1938 and Passport to Destiny, 1944) but was also effective in Westerns, i.e. as "Buckskin" Liz, the owner of a beleaguered stagecoach in Return of the Durango Kid (1944). Roadman became a special favorite of producer Val Lewton, who cast her as Jane Randolph's cleaning woman in Cat People (1942), Margo's mother in The Leopard Man (1943), and other colorful bit roles. Roadman ended her screen career in 1947.